Lewisham born Leon Oldstrong has long been captivated by storytelling, growing up inspired by the place he grew up in. Now, as a writer and director, he’s bringing that rich local community to the screen with his latest film, My Zombie Apocalypse Team, which merges horror, comedy, and authentic South-East London culture.
“I always loved film,” Oldstrong told Eastlondonlines. “Growing up, I’d rent movies every week from the local video shop, Sounds Around. There was no YouTube or internet back then, so my exposure to filmmakers who looked like me was incredibly rare. Watching a Spike Lee film was like catching lightning in a bottle,” he said.
Despite these challenges, Oldstrong’s passion for storytelling endured. Years later, as a teacher, he found himself asking his students what they would do if money were no object.
When the question was turned back to him, Oldstrong’s answer was clear: he wanted to make films. And so his journey into filmmaking began, a path filled with resourcefulness, community collaboration, and dedication.
“Lewisham has a unique vibe. It’s one of those places that, for a long time, felt a bit disconnected from the rest of London, and people often mistook Brockley for Bromley,” he said. “But that isolation fostered a strong sense of identity here, and I want to represent that on screen.”
When Oldstrong set out to make My Zombie Apocalypse Team, he didn’t want to produce a typical zombie movie. For him, setting the story in South-East London added an authentic layer to the film.
“The story of Lewisham’s Black community is one of resilience,” Oldstrong said. “I wanted to bring a community-centred approach to survival in a genre that rarely represents people like us.”
My Zombie Apocalypse Team breaks genre stereotypes by focusing on everyday characters with everyday skills coming together in the face of a zombie outbreak.
“In our community, there was always someone who knew how to fix something, even when we couldn’t afford professional help,” he said. “This film is about resourcefulness, and survival grounded in the community.”
Oldstrong’s connection to the local filmmaking scene has also been a significant factor in his journey. Collaborating with Academy Award-winning director Orlando Von Einsiedel and his Brockley-based production company, Grain Media, Oldstrong has managed to bring his vision to life through grassroots support.
“People like Orlando and local businesses in Brockley, who gave us permission to film at the train station, have shown me how vital these partnerships are in independent filmmaking.”
Oldstrong’s film also tackles broader themes, challenging stereotypes and shifting expectations in an industry that often restricts Black filmmakers to a narrow range of narratives.
“I want to be known as a filmmaker who happens to be Black, not a ‘Black filmmaker,’” he said. “There’s this unspoken expectation that my work should focus on certain themes, ‘hood’ narratives or racial trauma. It’s a challenge, but I’m committed to pushing beyond those constraints.”
For aspiring filmmakers, Oldstrong offers simple but powerful advice: focus on what you have rather than what you don’t.
“People are the most important part of filmmaking. If you’re passionate, others will want to help you. And don’t wait for funding, start with what you have, even if it’s just a phone,” he said. “Treat everyone on set with respect; filmmaking is about collaboration, not hierarchy.”
Oldstrong’s dedication to bringing authentic South-East London stories to broader audiences underscores the need for diverse narratives in British cinema. Though the sudden closure of Catford Mews prevented him from premiering My Zombie Apocalypse Team in his home borough, Oldtrong remains committed to his mission: “Lewisham has a rich history and countless stories. I’m here to tell them. We are here, we exist, we matter.”
