BROKEN CROSS
"Broken Cross" is a London-based sitcom written and produced by Daniel Ndlara Robson about a middle class African family who are trying to adjust to modern British society whilst also trying to maintain their African culture.
The film explores the differences between African and western cultures and societies and the troubles an African family may experience when moving to a foreign country. Many issues are faced in the film including family breakups, drug abuse, domestic violence and child pregnancies along with wives who are committed to their loved ones which has resulted in a lifetime of housewifery.
In the UK, the mother and wife begins to learn of the equality which women are constantly fighting for. She learns that she is not "supposed" to have the husband's dinner on the table when he gets home from work or spend the day keeping the house tidy and welcoming whilst the husband andd father works as the sole breadwinner. As time goes on, the family begin to experience their own troubles of child rebellion and a husband who frequently works nights leading him to be suspected of having extramarital relations.
Soon, the mother is influenced by her work friends to begin flirting with other men and partake in excessive drinking sessions causing her to finally partake in an extramarital affair with a colleague of her husband's.
Meanwhile, the son begins dabbling with drugs and alcohol and congregating with gangs and ultimately forming his own gang while also failing at school. His sister, however, is at the top of all her school classes, but begins receiving unwanted attention from boys in her class with one in particular pressuring her into performing sexual acts and taking and spreading pictures of her doing so. This then leads to her being bullied and blackmailed.
As the family reaches the peak of its breakup the husband finds his children's mother in bed with the colleague she began her extramarital affair with and assaults them both. The police become involved and the husband is sent to prison while the wife and colleague are treated in hospital. Following this the daughter manages to convince the son to clean up his act and give up the drugs and alcohol before they are sent to live with their grandmother.
"Broken Cross" is an exploration into and comparison of African and British cultures and what can happen in the long run when a family lacks communication, trust and respect.