Watch Siana Bangura’s short film ‘Denim’ about London’s displaced communities
Siana Bangura, poet and activist, has released an unflinching short film about gentrification in modern Britain.
Titled ‘Denim’, Bangura has combined film, poetry and music to show what happens when a city, like London, changes, and those who built communities, and gave regions their identity, are left behind.
Bangura pulls no punches in her criticism of food chains, property barons and the appropriation of black culture, which has contributed to the displacement of residents of Southwark, Lewisham, Hackney, and many other London boroughs in recent years.
Filmed and edited by Susuana Amoah, the film features vocals by singer-songwriter, Nia Ekanem, and Maya Bangura as Younger Siana.
The poet describes the film as “simultaneously a personal trip down memory lane, a documentation of a changing city, and a social commentary”.
Watch the full short film below.
In 2016, Bangura released her first poetry collection, titled Elephant, published by Haus of Liberated Reading. Outspoken and challenging, Bangura’s poetry deals with black womanhood, gender and racial politics, among other issues.
Read more about ‘Denim’ here, and connect with Bangura on Twitter.
Image: Susuana Amoah