My opinion on Girlhood and the rest

Every ten years or so, a French film is released, with the goal of portraying the real lives of black Frenchs. The characters always go through awful struggles and live in what filmmakers believe is black people’s natural environment: “les cites”. These films have the best intentions, but completely lack any kind of relatability, because they are made by people who are not black, and not even working class. In 2000, it was La Squale. In 2001, Fatou la Malienne. In 2014, it was Bande de filles (Girlhood). After these films, almost none of the actors go on to have a career.

Sprintermn passing

“Sprintermn”: The term was coined by one of my friend to describe that strange weather we do have in the UK, where in one day you have rain, sun and chilly evenings.

This year, my great British summer was neither long, nor hot. It was a sprintermn, who lasted from May until October: hot for two weeks, cloudy for the rest of the time. As always, I lived in my suitcase and wandered in so many places. It was a summer full of contradictions, just like my life.

The tears of the black woman artist

pests collective (Image by the artists’ collective PESTS, courtesy of the Victoria and Albert museum) I often wonder about the space we take when we’re not meant to be there, especially for black women who are artists. As problematic as she is, I like Azealia Banks. I like her music (Count Fantasea and Ice Princess […]

Dix-Huit Ans

Hégésippe Moreau – Dix Huit Ans J’ai dix-huit ans : tout change, et l’Espérance Vers l’horizon me conduit par la main. Encore un jour à traîner ma souffrance, Et le bonheur me sourira demain. Je vois déjà croître pour ma couronne Quelques lauriers dans les fleurs du printemps ; C’est un délire… Ah ! qu’on […]