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Reparations
An independent film exploring themes of justice, history, and reconciliation. An unforgettable cinematic experience.
The Story
When history demands a reckoning, one family's past will define a nation's future.
REPARATIONS follows the journey of a driven historian who uncovers a secret that links his own family to a historical injustice. As he grapples with the truth, he must decide between his personal legacy and a revelation that could reshape society itself.
"A powerful and timely masterpiece."
An Unforgettable Cinematic Experience
REPARATIONS is more than a film—it's a journey into the heart of history, justice, and the ties that bind us. Through meticulous research and powerful performances, the story challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths and consider the profound impact of the past on the present.
Powerful Drama
A gripping narrative with compelling characters who are forced to face impossible choices that will redefine their identities and legacies forever.
Historical Depth
Meticulously researched to explore complex and sensitive themes with the authenticity and respect they deserve, creating a truly immersive world.
Stunning Cinematography
Visually breathtaking scenes that bring the story and its richly detailed world to life on the big screen, capturing both epic scale and intimate moments.
REPARATIONS
THE PITCH
Title:
Form:
Genre
Format:
Shoot Locations:
REPARATIONS
Feature Film
Modern Day and Historical Drama
Digital
London, Nigeria
One Liner:
A day-old baby, abandoned in a telephone box by her 15-year-old mother, becomes a barrister and discovering her links to slavery, champions a petition for Reparations.
Principals
Chrystal Rose (Writer, Producer)
Mission Statement
Reparations Ltd and the Producers seek to produce a modern- day drama feature fused with re-enacted historical realities, with the high artistic and production qualities of a studio film at a fraction of the cost.
Hence the company seeks to have the film released in a significant number of theatres in the UK, across North America and around the world, to all viable markets and platforms, ultimately earning a profit.
Reparations is a novel and will also be adapted into a stage play.
THE NOVEL
Purchase the Novel On Shop Page
VISION STATEMENT
BY WRITER / PRODUCER / DIRECTOR CHRYSTAL ROSE
The story of Reparations is totally unique and relies on a great deal of historical and legal research with links to evidence to corroborate the facts. Reparations is structurally sound with great, complex, memorable characters, conflict and a warming resolution.
SYNOPSIS:
15-year-old, ROSE DOZIE, leaves her day-old daughter in a telephone box, unable to raise her. The baby is adopted by white parents, ZOE and ARON, who name her ZA after them and the family live a seemingly perfect life in Devon.
Zoe, Aron and heartthrob PHIL, who Za befriends at college, having the love of poetry in common, see Za, an intelligent, coconscious, caring, beautiful person, whilst others, including Phil’s parents, JACOB and EMILY, upper class snobs, only see her colour and insist on knowing where Za is “really” from. This prompts Za to want to find her birth parents.
From a chest in the attic, Phil shows Za photos of his deceased twin, STU, who he claims was younger and died of a Cardiac Arrest. Phil also divulges that he makes his own sweets.
Learning her natural father, EKON IGWE, is a Prince in Nigeria, Za longs to find him. Her adoptive parents and Phil dissuade her from doing so. She listens and shelves her plans.
Phil and Za get engaged, study law at Oxford and move to London. As a barrister, Za gains tenancy at VORST CHAMBERS, run by KC, DAVE VORST. Phil joins his family’s multi-billion-pound CULVE ESTATE AGENCY with branches and assets worldwide. From day one, Phil’s keen to be CEO.
Seeing a TV news story about bones of Black slaves from the West Indies being found on a Devon beach. makes Za want to explore her roots again. On Facebook, she learns Ekon lives in Nigeria. Secretly, she flies to meet him. Showing her a family tree, it’s steeped in slavery that haunts the family’s past. Za visits historical slavery sites and learns that reparations were paid to UK enslavers from a loan only repaid by UK tax payers in 2015. A Petition for Reparations to be debated in the House of Commons failed to get the needed 100k signatures.
Back in London, Za asks Dave for help to start a new Petition for reparations to pay Black descendants of slaves. He turns her down. Unknown to Za, his ancestors benefitted from the Trade. Phil learns his forefather, FRANCIS CULVE,enslaved Za’s forefather, JAMES DOZIE. Phil wants to keep this from Za, but Jacob and Emily want her to know hoping it will end their relationship. Jacob and Emily die in a car crash before they can tell Za. Jacob’s death certificate also details Cardiac Arrest.
