iLL Manors

Written, directed and scored by Ben Drew, perhaps better known as hip-hop artist Plan B, iLL Manors weaves together the loosely related lives of hustlers, drug dealers, prostitutes and kids in Drew's neighbourhood of Forest Gate in London through a mix of expository rap songs and harrowing drama. The film gets too heavy-handed and over-the-top at a couple of points, but those are small flaws compared to the impressive blend of musical and cinematic storytelling that Drew manages to pull off here. The accompanying soundtrack just scored a well-deserved Mercury Prize nomination.