Dreams in Vantablack
Highly anticipated poetic anthology of animated short films featuring Black youth poets from across Ontario world premieres on CBC Gem
Toronto, ON (September 15th, 2022) – On September 29th, Dreams in Vantablack , the anticipated poetic anthology of 12 animated short films featuring Black youth poets from across Ontario premieres on CBC Gem. This incredibly unique collection of wordsmiths (Akil Elijah, Furqan Mohamed, Jennifer Kasiama, Jesse June-Jack, Ivy Black, Eva Anthony, Aaliyah Aden, Laura Baptiste, Cameron James, Egypt Morgan, Libin Ahmed, Chris Markland) reach within to make sense of a world that has often silenced them, revealing their truths on bullying, mental health, cultural identity, racism and more. Told through a wide and diverse array of animation styles, the series brings to life poems that teeter between disaster and a dream, and as the animated poems unravel, viewers get a birds eye view of the beautiful, complex and inspiring dreams of these wildly talented young writers.
Directed and created by former world poetry slam champion Ian Keteku , Dreams in Vantablack offers up an intentional and rarefied view on Black youth culture as seen through the lens of a multiplicity of African-Canadian voices who represent a new generation of poets and creatives who insist that their voices be heard and their fresh perspectives be considered. “This project brings together two of my passions; poetry and animation,” says Keteku, who has written and directed projects for a wide array of broadcasters (TVO, Sesame Street, CBC). “In both art forms, creators can dream, conjure up new worlds, and express themselves without the boundaries of physics, or reality. The voices of youth of African descent are often muted, muffled or curated by someone else. This project gives agency to the works and words of Black youth and provides a platform for their voices to be seen in creative, colourful splendour”. Developed in a UK lab, the colour Vantablack is the darkest shade of black, so dark that when painted on an object it disappears into shadows; much like the voices of many Black youth living in Canada.
Contributing poet Furqan Mohamed, whose writing has appeared in Toronto Life magazine and Maisonneuve, says that her participation in this film project was critical for her artistic journey. “I know ‘comfort zone’ refers to a place artists of all disciplines are often encouraged to move away from, but working on this project felt like being in my comfort zone in the best way – allowing me to return to a medium I already love, and elevate it. From the first drafts of poetry, to my time filming on set, I felt we were crafting something exciting and necessary”.
Dreams in Vantablack will stream for free on CBC Gem, CBC’s streaming service, beginning September 29th.
