Free In-Person Seminar – Deaths in the Channel: findings of the Cranston Inquiry

The Cranston Inquiry reported back on 6 February 2026 on the November 2021 Channel tragedy. This event will explore the key recommendations made, and how to make these count.

The panel will present Largo (2025), by Salvatore Scarpa and Max Burgoyne-Moore, starring Tamsin Greig, Zack Elsokari, Ammar Haj Ahmad and Kevin McNally. This is part of the ‘Migration on Film’ series hosted at Goldsmiths Cinema Programme – Spring 2026, co-curated by Dr Natalie Katsou and Shereener Browne and forms part of the research project ‘Performing Sanctuary’ in theatre and law by Dr Natalie Katsou.

The film follows Musa, a young Syrian refugee living in foster care in the UK, as he attempts to build a boat and sail home to find his parents. Largo is exciting and thought-provoking, with a powerful message that will resonate with audiences around the world.

Speakers

Sonali Naik KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Sonali Naik KC is Joint Head of Garden Court Chambers. Sonali specialises in public law cases and in all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law and practice. She is ranked in immigration and public law in the Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 Bar Guides. Sonali is a senior practitioner with over 30 years’ experience. She was appointed King’s Counsel in 2018 and conducts almost exclusively leading work at all levels: the European Court of Human Rights, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the Administrative Court and in the Upper Tribunal in statutory appeals and judicial reviews. She has very substantial immigration and asylum experience in her High Court and appellate court practice, acting in various country guidance asylum cases.

Thalia Maragh, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers 
Thalia is co-convenor of the civil liberties team and a leading practitioner in Crime, Inquest and Public Inquiries. She was instructed on behalf of Covid Bereaved Families for Justice UK (CBFFJ UK) in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry over several modules and has appeared in some of the leading Inquest and Public Inquiries in recent British history including: the Hillsborough Inquests, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry (in phases 1 and 2), the Inquiry into the Manchester Arena Bombings and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Thalia was also a member the Justice working party on public inquiries: When things go wrong: the response of the justice system and the Justice working party on Inquests – Achieving Racial Justice at Inquests: A Practitioner’s Guide.

Maria Thomas, Solicitor, Duncan Lewis
Maria Thomas is a Solicitor and Supervisor in the Public Law and Immigration departments at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. Maria led Duncan Lewis’ legal team in the Cranston Inquiry, acting for the families of 24 victims and a survivor of the November 2021 Channel disaster. The Inquiry was established in January 2024 following sustained pressure by Maria’s legal team on the Secretary of State for Transport, and was chaired by Sir Ross Cranston. Maria has also brought significant public law challenges in the fields of modern slavery and trafficking, including a successful challenge to the Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance on Public Order Disqualification, resulting in the policy being withdrawn in January 2024, and the landmark challenge to the Secretary of State’s secret policy of truncating trafficking screening interviews under the Dublin III regime: DA & Ors v SSHD [2020] EWHC 3080 (Admin). Maria is current on sabbatical and a PhD candidate at the University of Nottingham researching modern slavery and immigration control, and is a member of the Human Trafficking Foundation’s Care Standards Advisory Group.

Max Burgoyne-Moore & Salvatore Scarpa, Filmmakers
Max Burgoyne-Moore & Salvatore Scarpa are an award-winning filmmaking duo and co-founders of Studio Goodluck. Max is a British filmmaker and editor, with an MA from Goldsmiths. Salvatore is an Italian filmmaker, actor, and playwright. They co-wrote and co-directed LARGO, which was produced by the Oscar-winning Slick Films, and has gone on to win Best Global Short at SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Best Director(s) at South Africa Independent Film Festival, and Best International Short Film at HollyShorts Dubai. LARGO is also going to play in schools throughout the UK this year during Refugee Week. Max & Salvatore are currently working on their debut feature film and a television series.

Dr Natalie Katsou, Goldsmiths University 
Natalie Katsou is a lecturer in Theatre and Performance and in Law at Goldsmiths, University of London. Natalie’s current research project investigates ‘Performing Sanctuary: Women Practitioners working with people in migration in theatre and in court’, utilizing her legal studies background and her expertise in theatre and performance (Postdoctoral Bridging Award 2023, Goldsmiths). Her practice embeds creativity, performative methods and care ethics. Her work builds on strong partnerships with acclaimed academics, practitioners and professionals in the arts and in law, including the Immigration Team at Garden Court Chambers. During spring 2026, Natalie has co-led with Dr Yaprak Yildiz the research project ‘Rights Through’ investigating human rights through creative practice in partnership with organisations such as ice&fire theatre, Plateful, ASF-UK, and Migrants’ Rights Network (Partnerships, Impact and Innovations Fund Award 2026, Goldsmiths). She also develops a series of workshops for and with Law students, examining the legal framework for asylum through mapping and radical imagination, with most recent her collaboration with the University of Southampton (April 2026). Natalie recently started developing a creative programme with Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network on shaping narratives beyond words.

Reserve your ticket
In-person tickets are limited by the venue’s capacity. After you have completed the form, we will be back in touch to confirm whether a place is available at the event.