Fresh from the success of the Marvel blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and acclaimed independent movie Aisha, Letitia Wright is one of the busiest women in Hollywood. From gritty social realism to fantasy superhero movies, her range is also evident in the sheer variety of genres her projects have covered. However, at the heart of all her projects, she tells me, must be a powerful script. And so it was with The Silent Twins, Wright’s newest movie, which debuts on 9 December and tells the tale of the extraordinary life of June and Jennifer Gibbons.
“We were looking at the lives of two beautiful, young Black women,” says Wright of the film. “Two young girls who were just trying to understand themselves within a society that was quite difficult to grow up in. Beautiful creatives. Today, they would be considered geniuses.”
June and Jennifer, as The Silent Twins explores, are the only West Indian children in Haverfordwest, a town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where they were bullied over their strong accents and speech impediment. As a result, they created a rich, fascinating world in which to escape the reality of their real lives. The movie is a fictional interpretation of an astounding true story, with director Agnieszka Smoczynska feeling a big responsibility to do the story justice by balancing realism and surrealism.
“I was trying to portray the sisters’ souls and their inner worlds and their art which they created,” says Smoczynska. “What I liked about the script was how it tackled the melancholy and irony, and how it combined the inner world versus the outside world. I love this because I think people are very complex and we are not only human beings but we have fantasy and many elements which we can describe through combined elements.”
The Silent Twins is adapted from a book of the same name, written by investigative journalist Marjorie Wallace, who met the twins when they were at Broadmoor Hospital. The twins entrusted her with their diaries and Wallace watches as the girls’ creative souls shone through in their writing, revealing how they were alienated – not psychopathic as they had been incorrectly diagnosed.
Wright plays June and is in awe of the sisters’ imaginations. She believes the way The Silent Twins explores their ingenuity emerges as one of the film’s most poignant themes. “The twins are adamant to be the best writers they can be,” she says. “They actually dreamed really big and had hope for themselves. They studied their craft and did what they could to try to make an impact on the world with their words. Unfortunately, they didn’t get the support they needed.”
The twins were vilified by the local community and British press for their behaviour and, after a spate of minor crimes, were sentenced to indefinite detention in Broadmoor in 1981 – where they spent 11 years.
Tragically, Jennifer died in mysterious circumstances while being transferred from Broadmoor to a more open clinic in Wales. Tamara Lawrance, who plays Jennifer, believes the power of the movie is in shining a light on issues in the criminal justice system, especially those concerning mental health.
Letitia Wright (left) and Tamara Lawrance. Courtesy of Lukasz Bak/Focus Features
“One of the things that the movie touches on very heavily is injustice,” says Lawrance. “People being over sentenced, over criminalised and adultified. At the point at which the sisters go to Broadmoor, you’ve spent some time with them and their story is humanised. You empathise with them, you find them funny and trusting and you see them through the highs and lows of their relationship and understand how they got where they did. I believe that the audience will also see how unjustly and unfairly they were sentenced.”
Lawrance continues: “I hope people hear that message loud and clear, that there needs to be reformation and there needs to be rehabilitation and understanding when it comes to the criminal justice system. Rather than throwing people away for a decade, there needs to be a better understanding of the help that they need.”
For Lawrance, the whole process of making the movie was eye-opening, touching her on a very powerful, very personal level.
Left to Right, Tamara Lawrance as Jennifer Gibbons and Letitia Wright as June Gibbons. Courtesy of Lukasz Bak/Focus Features
“I’ve learned a lot about myself,” she says, “I think the nature of any friendship, sistership or relationship is the very intimacy, where you’ve been vulnerable with people. I think that ultimately the person you spend the most time with becomes a reflection of who you are. I think playing this role has made me process so much about myself, about how I show up for the people I love.”
As well as starring in the movie, both Wright and Lawrance served as producers. It was a new experience for Wright, who says the process of making The Silent Twins has given her the confidence to do more work behind the camera.
“I’ve taken a lot away from this film and definitely from the producing side,” she says. “It shows that we can do it. We are two young black women in this industry that are striving to make change. We were blessed with the opportunity to produce this film.”
The Silent Twins will be released in cinemas on 9 December 2022.
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