“A gripping and inspiring journey fuelled by his unflappable spirit.”
— POV
Name Me Lawand
by Edward Lovelace • 2023 • 91’ • UK
Credits
Director:
Edward Lovelace
Producer:
Fleur Nieddu
Five-year-old Lawand is on a quest to find a world where there are people like him — people who will understand him. Since birth, Lawand has been profoundly deaf and unable to communicate with those around him. He undertakes a treacherous journey with his family from Iraq to Derby, home of the Royal School for the Deaf. But this new life soon comes under threat when the family face deportation. Along with members of the Derby community, they begin a new quest — a fight to stay in the place they now call home.
Awards & Festivals
Special Jury Award
— HotDocs 2023
Children’s Resilience in Film Award
— Shine Global 2023
Best Documentary Release [nominee]
— Big Screen Awards 2023
Refugee Reporting Award
— One World Media 2023
Junior Jury Award
— Budapest International Documentary Festival 2024
Grand prix
— FIFDH 2024
BFI London Film Festival
Buster Film Festival 2023
Bergen International Film Festival 2023
Windsor International Film Festival 2023
Ayjal Film Festival 2023
DOCNYC 2023
Mostly British Film Festival 2024
Sedona International Film Festival 2024
Oslo Dokumentarkino (HUMAN) 2024
Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2024
Millenium Festival 2024
Martha's Vineyard Film Festival 2024
Nouveaux Regards Film Festival 2024
ReelAbilities Film Festival 2024
Phoenix Film Festival 2024
Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival 2024
Filmmaker’s Biography
Edward Lovelace is known for his critically acclaimed work, including his award-winning third feature film co-directed with James Hall, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS (2014 – SXSW, BFI London Film Festival) and their VOLVO x SKY ATLANTIC documentary series HUMAN MADE STORIES (Cannes Lions, Tribeca Film Festival 2020). His previous work also includes A SONG STILL INSIDE (2020 – short narrative), KATY PERRY: PART OF ME (2012 – feature documentary), and WEREWOLVES ACROSS AMERICA (2010 – feature documentary). His most recent feature film NAME ME LAWAND (2022) won Best International Film at HotDocs 2023, received a Grierson Award 'Best Feature Documentary' nomination at BFI London Film Festival 2022 and has been nominated for a One World Media 'Refugee Reporting' Award. NAME ME LAWAND is being released by BFI Distribution in June 2023 across the UK & Ireland. He is currently developing a fiction feature with BBC Film and is in development for his next feature documentary.