'He asked me what I'd done sexually with a woman': how Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor turned her asylum grilling into a film

Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor's asylum interview was an ordeal she won't soon forget. The Nigerian-British director recounts the experience in her semi-autobiographical feature film Dreamers, which premiered at the London film festival and Berlin earlier this year. In one harrowing scene, a Home Office caseworker grilled Gharoro-Akpojotor with provocative questions about her sexuality.

"I was like: Oh my God, everyone can see me. Everyone knows everything about me," she laughs, reflecting on how the experience felt exposing. The interview included some remarkably uninformed questions - "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?" and "OK, if your family are in the south and they know you're gay, why can't you go up north?"

One question that stood out was what Gharoro-Akpojotor had done sexually with a woman or a man. The film portrays the grimness and bureaucratic indifference of UK immigration, where people are processed without listening to them or looking them in the eye.

Despite the trauma she endured, Gharoro-Akpojotor counts herself lucky that her asylum application was approved five days later. She credits the rapport she built with the caseworker over Dagenham, a town where both of them lived at the time, as being pivotal to the outcome.

The film challenges stereotypes about refugees and presents a gorgeous love story between Isio and Farah, two women in a detention centre. The script subtly subverts expectations and is funny and warm.

Gharoro-Akpojotor's journey to making films began when she was just 11 years old, writing stories in her bedroom that would later be described as "The Vampire Busters." After studying cinema at university and working part-time in a betting shop, she discovered her knack for producing and eventually started making short films.

She produced her first feature film, Blue Story, which became embroiled in controversy over its portrayal of gang violence. Gharoro-Akpojotor wants to make more films that challenge people to see the world differently, such as one about a young man with mental health problems.

"I want you to be like, next time you see a guy on the road, and you hear him shouting, take time to think," she says. "We're so used to walking by. We treat people as the other. It's the same with immigration - it's those guys over there."

Gharoro-Akpojotor believes that if we had more understanding of social issues, we would have much more care for each other.

lol, this is so messed up ! Asylum interviews are supposed to be a safe space for ppl to share their stories, not a grilling session like Gharoro-Akpojotor experienced . It's like they're trying to process ppl without even listening, you feel? And the questions she got asked? wild - like, is there a Brighton in Nigeria?!?! (I mean, no, it's not exactly common knowledge ).

But for real tho, I'm so proud of Gharoro-Akpojotor for speaking out and making this film . It's such an important story to tell about refugees & immigration, and I love how she's tackling stereotypes with her script . Let's make more films like Dreamers that humanize ppl who are often treated like stats or news headlines .

As a platform loyalist, I gotta say, I'm all for giving creators the space to share their stories without fear of censorship or backlash . We need more voices like Gharoro-Akpojotor speaking truth to power & challenging our assumptions about the world .

I'm still in shock after watching Dreamers and I gotta say, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor's asylum interview scene is a total game-changer. The way the Home Office caseworker just grilled her with those provocative questions, like "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?"... it's like, what even is that? It's not only unprofessional but also super uncomfortable to watch.

The thing that gets me is how this scene showcases the grimness and bureaucratic indifference of UK immigration. I mean, people are being processed without any actual listening or looking them in the eye... it's just so dehumanizing.

But what really resonated with me is Joy's story as a whole. She's not only an incredibly talented filmmaker but also someone who's been through a lot. Her journey to making films started at just 11 years old, and I love how she's used her platform to challenge people's perceptions and make us see the world differently.

I think what bothers me the most is that we often treat people as "others" without really taking the time to understand their experiences. We're so caught up in our own biases and stereotypes that we forget that everyone has a story to tell.

If more of us took the time to listen, to empathize, and to challenge our own assumptions, I genuinely believe we would be a more compassionate society. And Joy's film is definitely one of those catalysts for change.

OMG u guyz! This asylum interview scene in Dreamers is soooo harrowing I can imagine how embarrassing & traumatic it must've been 4 Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor 2 go thru that

But omg the questions she got "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?" lol what even is dat? & "OK, if your family are in the south and they know you're gay..." wut r u even talkin bout?

But for real tho Gharoro-Akpojotor's journey 2 making films is so inspiring she started writin stories at 11 & now shes makin movies that challenge stereotypes & showcase gorgeous love stories

I love how she wants 2 make more films about social issues like mental health probs & gettin us 2 think differently about ppl we walk by

OMG this asylum interview is like a mirror to the UK's system, right? I mean, seriously, who asks someone about their sex life in an asylum interview? It's all about power dynamics and control, you know? The Home Office just wanted to strip Gharoro-Akpojotor of her humanity. Like, she was already vulnerable as a refugee, now they're trying to break her mentally too.

