blog 7 : baba

Baba (2021)

Directors : Adam Ali, Sam Arbor

In only 18 minutes, Baba manages to tell such a captivating and meaningful story that is often not represented in media. The short film follows a young, queer Libyan (Britannia) who is questioning whether to stay or flee from his homeland after a surprising discovery. It is an important story of family and friendship, and having a support system of people who love and support you, no matter what. Baba shows the reality of what it is like to be young and queer, and how this can impact lives in ways that many people will never experience or understand, such as living in a place where being queer is not accepted. 

Various aspect ratios are used throughout Baba to differentiate Britannia's childhood and present day, with seemingly archive-type footage of his childhood being shown in 4:3 ratio and present day being shown in a 1.6:1 or 2.75:1 ratio. This suggests he has separated past memories from new ones, but still reminisces and thinks of these memories, showing the potentially long-lasting effect of having to suppress your identity. However, through scenes of Britannia standing in front of a screen with older footage playing in the background and  the 'flashbacks' to childhood being shown in the same or more similar ratio to present day events, it can suggest that Britannia is feeling more connected to his childhood after visiting his Father's house than he did before. Through the archived footage, we also gain a sense of what Britannia experienced in his childhood related to his sexuality, as it shows him dressing up in feminine clothing and his family's reactions, and also shows how he has always expressed himself in this way. This also provides for a very heartwarming contrast to the present day, where his friends accept and embrace him for who he is. Through using hand-held camera footage, the film is given a personal feel, as if you are with Britannia as he is experiencing what he is. It made me feel connected with the story and characters in a way that not many films have done.

In many LGBTQ films, queer protagonists are often shown to be ashamed about being queer, or how they identify. However, in Baba, this is the opposite. The makeup and costumes of Britannia show how confident and comfortable he is in himself, with the colours and brightness of it reflecting his personality. As well as this, the pinks and oranges of the background drapes and lighting give a comfortable and loving feel in comparison to the significantly more muted colours shown in his Father's house, and the build up to him going there. His Father's house being more plain and less decorated than where Britannia lives in the tunnels further contrast their personalities and further emphasise the difference. His nails painted with Union Jack's also further show how desperate he is to leave, contrasting with his conflict about leaving at the end. Seeing a queer character embrace and be so open with themselves in this way is incredibly refreshing to see, as well as inspiring in so many ways.

The film also successfully builds tension at all the right moments, with the music increasing in volume during tense scenes, such as Britannia going to his Father's house, and decreasing once he leaves. This further helps the audience sympathise with how feels in the situation he is in, and the strength of him to still continue to go there despite this. The combined sound, camera, and editing techniques of Baba help understand the gravity of Britannia's situation and what he is going through. In addition, Adam Ali's beyond stunning performance as the lead is truly wonderful to watch, and he embodies everything about the character and his story. 

Winner of the Iris Prize at Cardiffs LGBT+ Film Festival, Baba is available to watch on demand on All4. Whether you are part of the LGBTQ+ community or not, I highly recommend watching this short film. Very often, protagonists of queer films tend to be white and middle-class, not representing the stories of those who do not fit into this category, and leaving out the importance of their stories and what they experience. Adam Ali and Sam Arbor have done an amazing job in creating and telling such a unique story, but one that I feel will resonate with so many people and will feel special to so many. I hope this short film continues to get the recognition and appreciation that it deserves, as it is a truly beautiful piece of work. 

More short films : 

Lira's Forest (2017)

Director : Connor Jessup

Fauve (2018)

Director : Jérémy Comte

Two Cars, One Night (2004)

Director : Taika Waititi

Two Single Beds (2020)

Director : William Stefan Smith

Roses for Lily (2020)

Director : Harry Holland