A Thousand and One (2023)

Very free-spirited and compulsive Inez (an excellent display from Teyana Taylor) is an ex-con who kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry from foster care after stumbling upon his whereabouts accidentally.

The film takes place between 1994 and 2005 in Harlem, New York and AV Rockwell's film does a subtle but effective job of reminding us of the circumstances of the location throughout the time period.

Terry's acceptance of the way in which his life has unfolded even as a six-year-old is heartbreaking, and even though Inez isn't exactly easy on him, her determination to do well by both of the film drives the piece forward and is the heartbeat of a film that won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance this year.

The performances are excellent all over, most notably Taylor but also the three actors that portray Terry (Aaron Kingsley Adetola at six, Aven Courtney at thirteen and especially Josiah Cross at seventeen) along with William Catlett as father figure Lucky, who joins them early on to set up an initially very DIY domestic life.

Despite the strength of the film, A Thousand and One received a tiny UK release back in April, and one would hope it's available to buy or stream fairly soon because it's a bit of a gem. 7.4/10