Primary

It's rare for children to have a voice in the film industry, or for them to find their views represented in a way which isn't obscured by adult attempts to make them sound more sophisticated. Primary represents a chance for a group of eight to eleven year olds to say what they have to say on their own terms. It was made by a group of refugee and asylum seeker children who chose to interview their classmates about their views on the asylum process. All the direction and camerawork was done by the children themselves, giving it a much more natural, child-centered perspective than you'll see in any adult piece of work, and it's beautifully done.

Because Primary's interviewees are speaking about the very people who're interviewing them, adults might be inclined to think that as a piece of journalism this is inherently flawed, but children are more inclined to be honest regardless of the circumstances and nothing they say here seems stilted or forced. Seen in their terms, the issue is a simple one. They like their new friends and want them to be able to stay. "I don't want them to leave because they make me happy," one boy says. They don't understand why adults don't see things the same way. Listening to them should encourage anyone to take a fresh look at the issue and understand just how simple it can be if approached in this way. If the children are wrong, is there an equally simple argument which they can be presented with to explain why?

Seeing children get the chance to take control like this makes for impressive cinema. All the interviewees in Primary are bright and engaging with plenty to say. One can only hope that they retain these skills as they get older. Other children around the same age will find this an inspiring piece of work, and adults have plenty to learn from it too.