Life beyond Canvey
by Stephen Brown
This forum is a reflection on my transition from filmmaker to counsellor, while making a film about the meeting of two contrasting cultures: the Charedi Jewish community originating in Stamford Hill and the UKIP friendly community of Canvey Island. Can they live side by side? In the two years since then I have qualified as a counsellor, coronavirus has upended the Charedi and Canvey communities, and my optimism has been challenged. There are more questions than answers remaining.
About Stephen Brown
Drawn to the cinema from an early age, Stephen worked his way through the film and TV industry starting out as a runner in Paris in 1980 and culminating in directing a feature film adaptation of John Banville’s novel THE SEA in 2013. He has embarked on a new career as a psychodynamic counsellor having recently qualified with a Masters at Birkbeck. He worked on the 2018 BBC1 documentary CANVEY THE PROMISED ISLAND, while completing his studies.