Two weeks from their wedding, aborting an overnight stay with Ekon in a hotel and returning home, Za walks in on Phil having an affair. Za ends their relationship and recoups in Nigeria with Ekon.
Za finds out the link between hers and Phil’s forefathers, that Phil
is the younger twin and as such would not inherit the family fortune unless he was the last survivor. Finding evidence, Za believes Phil has caused his family’s deaths using poison in sweets. She takes her suspicions to the police.
Za’s reparations petition is a great success. She files a claim against Phil in unjust enrichment and shows in court how Phil has directly benefitted from her descendant being enslaved. Za wins the case. Phil is dishonoured and arrested for the murder of his brother and parents.
Za accepts that Rose had to give her up to avoid an impoverished life. After 29 years, Ekon reconnects with Rose’s parents and introduces Za to them. The Igwe family bond in love and unity.
TONE:
Using fictionalised characters based on actual historical events, Reparations will submerge and capture audiences with insights into the brutally and gruesome treatment endured by slaves captured from Nigeria, through the 1500s to 1800s, when slavery was eventually abolished, in a polished, palatable, memorable way to educate and entertain.
CHARACTER ARC:
Initially not wanting to ruffle the feathers of her adoptive parents and partner, Za Davies delays her desire to discover her heritage, but on learning her true African identity, she forges an unstoppable path which leads to a level of redemption for her forefathers and a path to reparations for people of African descendant living in the United Kingdom. Za evolves from a timid little girl into a figurehead of change.
SHORT CHARACTERS PROFILES
ZA DAVIES
(18 – 29) A compelling beauty inside and out, due to her hardships which began from birth, there are hints of self-loathing, even though Za is headstrong and determined. With love from her adoptive parents, Za is still left feeling like she doesn’t belong in her family, an emotion she’s unable to shake throughout her childhood. She works hard at achieving and being the best at everything she sets her mind to and her endurance levels are second to none. She endures, strives, reaches goals and no-one and nothing can derail her, be it attaining great exam results to secure a place in a top university, to securing the job of her dreams. Her strong, level headed character traits enable her to shirk rude comments and racial attacks like water off a duck’s back. Despite marrying an attractive, smart, popular and rich man, drawn to him by their love of poetry, his wealth is a simple by-product. Za is totally independent and the type of person who would always be chosen first as a part of any team and would be the reason why the team won. Ultimately Za leads the way in starting to right a disastrous, British wrong.
PHIL CULVE
(18 – 29) He’s super attractive, knows it and is to the ladies, what bees are to honey. Phil’s the seemingly perfect child, brother and husband. Intelligent, thoughtful and kind, his plutomania, (love of money), is drummed into him by his overbearing parents and knows no bounds. Phil learns from an early age that money rules the way and supersedes everything. He marries for love, is caring and very supportive of his wife. His fervent desire to start a family could be seen as endearing, yet under this cloak of perfection, Phil reveals unconscious racism. Ultimately, Phil’s only desire and interest is in bolstering his personal bank account going to any lengths and depths, even murder, to achieve his ultimate goal of untold wealth.
EKON IGWE
(40s) From shady beginnings, with no siblings and from teenage years without living parents, Justin has shirked his bad boy beginnings to mature into a responsible, thoughtful man. The father of the lead character, this intelligent British character has loved and lost, building a good single life for himself as a book shop owner in Los Angeles. Now, having left a wild life behind in his youth, he understands that he still seeks personal growth, and the way to that is through tranquillity, a deeper understanding of the world and the people who live in it.
ZOE DAVIES
(35 – 50s) Caring, kind and patient, Zoe is the epitome of the average positive, helpful, upper middle-class Brit, unaware that they suffer from an unconscious bias. Unable to conceive in a timely manner due to her husband’s accident, Zoe is the ideal candidate as adopter. With a heart of gold, her directives are compelling and commendable, but it takes a major incident for her to examine her attitudes and beliefs, leading to a realisation that she must rectify her unconscious prejudices.
