Czech Poet Bad’a Diaby, Addresses Gen Z’s Longing For Clarity
The short film, a collaboration with 22-year old Czech literary poet and model Bad’a Diaby, is an interpretation of one of her most important and powerful poems, Somebody. Shot over three days in Prague in the summer of 2020, the film also marks Diaby’s acting debut. The poem addresses Gen Z’s longing for clarity and guidance. The opening lines “You don’t know who you are or where you belong until you meet somebody”, refer to our tendency to rely on others for meaning. However, we soon realise that the certainty we are searching for has to come from within. A journey of self-discovery, Somebody is a relatable, honest, and emotionally charged statement on learning how to feel comfortable in one’s own skin.
"Somebody is about the feeling of the presence of someone, searching for the 'other half' that seems to be endless, and finally, about finding your true self and realizing you are the one you were searching for. Feelings of emptiness, loneliness, and fear of missing out are the definition of our generation. Quarantine has made this aspect of our lives even worse. We often feel like we are supposed to be an adult once we are in our twenties and often forget that we should focus on becoming an adult. It's a whole journey of finding out who you are and it's individually long. There's nothing that says how long it should take but the pressure of society is telling us otherwise. It’s really personal for me. It's in the world where dream meets reality that is slowly becoming scarier and scarier. We are all a little lost. No one has a manual on how to be an adult, how to deal with the daily struggles but we all sort of pretending we do. This is my confession to all of those that feel like they are missing something. You are not. You just need to meet yourself and find out who you are."
Credits
A poem by Baďa Diaby (_blackie16_) Director: Jordan Blady (@jordanblady) / Styling and designs by: Dominika Kozakova (@dominikakozakova__) / DoP: Igor Smitka (@igorsmitka) / Produced by Monika Kraft (@monika_kraft) / Music: Space Above (@space__above) / 1AC: Ondra Kudrna / Grip: Honza Ruttner / Set Designer: Aya Katonova / Make-Up: Sara Skrionya (@sara.skrionya.mua) / BTS Photographer: Lena Knappova (@lenaknappova) / VFX: Michael North / 2AC: Richard Krejza / Best Boys: Jindrich Kares, Tomas Rudcenko / Flower Decorator: Pavlina Svecova / Sound Recordist: Peter Mercel (@chavala2009) / Set Assistants: Nikola Jerabkova, Lucie Stancova, Milan Plesinger / Gaffer: Jirka Vrana / Steadicam: Filip Rybar (@apathoflight) / Runner: Anna Dudarova / Gathering: Vojta Dusek / Color: Kris Smale (@kris_smale)
