A WAY OF LIFE centres on teenage mother Leigh-Anne Williams (Stephanie James); her brother Gavin (Nathan Jones), a seventeen year old desperately chasing love, and her two friends Robbie (Gary Sheppeard), a seventeen year old determined to move beyond his dead-end community and Stephen (Dean Wong), a fifteen year old yearning for a Welse identity. All of them function along the margins of society...until one day, paranoid, boredom, frustration and anger form a lethal combination. When her baby girl's future appears threatened, Leigh-Anne's Turkish Muslim neighbour becomes the target of pent up anger and humiliation. A ferocious murder takes place which is seemingly driven by racial hatred and in a moment, the four teenagers seal their fate.

A violent yet powerful story of a young mother and her child, of teenage romance and friendship. A WAY OF LIFE draws you into a world of poverty, love, tenderness and hurt...a world which will challenge the way you look at life.

written and directed by Amma Asante - distributed by Verve Pictures -

Actors: Stephanie James, Gary Sheppeard, Nathan Jones, Dean Wong, Sara Lloyd-Gregory, Brenda Blethyn

Director: Amma Asante
Writer: Amma Asante

Producers: Charlie Hanson, Judith Higginbottom, Kate McCullagh, Meinir Stoutt, Patrick Cassavetti

Run Time: 91 minutes
Language English

Classification: 15
Studio: 2 Entertain Video
DVD Release Date: 11 April 2005


AWARDS

2004 | THE TIMES BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
* ALFRED DUNHILL UK FILM TALENT AWARD | AMMA ASANTE

2004 | SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL
* SPECIAL COMMENDATION | SIGNIS AWARD

2005 | SOUTH BANK SHOW AWARDS
* TIMES BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR | AMMA ASANTE

2005 | ORANGE BRITISH ACADEMY FILM AWARDS
* BAFTA CARL FOREMAN AWARD for most promising newcomer | AMMA ASANTE

2005 | MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
* FIPRESCI PRIZE | BEST FILM

2005 | MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
* GRAND JURY PRIZE | BEST FILM

2005 | MAR DEL PLATA FILM FESTIVAL
* SPECIAL COMMENDATION, LA MUJER Y EL CINE | AMMA ASANTE

2005 | BRITSPOTTING FILM FESTIVAL
* GRAND JURY PRIZE | BEST FEATURE FILM

2005 | BAFTA CYMRU AWARDS
* BEST DIRECTOR | AMMA ASANTE
* BEST ACTRESS | STEPHANIE JAMES
* BEST NEWCOMER | STEPHANIE JAMES
* BEST FILM

2005 | BRATISLAVA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
* BEST ACTRESS | STEPHANIE JAMES