Oranges and Sunshine

Plot

The film is based on the true story of Margaret Humphreys, a social worker from Nottingham who uncovered the scandal of "home children", a scheme of forcibly relocating poor children from the United Kingdom to Australia and Canada.

Margaret reunites estranged families, who are situated in Australia and the U.K., and brings worldwide attention to the cause.

Deported children were promised oranges and sunshine but they got hard labour and life in institutions such as Keaney College in Bindoon, Western Australia. Many were given to the Congregation of Christian Brothers where they were repeatedly raped.

Cast

Filming

Filming took place in Adelaide, South Australia, Nottingham, at Wirksworth in Derbyshire. Some interior scenes were filmed at the University of Leicester, Leicestershire and the porte-cochère of Nottingham railway station. Other locations that appear are a train on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway; Australia House in London and an overview of Nottingham Council House and the Old Market Square.

A casting session was held in Nottingham to find one boy and one girl for the roles of Margaret's children.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 71% based on reviews from 68 critics.