Written and directed by Ntando Brown, over the course of one day Jamal is parading his charm and faux wealth, but the cracks start to show when interactions with the mother of his child become volatile, and an unknown hostile threatens everything he’s worked so hard to earn. Starring: Junior Afolabi Salokun, Jasz Brown, Akiela Peters, Denzel Eboji, Joel Lawes Dixon, Kaelan Essel, Sean La-Tunje and Mamad Heidari.

One of the fascinating things about My Brudda is that pretty much every element of Ntando Brown’s writing is a matter of perception. How you interpret each and every choice or interaction Jamal (Junior Afolabi Salokun) has, is going to drive how you view this story, how you view the hostility, the frustration, the impatience and the hustle. At the same time, it’s providing a good excuse to question that interpretation, how society can be quick to judge without knowing most of the facts. Short film is a great vehicle for that because audiences need to use their imagination to fill in the gaps when we’re only visiting with these characters for a brief window of time.

Part of why that works so well is the performance from Junior Afolabi Salokun, he creates a personality where he’s always either on, on edge or exhausted. That blend of intensity and very charged energy could lead you to perceive him positively or negatively. Although, if it is initially negative, it’s simply a matter of time, the sympathy builds as his layers peel back, and you’ll likely start to relate to him more. That’s the great thing about having a character who’s so reactive, nothing is certain, you have to unravel his different sides, particularly his love for his son, to reveal his true character.

A lot of that reactive nature is expressed through Jamal’s reluctance to accept all the responsibilities that come with fatherhood. My Brudda feels like a window into a transitioning moment, parting with childish ways and embracing adulthood. As well as clinging onto old-school values of masculinity and gender roles, rather than today’s father diving fully into childcare. All of which are influenced by the other big theme of the film, ego and appearances, he’s working tirelessly to look successful and needs a reality check to reshuffle his priorities.

The directorial style of Ntando Brown creates a superb balance to work succinctly with that volatility, the way that the film moves is smooth and purposeful. The cinematography is sharp and has an excellent depth, which is impressively consistent across the different locations and lighting styles. It feels very much influenced by the modern school of filmmaking, with more inventive uses of angles and being particularly thoughtful of how to add movement while working with small spaces, since the majority of My Bruddatakes place in a car.

My Brudda is an impressive debut from Ntando Brown, you can feel the great deal of thought which has gone into the themes of the story and the style of direction. Hitting that right balance of a calm visual yet a charged atmosphere is not an easy thing to do and it works really well here. Junior Afolabi Salokun leads the way with a performance packed with energy, ready to burst. It ends things on a resounding note but also leaves you with plenty to unpack.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10

Screened as part of HollyShorts 2023 – Coming soon to Bolton International Film Festival