As the colonial reach of the West spread accross the world, millions of Europeans and Americans became fascinated with a new form of entertainment that brought the cultures of the world to their doorstep – at least particcular versions of them.

This deeply strange but hugely popular entertainment was an industry of its own and has been all but forgotten despite the regular exploitation, and often trafficking, of the shows’ stars.

In her first documentary, acclaimed Somali-British novelist Nadifa Mohamed takes us on a remarkable journey, recreating what it was like to live in a human zoo. She unearths hidden documents, discovers never before broadcast early film and audio of the performers and tracks down their descendants. Then, in a shocking climax, Nadifa reveals how they were used for pseudo scientific race experiments – and exposes how some of their remains can be found in museums to this day.

Production:  Red Bicycle / Milk And Honey
Director:  Paul Berczeller
Executive Producer:  Lucy Pilkington