Amaal Said: Open Country 

Join us to celebrate the launch of Open Country, a new film commission by Amaal Said, with a programme of screenings, tours and events at the Red House in Bexley. 

2, 3 & 5 October 2025

      Open Country is a new film by Amaal Said, premiering at the Red House in Bexley as part of a public programme taking place on 2, 3 & 5 October 2025. 

      Open Country follows a Somali mother and daughter who walk from their London home along the Old Kent Road, tracing the Pilgrims' Way into Bexley, North Kent and beyond. The daughter plans to record an audio cassette diary for her grandmother, who is back home in Somalia and in ill health. Hoping to ease her mother’s worries and lift her spirits, she uses the journey as a way to bring joy and to help her focus on the road ahead in the country they call home. 

      Shot at the Red House, a National Trust property and the former home of William Morris in Bexley, as well as locations in Canterbury and the Kent coast, the film is loosely inspired by The Canterbury Tales, and explores the tension between being present in the here and now and yearning for another place.

      Open Country was co-commissioned by Three Rivers, Film and Video Umbrella and Forma as part of The Open Road programme. Supported using public funding by the Arts Council England.

      Public programme and screenings at the Red House: 

      Thursday 2 October 2025, 6–9 pm
      Open Country by Amaal Said Film Launch

      Join us to celebrate the launch of Open Country by Amaal Said at the Red House. 

      The evening will begin with an introduction to Open Country by the artist, who will share the stories and processes that informed the creation of the work. Beyond the screen, the gathering will continue with traditional Somali food and drinks prepared by Roon’s Catering, offering a moment of collective reflection and conviviality.

      The event is free and open to all, though booking via Eventbrite is recommended.

      Friday 3 October 2025

      Screenings of Open Country by Amaal Said and the Red House historical tours 

      Experience Open Country by Amaal Said and the Red House, one of its filming locations and William Morris’ house, with historical tours starting at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. 

      Registration is essential via the Red House’s website.

      Sunday 5 October 2025, 11 am–2 pm

      between here and there: Creative Writing Workshop with Amina Jama

      A creative writing workshop and shared lunch for mothers and daughters, coming together to share histories of migration. Led by Amina Jama, responding to Amaal Said’s new film Open Country. 

      Free booking via Eventbrite is essential, as this will be a small gathering designed to create a safe and supportive space for sharing.


      Photo: Amaal Said, Open Country, 2025. Film still. Courtesy of the artist.

      Amaal Said is a London-based multidisciplinary artist whose work encompasses visual storytelling and community engagement. Born in Denmark to Somali parents, her photography has been featured in Vogue, The Guardian, and The New Yorker. She has exhibited internationally and received the Southwark Council’s I Create grant for her film Notes on Getting Home in 2022. As a Picture Researcher at Hyphen, she curates visuals to amplify Muslim narratives. Amaal holds an MA in Art & Politics from Goldsmiths and a BA in Politics from SOAS.

      Red House is a building of extraordinary architectural and social significance, the only house commissioned, created and lived in by William Morris, founder of the Arts & Crafts movement. Designed by Philip Webb and completed in 1860, it was described by Edward Burne-Jones as 'the beautifullest place on earth'. The rooms at Red House give a unique view of William and Janey's life and the establishment of what later became Morris & Co. Red House boasts original features and furniture by Morris and Philip Webb, stained glass and paintings by Burne-Jones and embroidery by Jane and Elizabeth Burden. Coupled with bold architecture and a garden designed to 'clothe the house', they add up to a fascinating and rewarding place to visit.

      The Open Road is a series of artists' moving image works, co-commissioned by a partnership of visual arts organisations: Film and Video Umbrella, The Amelia Scott, Cement Fields, FLAMIN, Forma, and Three Rivers. 

      The Open Road reimagines the age-old tale of a journey taken, weaving together new stories by three contemporary artists. The works are loosely inspired by The Canterbury Tales, drawing from a disparate cast of characters to recount competing stories in a patchwork of styles. David Blandy, Amaal Said and Sam Williams each draw on storytelling traditions to give fresh perspectives on their journeys, on foot, by sea and through time. The newly commissioned works meander through reflections on migration and belonging, untold histories and non-human connections. A smashed mobile phone decries its extraction, removed, returned and dug out from the earth. A daughter recounts a meandering walk with her mother, connecting with the earth underfoot and a land far away. A manifestation of an eel acts as a vessel for both human and non-human experiences in the Kent wetlands.