The Last Tree

Femi grows up in the English countryside after being placed in foster care, cut off from the life his Nigerian family once led. As a teen he moves back to London to live with his birth mother, and everything familiar feels different. The city brings new friends, tougher lessons, and a louder set of expectations about how a young man should act. Rather than relying on big plot turns, the film records small decisions and awkward moments that shape who Femi becomes, showing how family, culture, and the streets pull him in competing directions as he figures out where he fits.

Released in 2019 and directed by Shola Amoo, The Last Tree stars Samuel Adewunmi as Femi with Gbemisola Ikumelo in a key role. It was produced in the UK and filmed on location to keep the settings lived-in and specific to the story.

The movie had a limited theatrical run, mostly at independent cinemas and festivals, so it reached a relatively small audience in theaters. Much of its visibility came from festival screenings and later digital or on-demand availability rather than wide box office success.

The film was noted for putting a Black British coming-of-age story front and center, prompting conversations about mixed cultural identity, foster care, and fatherhood. It helped amplify UK filmmakers working with personal, community-rooted stories and contributed to ongoing discussions about representation in British cinema.

Critical response leaned positive on performances and visual style, though opinions varied on pacing and narrative scope, giving it an average score around 6.3/10 on some platforms. Themes include belonging, masculinity, memory, and the push between rural upbringing and urban life, all delivered through quiet scenes and character-focused moments.