ARON DAVIES
(35 – 50s) – Quiet-spoken, a former 400 metre Olympic gold medallist, Aron’s a champion is so many ways. He never complains about the loss of the use of his legs after a fall from a horse and never lets his disability dampen his mood, even though his movement is restricted, dependent on the wheelchair he’s confined to. His disability hampers his ability to become a natural father. After years of trying, he adopts Za with his wife, Zoe. Always bright and up for a fight, Aron’s heart is big enough to store compassion and a desire to always do and be better.
EMILY CULVE
(55) The British stiff upper lip totally defines this character. She’s as rigid in her warped ideology of white superiority and as inflexible as a steel rod. Her family had money, but she married into the Culve 3 dynasty where her now untold wealth has also heightened her lack of compassion for others. She’s frosty and unlike some racists, doesn’t hide her prejudicial feelings.
JACOB CULVE
(60) – The CEO of Culve Real Estate, Jacob is steely, hard-working and a racist. He inherited the reigns of the company on his father’s death and has further expanded the family business now worth several billions. He’s the perfect match for Emily. They married early and had two children later in life. Together their hatred of races is such that they will happily orchestrate the destruction of their child’s marriage simply to get rid of his Black wife. Jacob is tall, lean and mean.
DAVE VORST
(70’s) – You can tell his advanced years by the creases on his skin. A King’s Counsel, Dave is upper class, exceptionally well dressed and a super experienced barrister owning a Chambers which takes his, therefore his descendant’s surname. Highly respected among his peers, Dave recruits the very best incumbents regardless of colour, creed, religious affiliations or race. But Dave is hiding a secret. One of his forefathers was a slave owner. It’s where the family wealth stemmed from. When there’s a possibility that this past will be exposed, his ruthless characteristics are exposed, as he tries to get rid of and silence the threat.
ROSE DOZIE
(15) – The mother of the lead character, Rose looks even younger than her years due to her petite frame. Once brash and bold, Rose knows when to throw in the towel. We meet her mentally battered and bruised. Her inward feelings portray her outward persona, she’s lost and lonely. As a result of living on the streets, Rose matures quickly, causing any weak traits, to harden. 40 – She’s a no-nonsense, studious, independent woman who appears unapproachable at face value. If she lets you in, you’ll find in her a loyal friend and important confidant. Rose’s background is the reason for this impervious character flaw. Too many people have let her down in the past. She has little trust in anyone but herself. Self-taught, to make sure that she can hold her own, Rose is an avid reader. She’s unapologetic for who she has developed into. Rose can see right through the facades of most characters to their real souls. She’s is wise, perceptive and astute beyond her years
Funso Foluso-Henry
playing
ZA DAVIES
JON BETTI
playing
PHIL CULVE
MICAH TSEKIRI
playing
EKON IGWE
ANNA RAY
playing
ZOE DAVIES
Philip Bubb
playing
ARON DAVIES
Matt Johnson
playing
JACOB CLUVE
TARYN KAY
playing
EMILY CULVE
Nina Hafner
playing
FAY SMYTHE
Sam Nixon
playing
NANCY WILLIAMS
Timothy Skelton
playing
DAVE VORST
Valentine Luke
playing
MR RYE
CAROLINE MAHER
playing
FEMALE JUDGE
THOMAS HIGHMORE
playing
RADIO PRESENTER
PATRICE AMMA
playing
CHINELO DOZIE
