Jabu Nadia Newman

Any architect will tell you how much a simple line drawn across a paper can really mean: a change in levels, difference in materials, an alteration in profile or size, and of course, it has financial and aesthetic implications. But when a line is drawn across a city’s masterplan, it can become a way of othering communities.

Jabu Nadia Newman is a South African photographer and filmmaker whose work is as diverse as her constantly shifting pool of inspirations. Through boldly colorful imagery, she explores alternative narratives with sensitivity and humor. The Dream The Refused Me is split across four aesthetically distinct chapters that ties together myths, attitudes, and rituals from across Africa.

As the world holds its collective breath for the reopening of public life and events in 2021, many continue to find comfort in the smorgasbord of visual entertainment that film festivals, streaming platforms, and media brands have put on offer. In support of the launch of No Direct Flight—a new series exploring the aesthetics of the African diaspora—South African filmmaker Jabu Nadia Newman shares her list of films and projects that have recently captured her attention and imagination.