John Legend’s latest release is a love letter to the world, by the world, in the midst of a global pandemic. Mishka Kornai, who’s repped in the U.S. by L.A.-based Whitelist, directed the music video, “Bigger Love,” marking his second collaboration with the vocalist.
Kornai said, “If there’s a human story that’s worth telling across continents, cultures, and languages, it’s love. There’s a lot of violent rhetoric right now about being ‘at war’ or ‘fighting a common enemy,’ but it’s worth noting that this pandemic has united more people than any other moment in history.”
The radiant and uplifting visuals of the video highlight families coping with physical distancing and essential workers who have been on the frontlines fighting the virus. Told entirely from the perspective of real people from over 20 countries across the globe on six continents, Legend’s fans captured and submitted their personal stories, all shot using their cell phones.
Kornai’s first documentary, Growth, premiered at SXSW, and that same year he received an NAACP Award for his music video You & I, which he conceived and directed for Legend. Kornai is the founder of the Berlin artist studio Theia, in addition to his smartphone filmmaking collective, Pickpocket, which handled production for the video.
“When we pick up groceries for a neighbor, when we check in with a friend over text, when we wear a mask, or even when we just stay inside: we do it out of love,” adds Kornai. “Love for the elderly, for the vulnerable, for those saving lives, for those still working, and for the countless others we will never even know crossed our path. I’m grateful to the amazing group of people that made it possible to tell such a hopeful story about humanity at this moment in history.”
CreditsProduction Pickpocket Mishka Kornai, director; Theodore Cabana, exec producer; Mark Conley, producer; Ariel Fisher, unit production manager; Rachelle Fleury, production coordinator; Kauai Moliterno, editor. VFX Ethos Studio, Mod VFX Justin Hantz, VFX. International Collaborators BRAZIL // Jose Tadeu Bijos; SPAIN // Belen Calafell; CZECH REPUBLIC // Krejci Tomas; JAPAN // Casey Homovich; CHINA // Popo Fan + Yanqiu Fei; GHANA // Will Naiva; GERMANY // Jean Samara ; MEXICO // Samuel Rangel; SOUTH AFRICA // Karabo Lediga; ICELAND // Einar Egilsson; INDIA // Ayesha Anna Ninan; ENGLAND // Magdalene Mills; IRAN // Shahrzad Dadgar; AUSTRALIA // Lydia Rui Huang; CANADA // Didier Charette + Fraser Munden; SAUDI ARABIA // Danya Alhamrani; SYRIA // Abdulsalam “Abdel” Ajaj; THAILAND // Mike Mogler
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More