NICCOLO MONTANARI presents ‘Somebody’ - a poem-turned-fashion film directed by Jordan Blady on GoSee

NICCOLO MONTANARI, film curator and juror at international film festivals, regularly presents us his latest fashion film highlights on GoSee. Today, he has a very special treat in store for us: ‘Somebody’ – a poem-turned-fashion film directed by Jordan Blady.

“Following up on his 2018 short film ‘Softness of Bodies’, director Jordan Blady continues to explore poetry through film with his latest personal project. 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 the course of three days in Prague during 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 realize 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.

With ‘Somebody’, Blady breaks away from a more traditional narrative-driven style, translating the poem into a film by leading with visuals and focusing on a more symbolic reflection of its words. Supported by Slovak stylist and emerging designer Dominika Kozakova, New Zealand music producer Aaron Short and Czech cinematographer Igor Smitka, the short film transports us into an ethereal and distorted dreamlike universe through its sound, locations, photography and clothing.

Blady comments on the short film : “Before it became a film, this was Bad’a’s poem. So it was very important for me to create something that she would feel comfortable with and proud of. I didn’t want to get stuck in a world of narrative parameters, so I just let the deceptive simplicity of the poem guide me.”

Diaby adds : “‘Somebody’ is about meeting with yourself and finding out who you truly are. It becomes a very personal work for the reader, triggering emotions about their own journey but with an overarching truth – that happiness has to come from within.”

Jordan BLADY is a director living and working between Los Angeles and Paris. Originally from New Jersey, he attended NYU’s Tisch School of Arts before moving to the West Coast. Jordan’s first feature film, ‘Softness of Bodies’, premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in September 2018.

Somebody

 

Somebody

Somebody

 

Somebody

0

0 Comments