Film challenges UK government thinking on immigration

“The More the Merrier” . A new short film, interwoven with compelling archive, provides a timely case for unfettered freedom of movement for all across the globe. Too many people? Too many immigrants? For The More the Merrier the answer is a deafening no.

Evocative sea shanty songs take us to St Katharine Docks on the Thames and set the scene. This was a landing and departure point for immigrants settling in the UK and emigrants heading off to the new World. Immigration and emigration represent striving for a better world, yet from the 1905 aliens act onwards the UK began to shut its’ borders. The film suggests that while attitudes to immigration have been de-racialised there has been more closure than ever before and situates today’s anti immigrant sentiment within a culture of limits.

The film incorporates inspiring arguments from the Battle of Ideas immigration debate and features Bruno Waterfield Brussels correspondent for The Daily telegraph who argues “anti immigration sentiments represent a closure of the historical imagination” and quoting American writer P J O’Rourke he points that if the whole of the worlds’ population moved to one place they would cover a space the size of former Yugoslavia at the same density as Manhatten and he says “Manhatten is a pretty good place to live.” Philippe Legrain author of Immigrants Your Country Needs Them explains internal migration outstrips migration overseas today and this has “not for example caused China to collapse.” Legrain ridicules the ‘points system’ and argues immigration controls today represent a form of global apartheid.

WORLDwrite Director Ceri Dingle explains:
“This is a positive pro immigration film, not a tragic story, not an exceptional case but a fresh appraisal of the debate with a much needed historical perspective. Cutting through the depressing low expectations we have for what is possible today, the title of the film says it all.”

The More the Merrier will be launched alongside the documentary Cash Back highlighting the role of remittances at the new Vibe Lounge, Brick lane, London E1 on Sunday 20th April at 6pm. Speakers will include Philippe Legrain, (Author Immigrants their country needs you) Claire Fox (Director Institute of Ideas) and a representative of Open the Borders – a spiked-online campaign.

Contact Information

Ceri Dingle

Director

Worldwrite

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