Faith Everett
playing
SUE
SAVANNAH CELESTE BARBARINO
playing
AMY
Henrique Rizzo
playing
MARTYN
CHRISTIAN SCHARTEL
playing
Policeman
NICOLE McCLEAN
playing
IVY
MIA BABIC
playing
STEPHANIE McNEIL
MARK CORNWALL
playing
TV NEWSCASTER
JEMMA LEWIS
playing
USHER
JO ADAN
playing
MARY
HADRIAN CONYNGHAM
playing
BOY 1
BRUCELLA NEWMAN-PERSAUD
playing
JUDGE GAIL
WERONIKA NOWAK
playing
VICKY
HENRY MORRIS
playing
TOM HALE
RONNIE CASSON
playing
BULLY BOY 2
VANESSA WHITE-SMITH
playing
BREDA
ARTHUR MIZRAHI
playing
POLICEMAN 3
ALEYSHA-JADE MELVILLE
playing
ROSE (15)
LLOYD COLLINS
playing
LYNCHED SLAVE
PETER MONEDI
playing
RUNAWAY SLAVE
LAWAL DANIEL TOLUWALOPE
playing
RUNAWAY SLAVE
ONOFIOK ENANG
playing
RUNAWAY SLAVE
OLUMIDE JOSEPH MESIOYE
playing
RUNAWAY SLAVE
TARIQ RUCKERT
playing
CAVE SLAVE
JAKE EVESON
playing
ENSLAVER
ANDREI VLAD
playing
ENSLAVER
ALI WILSON
playing
ENSLAVER
TOMACINA MORGAN
playing
RAPED SLAVE
LILYBELLA BAYLISS
playing
ENALAVER'S WIFE
ROBBIE MANNERS
playing
ENSLAVER
NATHALIA LAMBRANZI
playing
SIMON KAY CLERK
MIKE FREEMAN
playing
POLICEMAN 2
CHARLOTTE BUBB
playing
Goodman Clerk
LAMAR LAWRENCE
playing
Chief’s Guest
JONATHAN BUBB
playing
Waiter
STEVE BROWN
playing
MR HOB
ONOSKY UJORHA
playing
CHIEF OKORO
VICTOR AKINTUNDE
playing
TAXI DRIVER
Lunga Skosana
playing
ADAOBI DOZIE
Mina Strom
playing
Pretty Journalist
JULYANNE BATH
playing
Price Clerk
ANTONY FRANCIS
playing
CARL DOZIE
NOLO MASEMOLA
playing
ROSE (45)
ADE ALLEN
playing
CHIEF'S GUEST
DEAN PIDOUX
playing
MOTORBIKE RIDER
BAI RUIYING
playing
Court Journalist
WRITER / PRODUCER / DIRECTOR Chrystal Rose
In 1984 Chrystal won 3rd place in a Channel 4 screenplay writing competition with her original psychological thriller, “The Fine Edge of Friendship”.Chrystal’s first novel, “What a Bitch”, was published in 1996 by Fourth Estate.Her background is in television where she worked as a Producer and TV Presenter. In 1990 Chrystal funded her own pilots and created a talk show commissioned and aired on Carlton TV. “The Chrystal Show” ran for four series alongside “Chrystal’s Style Guide”.
Chrystal was a Director of Spotlight Promotions, producing and directing major public social events, exhibitions, concerts and managed budgets upwards of £500,000, writing business plans and forecasts. She has owned a clothing boutique in Central London and has a line of clothes and accessories on her own label.,
Chrystal has written the novel, “Reparations” and the book, “How To Make A Film”, which follows her progress of getting “Reparations” from novel to the big screen.
She has headed negotiations in licensing agreements with British and American companies. A board game that Chrystal devised and designed, “Flash & Furious”, retails in stores throughout the US, including Target.
Chrystal wrote the lyrics for the original songs on the soundtrack for “Reparations”.
CAST and CREW
Chrystal Rose – Writer, Producer, Director
Za Davies – Funso Foluso-Henry
Phil Culve – Jon Betti
Ekon Igwe – Micah Tsekiri
Aron Davies – Philip Bubb
Zoe Davies – Anna Ray
Jacob Culve – Matt Johnston
Emily Culve – Taryn Kay
Nancy Williams – Samantha Nixon
Ivy – Nicole McClean
Martyn – Henrique Rizzo
Dave Vorst -Timothy Skelton
Mr Rye – Valentine Luke
Judge Dame Diane McVey – Caroline Maher
Judge Gail – Brucella Newman-Persaud
Mary – Joyti Adan
Vicky – Weronika Nowak
Fay – Nina Hafner
Nigerian Taxi Driver – Victor Akintunde
Henry Morris – Tom Hale
Chief Okoro – Onosky Ujorha
Chinelo Dozie – Patrice Amma
Adaobie Dozie – Lunga Skoana
TV Newscaster – Mark Cornwell
Bully Boy1 – Hadrian Conyngham
Bully Boy 2 – Ronnie Casson
