“We’ve been told our whole lives that love is a journey,” opens this New York tale of matters of the heart. “But sometimes, even if we think we have the destination figured out, it’s hard to predict the surprises along the way.” Inspired by Rihanna’s favourite new musician H.E.R. and her impressive records H.E.R. Volume 1 & 2, New York-based London director Sean Frank and his collaborators street-cast real couples including Jada Renee, Nick Hadad, Hak and Hason Santore, in and around Harlem, shooting them on Super 8 and camcorder. “H.E.R.‘s lyrics candidly capture some of the conflicting internal feelings you experience when in love,” Frank tells us, “which I wanted to portray through the film, showing relationships at varying stages, in a relatable way.”
The result is an intimate and beautiful look at love; the thing that drives us, that consumes us, that means the world. We pass subway dancers, riders, readers. And as the soundtrack fades in and out, narrating real love/life surrounding us, we witness fleeting first encounters and hear shared love stories young and old. The film is a love story to the city, too, capturing New York in its best light through the highs and lows, build ups and break-ups.
As day transitions into night, we follow the lives of these young romancers into the dark. This is love… in every kind of way. Somebody enter this into a competition because, people, we’ve found a winner.
Credits
Text Frankie Dunn