Interviews: the personal stories behind Nikyatu Jusu’s award winning Nanny

Debut features don’t get much more successful. Nikyatu Jusu’s Nanny, which arrives in cinemas this week, scooped the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance and, for the writer/director, it was a story with a personal connection that cried out to be told.

The horror/thriller is set in what looks like the American Dream, with a successful career couple employing Aisha (Anna Diop), a qualified teacher from Senegal, as a nanny for their little girl. But all is not what it seems. Aisha is working undocumented in the family’s home, being paid is always difficult and the strain between her and the couple – especially with the mother Amy (Michelle Monaghan) – soon begins to show. Plus she finds herself haunted by figures from West African legends and folklore, which could be a warning …..

In the interview below, Jusu talks about growing up in Atlanta with her Sierra Leonean parents and how her mother had a number of jobs, including domestic work, which “often goes unnoticed, even though they’re sustaining societies and systems.” Diop agrees, describing how making the film reminded her of her own upbringing, as well as reflecting how important it was for her, as Senegalese, to portray somebody from her own country. And Monaghan explains why it was important to tell this particular story and to see a film made from the perspective of an undocumented immigrant.

Official Trailer:

Nanny is in selected cinemas from 25th November and on Prime Video from 16 December.
Read our review of the film.

About the Author

Freda Cooper

Editor

Freda is a Senior Writer at The People's Movies. A lifelong movie fan and a film critic for over ten years, Freda’s natural habitat is the darkened rooms frequented by fellow cineastes. She can also be found asking questions of some of the biggest names in the business – from Cate Blanchett to Daniel Craig or Mike Leigh to Pete Docter – or crafting reviews for a number of sites and publications, including The People’s Movies. And listeners to BBC Local Radio can catch her views on the latest releases. She always – and probably always will – cite The Third Man as her favourite film of all time. Her top ten? That’s a moveable feast …..

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