Breda – Vanessa White-Smith
Carl – Antony Francis
Policeman 3 – Arthur Boni Mizrahi
Goodman Clerk – Charlotte Bubb
Simon Kay Clerk – Nathalia Lambranzi
Rose (45) – Nolo Masemola
Policeman 1 – Christian Schartel
Policeman 2 – Mike Freeman
Hanged Slave – lloyd Collins
Cave Slave – Tariq Ruckert
Slave – Peter Monebi
Slave – Onofiok Enang
Slave Lawal – Daniel Toluwalope
Slave – Olumide Joseph Mesioye
Thomas Thistlewood – Andrei Vlad
Enslaver – Robbie Manners
Enslaver – Jake Eveson
Enslaver – Ali Wilson
Raped Slave – Tomacina Morgan
Enslaver’s Wife – Lilybella Bayliss
Sue – Faith Everett
Amy – Savannah Barbarino
Mia – Stephanie McNeil
Court Clerk – Gemma Lewis
Editor – William Achi Alaneme
Radio Host – Tom Highmore
Motorbike Rider – Dean Pidoux
Extras
Chief’s Guest – Lamar Lawrence
Court Journalist – BAI Ruiying
Waiter – Jonathan Bubb
Pretty Journalist – Mina Strom
Chief’s Guest – Sandra Edwards
Chief’s Guest – Ade Allen
CREW
Writer, Producer, Director – Chrystal Rose
Director of Photography -Francesco Carlucci
Director of Photography – Faisal Alam
Editor – Kant Pan
Assistant Editor – Rishav Acharya
2nd Assistant Editor – MORTEZA JELOKHANI
1st AD – Clementine Aurand
1st AD – Katie Cobden
Gaffer – Dominic Innes
HMU – Charlotte Fry
Assistant Lighting – Mar Indiveri
Sound Recordist – Enrico Mughetti
Sound Recordist – Abdul Thahir Khan
Sound Recordist – Gabriel Garcia-Marca
Sound Recordist – Gea Eman
Assistant Sound – Julie-Anne Murphy
Focus Puller – Felice Gioia
1st Assistant Camera – Shyam Jilka
2nd Assistant Camera – Sarah Ronad
Assistant Camera – Jodie McCartney
2nd Assistant Director – Sam Goulding
Head HMU – Korinne Brooks
Assistant HMU – Olivia Flack
Assistant HMU – Caitlin Ross
Assistant HMU – Matilde Mendes
Assistant HMU – Sara Wilson
Assistant HMU – Patricia Boebe
Assistant HMU – Patty Maquiadora
Assistant Wardrobe – Oscar Bains
Assistant HMU – Amber Hayes Bamford
Assistant HMU – Maria Samuel
Assistant Wardrobe – Eva Windahl
Assistant Wardrobe – Anikka Forbes
Assistant Wardrobe – Esme Soloman
Assistant Wardrobe – DJ Elizabeth Kay
Script Supervisor – Anna Shakour
Script Supervisor – Jake Dutton
Sound Design – Mattia Noir
D.I.T – Fintan Davies
Camera Runner – Hayden Kelley
Runner – Jordan Fox
Production Manager – Shivani Rana
Production Assistant – Michael otteson
3rd Assistant Director – Nathalia Lambranzi
Hair Stylist – Kathy Jung
Music Composer – Analia Lentini
VFX Artists – Isaac Commey, Khagesh Sharma, Safiullah Sudais, Monjur, Kiran, Fausto Diaz, Pk Jana
Colourist – Jack Siggers
Sound Design – Ivan Drudi
Sound Design – Bernardo Hita
Deliverables – Morteza Jelokhani
PR Manager – Ayesha Plunkett
Social Media Management – Jennifer G. Robinson
Special Thanks – Mrs Comfort Nwoke
Special Thanks – Ian Franses
Special Thanks – Martyn Day – Leigh Day Solicitors
Executive Producer – Philip Bubb
Executive Producer – Mark Cornwell
Executive Producer – Naudja Threadwell
Executive Producer – Shirley Fantie
Executive Producer – Sarah Ebanja
BEHIND THE SCENES
MORE BEHIND THE SCENES
BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEOS
LAURELS
ZA DAVIES POEM REPARATIONS
You chained my forefathers for being Black,
You enslaved my ancestors for what you lack.
You envied their members, their shape, their size,
Which made you feel lesser, lacking in pride.
As an admittance of feeling inferior,
You severed their genitals to feel superior.
You separated families, man, woman, child,
They cried, they bled, they died, you smiled.
For millions of servants, no escape,
You lied, you beat, you tarred, you raped.
You weren’t alone in wielding atrocities,
Perpetrating evil from across raging seas,
Brutality also reigned in God’s name,
From ministries spouting spiritual domains,
Of discourse, practise, community, institution,
Churches took part for a financial contribution.
Owning human chattel, their pockets weighed deep,
As the flesh of the captured were maimed and fleeced.
British royalty played an imperative hand,
In slave ownership and robbing wealth from the land.
Shall we take revenge? Is that what you fear?
Is that why black men, even today, you revere?
Not just for bedding your women with their charms,
Are you scared they will one day gather up arms?
Do you imagine being taken one by one,
Export you to where their forefathers came from?
Envisage if this was done by force,
Subjugate whites, east, west, south and north.
Haul them to Africa by ocean in a boat,
Deny them liberty and a right to vote,
Carry them across waters packed like sardines,
Feed them rotten food and water from the seas.
If they request more sustenance, typical, it’s greed.
Beat them; tend not to wounds if they bleed.
You enslaved my ancestors for what you lack.
You envied their members, their shape, their size,
Which made you feel lesser, lacking in pride.
As an admittance of feeling inferior,
You severed their genitals to feel superior.
You separated families, man, woman, child,
They cried, they bled, they died, you smiled.
For millions of servants, no escape,
You lied, you beat, you tarred, you raped.
You weren’t alone in wielding atrocities,
Perpetrating evil from across raging seas,
Brutality also reigned in God’s name,
From ministries spouting spiritual domains,
Of discourse, practise, community, institution,
Churches took part for a financial contribution.
Owning human chattel, their pockets weighed deep,
As the flesh of the captured were maimed and fleeced.
British royalty played an imperative hand,
In slave ownership and robbing wealth from the land.
Shall we take revenge? Is that what you fear?
Is that why black men, even today, you revere?
Not just for bedding your women with their charms,
Are you scared they will one day gather up arms?
Do you imagine being taken one by one,
Export you to where their forefathers came from?
Envisage if this was done by force,
Subjugate whites, east, west, south and north.
Haul them to Africa by ocean in a boat,
Deny them liberty and a right to vote,
Carry them across waters packed like sardines,
Feed them rotten food and water from the seas.
If they request more sustenance, typical, it’s greed.
Beat them; tend not to wounds if they bleed.
Should supplies not suffice for crew endurance,
Throw whites overboard, claim on insurance.
House them in huts, put them to work,
Batter them more if labour they shirk.
Have them pick cotton, force sex with their wives,
Prevent them from learning, quash those who thrive.
Form plantations, make them build roads,
Accumulate wealth from the ones you have sold.
Pass on blood money to your next of kin,
Give none to whites, don’t let them back in.
To grow a continent and make it nourish,
Is this a way for Africa to flourish?
Prolific slave labour, imprisoning whites,
Murder all those who put up a fight.
Gaddafi preached before he was smothered,
People of colour far outnumber the others,
But it wouldn’t be Africa’s finest hour,
‘Sides, subordinates do not yield power,
You still view us as lesser than,
You still see black males lower than a man.
Challenge us on an equal footing,
Instead of continually putting the boot in.
It always seems impossible until it’s done,
Said Nelson Mandela, a divine, majestic son.
For now, we’ll take for what you did to our nation,
An apology, followed by, monetary reparations.
Throw whites overboard, claim on insurance.
House them in huts, put them to work,
Batter them more if labour they shirk.
Have them pick cotton, force sex with their wives,
Prevent them from learning, quash those who thrive.
Form plantations, make them build roads,
Accumulate wealth from the ones you have sold.
Pass on blood money to your next of kin,
Give none to whites, don’t let them back in.
To grow a continent and make it nourish,
Is this a way for Africa to flourish?
Prolific slave labour, imprisoning whites,
Murder all those who put up a fight.
Gaddafi preached before he was smothered,
People of colour far outnumber the others,
But it wouldn’t be Africa’s finest hour,
‘Sides, subordinates do not yield power,
You still view us as lesser than,
You still see black males lower than a man.
Challenge us on an equal footing,
Instead of continually putting the boot in.
It always seems impossible until it’s done,
Said Nelson Mandela, a divine, majestic son.
For now, we’ll take for what you did to our nation,
An apology, followed by, monetary reparations.
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