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Jords 'Dirt In The Diamond (a short film)' by Renee Maria Osubu

David Knight - 6th June 2023

Renee Maria Osubu tells the story of a grieving family, within the wider context of the Black British experience, in Dirt In The Diamond, a short film that incorporates three songs from Jords album, with the same name, performed by the artist.

In the first part, we are introduced to the main characters at a family gathering at the home of the Walkers, prior to the funeral of their son, where Jords performs MoBay with Tay Iwar. It's shot by cinematographer Courtney J. Bennett in rich colour, with an intimacy that recalls Steve McQueen's 'house party' film Lovers Rock.

That is followed by the funeral of the son - the procession behind the coffin and church service - shot in stark black and white, in which we hear iPray by Jords, Wretch 32 and Miles from Kinshasa. Finally, the drama is replaced by a montage of archive footage of Black Londoners from the 1970s to the present day - including footage of era-defining protests against racism and prejudice -  as Jords performs Fist In The Sky. 

Renee Maria Osubu brings the personal and the political together, and interrogates the nature of grief - which one character describes as "the truest form of love" - in compelling fashion.

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David Knight - 6th June 2023

Tags

  • New Director
  • Drama
  • Narrative
  • Pick of the Day
  • Performance
  • Short films
  • Special projects
  • Hip Hop
  • funeral

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Credits

Production/Creative

Director
Renee Maria Osubu
Producer
Maëva Demurger
Producer
Amara Rossell
Production Company
Executive Producer
Maëva Demurger
Production Manager
Josh Fashola
Production Manager
Anne-Sofie Lindgaard
1st AD
Danny Rumbelow
Archive Producer
Fiammetta Luino
Production Coordinator
Chirolles Khalil
Director’s Assistant
Destinie Paige
2nd AD
Mia Tessema
3rd AD
Damilola Alokolaro
Runners
Thea Sun, Emma Horgan, Archie Holm Slack

Camera

Director of Photography
Courtney J. Bennett
1st AC
Dan Deighton
2nd AC
Ryan Rae
Steadicam
Grant Sandy Phillips
DIT
Andre Reid, Zion Roache

Lighting/Grip

Gaffer
Krunal Saadrani
Sparks
Anna Brooks-Beckman, Dale Healy, Shaun Witherup
Key Grip
Robert Barlow

Art

Production designer
Elena Muntoni
Art Assistant
Hara Spyrou, Ronni Winter, Lily Pubrick, Martine Lewis

Wardrobe

Costume designer
Jodie-simone Howe
Hair & Make-up
Femi Konteh
Costume Design Assistant
Grace Priem
Costume Assistant
Tyra Ali
Hair & Make Up Assistant
Ava Jones, Frances De Havas

Choreography

Movement Director
Léa Anderson
Movement Director
Lamar Lee

Casting

Casting director
Kharmel Cochrane
Casting director
Rose Powell
Jerome
Nasri Thompson
Mrs. Walker
Shereener Browne
Mr. Walker
Jason Deer
Jerome’s Mother
Aisha Davis
Isaac
Crispin Maccatrozzo
Daniel
Frederick Konneh
Friends
Adeniyi Andes-Pelumi, Isaiah Chambers

Editorial

Editor
Lainy Black
Editing company
The Assembly Rooms
Sound design
Will Berger

Grading

Colourist
Jason Wallis
Colour Producer
Olivia Jessop
Colour grade company

VFX

Post Producer
Phoebe Armstrong-Beaver

Commission

Commissioner
Benson Udia
Label
Motown Records UK

Misc

Music Video Representation
Andre Reid-McKinley
2nd Unit DoP
Luis Lopez

Other credits

Additional Sound designer – Bankey Ojo

Sound Recordist

Joseph Campbell

Cultural Historian & Archival Creative Consultant

Sofia Akel

Archive Footage Courtesy of Kinolibrary

Catering

Caribbean Eatery

Caterer

Teon Blake

Portrait Photography

Kemka Ajoku

Titles Design

Ned Botwood

David Knight - 6th June 2023

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