black strangers

After seeing a mention of a man called ‘Daniel’ on a Bishop’s Transcript held in Gloucestershire Archives, Dan goes for a walk in the woods in search of the man buried in Nympsfield in 1719 and described on the Transcript as ‘a black stranger’. Whilst walking, Dan talks directly to Daniel, speculating about the parallels between him and his namesake, from potential walking routes to speeds and shoe sizes. As the film progresses, Dan opens up to Daniel about how he’s been made to feel like a ‘black stranger’ in his hometown of Stroud after his involvement in a council-led review of streets, buildings, statues and monuments garnered national media attention and right-wing backlash for asking people’s opinions on an object called the Black Boy Clock.

Director: Dan Guthrie