About
Abu B. Yillah is a British-Sierra Leonean filmmaker and poet. He utilizes his passion for film and poetry creating poetic films not only for individuals, but also for established UK organization. He has been commissioned by Safer London, Spread the Word, The Separated Child Foundation, Museum of London, to name a few, and in 2019, he produced two poetry films in partnership with Write2SpeakUK, funded by the Arts Council England.
His most notable films to date are poetry films by some of London’s most sought after poets, centered on their take on London, its misunderstood youth population, and navigating blackness in a white world.
The Story We All Know, a poem by Caleb Femi, converted to film by Abu, explores the abandonment of young people in 5 different London boroughs and its effect on these young people’s outlook on life.
Young London, a poem by Reuben ‘Abstract Benna’ Braithwaite explores a similar theme, with the focus centered on how society can empower the youth in helping to build a stable and ‘Safer London’.
Timestamp, a poem by Lola Oh, explores the maltreatment of the black body over different periods in time and its impact on the younger generation. Written at a time, when black bodies were shown nearly weekly on the news being abused by authority, this poem is a dark reminder that the trend did not start with the birth of videophones and social media.
Alongside his creative work, Abu co-curates the Sierra Leone Arts & Culture festival (#SLACfest), a celebration of work from Sierra Leoneans all over the world, which aims to increase the visibility of Sierra Leoneans everywhere.
Email: info@Yillah.co.uk
Address: London, England.
