






All effects are in camera. No VFX used.
Director: Balan Evans
Producer: Scarlett Barclay
DOP: Simon Plunket
2nd AC: Alex Shipman
Camera Trainee: Elena Agulla Gil
Gaffer: Hugh Donnelly
Technician: Alex Michaelis
Label: Partisan Records
Commissioner: Jake Crossland
Prod Company: OB Management
EP: Sam Holmes
OB Producer: Marija Djikic
Eye Model: Vanessa Joy Brigman
Director: Balan Evans
Producer: Ella Woollgar
Runner: Abra Thompson
Dop: Oliver Schofield
Projectionist / Gaffer: Matthew Button
Projection assistant: Maurice Button
Mua: Ivan Ivanov
Editor: Dylan Friese-Greene
Colour: Andi Chu
Colour Producer: Jade Denne
Director – Balan Evans
Producer – Connor O’Hara
Producer – Jamie Gamache
1st AD – Joe Starr
3rd AD – Camilla Lovegrove
Production Assistant – Rebecca Murray
Cinematographer – Oliver Schofield
1st AC – Chris Hayden
2nd AC – Joshua Dadson
Gaffer – Tim O’Connell
Production Designer – James Middleton
Makeup Designer – Lydia Wars-Smith
Styling – Charlotte Grant
Female Lead – Hannah Dodd
Male Lead – Rory J. Saper
Friend 1 – Daisy May
Friend 2 – Shabano Alshaikli
Friend 3 – Chris Batantu
Artist Management – Rob Turnham
Label Rep – Lottie Llewllyn
Commissioner – Louisa Plumstead
Commissioner – Kat Cattaneo
Director Rep – OB Management
Colourist – Alex Gregory
Editor – Balan Evans
Film Service – On8mill & Kodak
Director: Balan Evans
Commissioner: Quinn Titsworth
Prod Company: OB Management
EP: Sam Holmes
Producer: Maya Dufeu
PA: Savanna Small
1st AD: Ffion Kunz
DOP: Dave Pimm
1stAC: Akash Tuli-Phakey
Cam Trainee: Evan Davies
DIT: Kit Kelsey
Gaffer: Tim Jordan
Spark 1: Faye Connor
Spark 2: Gabor Koncz
Spark 3: Antonis Tsiakos
Art Dept: Sam Storey
MUA: Madeleine Feeny
Runner: Voy Czarkowski
Runner: Michael Mroczek
Medic: Zarah Stringer
Actor: Joshua Smith
Actor: Olivia Le Anderson
Extra: Ariane Mirchie
Extra: Shiraz Khan
Extra: Camilla O’Grady
Editor: Charlie Moreton
Colour Grade: Chris Bell
I was in Sierra Leone filming a project for Freetown Music Festival and I knew I had to capture some of the things bubbling under the surface of this humming capital. Freetown has a unique energy, beautiful, bustling and inspiring.
I had been talking to Kwaku Kamara, a local and one of the production team about the underground gay scene in Sierra Leone. It is through Kwaku that I met Harold and Jiva and after a few conversations we began to talk about what life is like for them and their friends in Freetown.
I was struck by their incredible resilience, joy and determination in fighting for their LGBTQ rights in a country where homosexuality is still illegal. I wanted to make something that simply told their story about strength, life and a need to love freely in Freetown.
Director – Balan Evans
Producer – Lucie Massey
Fixer / Guide – Kwaku Kamara
Score – Nabihah Iqbal
Emmanuel is a drummer and a fashion designer, neither of which is first or second. These two passions support and inspire each other, they are symbiotic, an intrinsic part of his personality. I worked with Emma in Sierra Leone back in 2017, and his artistic force struck me deeply. When I heard he was in the UK for a short time I knew I needed to make a film about this enigmatic creative and how his musical passions feed his fashion label Manikénè and vice versa. This film was made in tandem with a new collection, Obioma.
Here is what Emmanuel has to say about this collection, and what inspired it.
“If you grew up in the southern region of Nigeria, then you may have had your clothing made or mended by a travelling tailor or “Obioma” as everybody calls them. Walking from place to place with their heavy sewing machines and tools balanced on their head. They would pull a string fitted with a wooden bead with one hand which made a distinct sound alerting residents nearby that they were in their neighbourhood and ready for work. Their illustriousness to provide for the people and their loved ones, regardless of the weather and environment, even without an atelier, their hard work is not forgotten. The world is their studio.”
Director – Balan Evans
Producer – Lucie Massey
Director of Photography – Edward Massey
Focus Puller – Sam Hotson
Sound Recordist – Caleb Kunle
Drummer and Fashion Designer – Emmanuel Edwards
Editor – Balan Evans
Sound Mix – Caleb Kunle
Special thanks to Doña and Kodak Film Labs.