His House

A haunted-house chiller that tackles the thorny subject of asylum with satirical and emotional heft, this is a striking feature debut from British writer/director Remi Weekes. Sope Dìrísù and Wunmi Mosaku play Bol and Rial Majur, South Sudanese refugees who are placed in a dilapidated house in south east England. While Bol strives to assimilate, Rial is more aware of the hostility they face, and both experience disturbing visions as they settle into their new neighbourhood. Dìrísù and Mosaku bring great sensitivity to their portrayal of a couple who are simply seeking a better life, and remain beautifully believable in the face of escalating hideousness. Meanwhile, Matt Smith plays the pair's case worker, whose veneer of chumminess frequently peels back to reveal his disdain. His House cleverly blends the horrors of displacement, trauma and social alienation with traditional genre tropes and pointed humour. Both visually and narratively imaginative, the film's most impressive attribute is the fact that, despite the ghoulish happenings, it never loses sight of the stories that inspired it.