And can we talk about how the system is designed to fail people like her? I mean, what's with all these uninformed questions "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?" Um, no, but did you know that Nigeria has a rich cultural heritage? Maybe they should've asked that one. Anyway, it's not just about Gharoro-Akpojotor; it's about the systemic issues that lead to people being treated this way.

Gharoro-Akpojotor's film is like a beacon of hope , showing us that even in the darkest moments, there's always a chance for change. And let's not forget, she was lucky to have a rapport with her caseworker. What about those who don't get that kind of luck? It's time for us to rethink our immigration system and make it more compassionate, you know?

I'm all for artists using their platform to raise awareness , like Gharoro-Akpojotor is doing. We need more films like "Dreamers" to humanize refugees and challenge our biases. Who's with me?

Ugh I'm still giving myself a chill run down thinking about the questions she was asked How do they not know there's a Brighton in Nigeria? Like, it's not that hard to fact check. And omg, what a ridiculous question about her family It's just so unfair that people have to go through this trauma for seeking help and safety. And I love how the film is subverting stereotypes and showing a gorgeous love story between two women But seriously, let's make more films like this one that challenge our perspectives and encourage empathy

idk how ppl think a simple Qn like "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?" is a good way to evaluate someone's character lol. it feels like they're just trying 2 find excuses 2 deny ppl asylum. like, come on! u cant reduce someone's whole life experience 2 a silly geography question

Ugh, this asylum interview scene in Dreamers is just so uncomfortable to watch I mean, who asks someone about their sex life on the spot? And what's with the "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?" question? Like, hello, Google it! It's just so uninformed and rude. The fact that Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor had to go through this trauma is just heartbreaking But at least her application was approved and she credits the rapport with her caseworker for it. That's something, I guess The film itself looks great, though - it does a good job of challenging stereotypes about refugees and presenting a beautiful love story

Man, this is like so messed up! The way they grilled Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor at her asylum interview was completely unacceptable. It's like, can't they just take the time to listen and understand her situation? I mean, who asks someone about their sex life in an asylum interview? That's just red tape for human rights violations.

And it's even more mind-blowing that she was able to build a rapport with the caseworker over Dagenham and still got approved her application. What does that say about our immigration system, right? It's all about connections and who you know, not about actually helping people in need.

We need more films like Dreamers that challenge our stereotypes and make us think about the world differently. We need to start seeing people as human beings, not just numbers or statistics. And we need to support filmmakers like Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor who are using their platforms to raise awareness and spark conversations.

But what's even more concerning is that this kind of treatment is still happening in our country today. We can't just sit back and watch as people are treated like they're less than human. We need to stand up and demand change, starting with our immigration system.

Ugh can u believe this Home Office is still asking ppl about their sexuality during asylum interviews?! it's like they wanna make ppl feel super uncomfortable & exposed. And the questions they asked were just wild like "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?" no idea who knows what, but its not relevant to asylum. And the fact that ppl are processing them without listening or even looking them in the eye is literally heart breaking

OMG Dreamers is literally so emotional rn I'm a HUGE fan of Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor and she's just amazing! The way she talks about her asylum interview experience in the film is just so raw and honest... it gives me chills . And can we talk about how powerful this film is? It's not just a story about immigration, but also about love, trauma, and resilience . I'm so inspired by Joy's journey from writing stories at 11 to making films that challenge our perspectives . The fact that she's making more films like Dreamers is exactly what we need right now - it's time to break down those barriers and understand each other better . Can't wait for her next project!

man this film thing its crazy i mean joy went through so much and still managed to create somethin beautiful like dreamers . the way she talks about her asylum experience is really eyeopening especially that one question about brighton in nigeria lololol what even is that? but seriously its a big deal how they just dont care about people's feelings or stories. anyway i think its great that joy used her trauma to create somethin thats gonna make ppl see the world differently and not just walk by .

i mean i feel bad for everyone who goes through similar experiences like joy but at the same time i hope more ppl start talking about these issues and making a change. we need more understanding and care for each other and its up to us to create that .

I mean, this whole asylum interview thing is wild . I can imagine how scary and dehumanizing it must've felt for Joy to be grilled like that. The questions she got asked were just so... uninformed . Like, "Is there a Brighton in Nigeria?" Um, no? It's not exactly a hidden gem on the West African coast .

It's actually pretty impressive that she was able to build rapport with her caseworker and turn that into an approval five days later. I guess it shows that sometimes, all it takes is some human connection to make a difference .

The film itself sounds really powerful in tackling stereotypes about refugees and immigration. It's great that Joy is using her platform to challenge people's expectations and encourage empathy . We need more stories like this, for sure .