Nanny: On the red carpet with Anna Diop, Michelle Monaghan, Nikyatu Jusu and Zephani Idoko at London Film Festival 2022

Nanny is the feature debut of filmmaker Nikyatu Jusu, informed by the experiences of her own mother, an immigrant from Sierra Leone, who became a domestic worker in Atlanta when she was young. Anna Diop plays Aisha, an undocumented Senegalese woman who takes up the job of nanny for Rose (Rose Decker), the daughter of a wealthy, white liberal couple in New York City (Michele Monaghan and Morgan Spector). Aisha also has a son of her own back in Senegal, who she hopes will join her, if only she can navigate life with her demanding surrogate family and can get paid on time.

The horror-inflected movie explores the injustices and micro-aggressions faced by immigrant workers in US society, as well as what is lost emotionally and culturally in leaving home behind, through the medium of a supernatural thriller, infusing characterisations inspired by real life and events with otherworldly visitations from West African folklore. It also continues a rumination on motherhood, as touched on in Jusu’s short, Suicide by Sunlight.

Having already picked up the US Grand Jury at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, it also premiered during London Film Festival 2022, where The Upcoming caught up with the cast and creatives. Lead actress Diop shared the appeal of working with Jusu on a story that was also close to her heart.

Monaghan further explained how she saw was able to get under the skin of her character, Amy, and reflected on her career so far.

Jusu talked to us about the personal nature of the film, how she chose and worked with her cast, and how she wanted to use genre to tell a story rooted in real-world realities.

Zephani Idoko also spoke about her supporting role as Sallay and her experience of making the film.

Sarah Bradbury
Videos: Cristiana Ferrauti

Nanny will be released in cinemas on 23^rd November and available on Prime Video on 16^th December 2022.

Read more reviews and interviews from our London Film Festival 2022 coverage here.

For further information about the festival visit the official BFI website here.

Watch the trailer for Nanny here: