Introducing: Cecile Emeke

You’ve probably never heard this name before – Cecile Emeke? No? If you have, kudos, I’m very surprised – you are one in approximately 400,000 that do. 

In the current world of virality 10,000 hits a video is minuscule and 13,000 subscribers is commonplace. The vloggers and content creators – the Marcus Butler’s and the Zoella’s - amass millions of views for their prank videos and makeup tutorials. Yet out from the abyss – in the dark void of the YouTube catalogue – brings talented, VERY talented young filmmakers, eager to somehow find a space within this vast, and arguably unrewarding crowd.

A few months ago, my friend Ella sent me a video by one of these exceptionally talented filmmakers, Cecile Emeke, a video entitled “Strolling – Episode 7 : male feminists, crying, ‘great’ britain, reparations, palestine & more”. I clicked on the link, and instantly the concept clicked too – well told stories and opinions told episodically by a unique character, delivered to us in a short 10 minutes, shot beautifully with always AMAZING music choices. Oh and the best part, this was a space exclusively for black stories, covering black issues directly from the mouths of black folk – a bleak rarity of our time.

Fastforward a couple of months later, and after subscribing to her channel I saw that Emeke had released a new web series entitled “Ackee and Saltfish” starring Michelle Tiwo and Vanessa Babirye – named after a traditional Caribbean meal that in my view, is heaven on Earth. No really, there is NOTHING better. As an Antiguan, I was instantly drawn in and slightly taken aback by the title – could it be? A show that is ACTUALLY about Black British Caribbeans like myself? Never! Come on now. Lord knows representation isn’t exactly a thing for us right?

But then I found Cecile Emeke, and I saw for the first time that in fact, we could be visible.

From the first episode the show follows best friends, Rachel and Olivia as they simply live. They don’t do much – one episode they play tennis, another they eat breakfast – seemingly simple. Yet what this does it provide a backdrop, a foundation, for the driving force of the show: the characters and their hilarious and brutally honest dialogue. Somehow Tiwo and Babirye manage to form an incredibly naturalistic and believable best friendship – with all its ups and downs included. If you’ve ever had one, you’ll know exactly how it feels.

Cecile Emeke is one of those exciting young creatives who are paving their own way within this rigid, white male dominated industry. She is providing a space for black female voices, black female faces, black ideas and black culture, and through simply presenting black women – normal, everyday dark skinned black women (yes, they do exist) – on screen, she is breaking the very firm mould of 21st century film.

Emeke is challenging the status quo by doing the most simple of things, presenting the black status quo – a world most artists dare not touch.

In an industry in which black female representation stands at a meagre 14%, and black female directors producing an astonishing 1.8% of major releases, it is up to people like Emeke to take matters into their own hands and tell their own stories – and in the process give a rather loud voice to an often igorned, largely disaffected and grossly under-represented people.

Check out the first episode of Ackee and Saltfish below:

Header image: The Hairpin