balan.

queen harold

6

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

queen harold

obioma

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.

obioma

HUBBUB - BYOC

Hubbub | Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) Campaign

Director: Balan Evans 

Client: Hubbub

Creative Director: Heather Poore | @Heatherpoore

Creative Producer: Sarah Divall 

Creative Comms Coordinator: Marion Guerbet |

Head Of Brand: Rosie Gordon Lennox

Creative Partner – Design: Chris Pearce 

Production Company: Untold Studios 

Producer: Cheyenne Enninful 

Producer: Liam Wallace-Cook

2nd Unit Director: Sara Taleghani 

1st Ad: Ffion Knuz

Runner: Morris Pusey

Dop: Toby Goodger 

Camera Op: Cameron Axsel

Focus Puller: Kilo Mclaren 

2nd Ac: James Burns 

Gaffer: Adam Trz 

Spark: Ken Liew 

Art Director: Sam Storey 

Stylist: Gabbi Edmunds

Hmu: Amy Layland

Minibus Driver: Tricia Roe

Photographers: Cheyenne Enninful & Liam Wallace-Cook

Editor: Balan Evans

Colour: X-LDN

Colourist: Jax Harney 

Colour Producer: Molly Butcher

Sound: Papaya Buzz

Sound Designer: João Taborda

Sound Designer: João Mello 

CAST

LEAD 1: AMBER RUBY 

LEAD 2: KAMAHL SAMI-MILLER 

SA 1: CHRIS BARLEY

SA 2: JADE GROVES

SA 3: YARYNA HERECHKA 

SA 4: CAT LAWTHER

HUBBUB - BYOC

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Obioma
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