#BlackBoyJoyGone (#BBJG) is a BFI Doc Society funded hybrid documentary by & for black men on mental health, sexual trauma & finding strength through brotherhood. Blending interviews, poetry, dance & storytelling, it captures the lives, realities, & the hopeful perspectives of men from across the UK.The individual & collective accounts inform the narratives using the Six Stages Of Transformation, with the addition of layers of magical realism, poetry, & dance. The dance sequences draw from West African & western Contemporary techniques.Working collaboratively with mental health organisations & Black mental health professionals in the UK, including Mind charity & The Survivors Trust, this project aims to amplify the voices of Black men who are often marginalised & underrepresented in accessing support & wellbeing services.The title ties in with the celebration of Black men through the Black boy joy motif. It is a play on how we’re never ‘too far gone’ if we seek the right help.
Ashley Karrell
Isaac Ouro Gnao
Melanie Abrahams
