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 was something he had heard of and wanted to know more about as a gay man himself. 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
Cast: Balan Evans
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