Tight Jeans: The Short Film [Video]

Its always great to see YEBIES across the global creating and producing amazing products that get embraced not by our community but by those who don't always understand our story. This short film by Destiny Ekaragha of the UK is a great example of this. Winner of The London Rushes Soho Film Festival Awards for Best Newcomer in 2009, Tight Jeans was Ekaragha's debut film.

TIGHT JEANS is a light comedy that touches on modern attitudes towards other cultures. It explores the ignorance we tend to have of one another, sometimes without even realising it.
Three black teenagers are becoming frustrated while waiting for their friend. A young white lad walks past wearing super tight jeans. The boys look on until one of them asks the pivotal question, "How can a man wear jeans that tight?" This sparks a hilarious debate about race and culture.

Accolades:

• Selected and granted funding as one of the 6 short films to represent Lewisham, Southwark & Lambeth Film and Arts Councils in association with Film London.
• Premiered at and was voted Best Short Film at the Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival by the Observer newspaper.
• Won Best Newcomer Award at The London Rushes Soho Film Festival 2009,
• Runner up status at the Buffalo San Black and Asian Film Festival 2008
• Official Selection at The Pan African Film Festival 2009 in Los Angeles,
• Africa in the Picture Film Festival in Amsterdam
• The Athens 15th International Film Festival.
• In March 2009 TIGHT JEANS was chosen as the download film of the month by The BFI for their members.

Theo Martins-"I Can’t Stop" (Puffy Time)

Here's some new Dub-Step inspired music from "RI Hero" Theo Martins. He has been killing it of late with some great music to get us ready for this change in the weather. Be on the look out for Mr. Martins in a town near you this summer as he continues to spread his musical talents to the world.

Ex-Slave's Portrait Is Staying In The UK

Portrait of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo also known as Job ben Solomon (c.1701-73)

The first British portrait of a freed slave will remain in the UK for the next five years. William Hoare's painting of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo was purchased by the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) in 2009 which caused concern to many in the Britain art community. The British government imposed a temporary export bar last year because of its historic importance to the UK. With the government and other private people trying to raise money to by the piece back, the QMA agreed to lend it instead to galleries. The painting is believed to be the earliest known British oil portrait of a freed slave, a African Muslim who had gained equal status in society.

Ayuba's memoirs were published as one of the earliest slave narratives, that is, a first-person account of the slave trade, in Thomas Bluett's Some Memories of the Life of Job, the Son of the Solomon High Priest of Boonda in Africa; Who was a Slave about two Years in Maryland; and afterwards being brought to England, was set free, and sent to his native Land in the Year 1734.

Diallo had been an educated man from a family of Muslim Clerics. At the age of 29 he was captured and enslaved and travelled to the North America. He was found in Maryland by Thomas Bluett who realized that he was an educated man who could write Arabic and brought him to England. He was introduced to Society and met Sir Hans Sloan and the King. He was freed shortly after due to public reaction and his profound background. At the time of the portrait, he was being regular individual in the the UK prior to returning home to West Africa.