A Response To Your Message streaming free

2 December 2020

A Response To Your Message, a new short film written by and marking the directorial debut of acclaimed playwright Somalia Nonyé Seaton, launched today and is available for free streaming at www.aresponsefilm.com.

The film features an open letter from Somalia Nonyé Seaton, read by actress Susan Wokoma (Truth Seekers, Enola Holmes, Chewing Gum).

Somalia Nonyé Seaton comments: “The film is a response to the white guilt that found its way into the inboxes of many already fatigued Black people during the rise of racial tensions we saw across the globe this summer, in the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and many others.”

It's a ritual film, exploring the many depictions of Black Womxn existing, freely. They are dancing, running, relaxing, existing in motion, reclaiming space for Joy and Tenderness. The film features over 45 intergenerational black womxn, including actors, artists, dancers and performers, and is a visual celebration of black womxn engaged in Joy As An Act Of Resistance.

Somalia Nonyé Seaton is an acclaimed playwright and screenwriter whose work has been commissioned and produced by theatres including Theatre Royal Stratford East, the Yard, the RSC and the Royal Court. She is currently under commission to the RSC, The Royal Court (where she has been awarded the prestigious Jerwood new playwright commission) and the Young Vic. In the last few years she has been writing for the screen too, adapting Pauline Black’s memoir Black By Design for Moli Films, and she has been in the writers’ room for The Super Recognisers (Hera Pictures), The Young Offenders (Vico Films) and Looked After (Twelve Town).  She also recently wrote an adaptation of Aesop's Fables for Unicorn theatre, and is currently writing a new play for Young Vic Theatre, a new audio drama series for Audible, as well as a tv pilot for Sky Studios. 

BAFTA Breakthrough Brit Susan Wokoma currently stars in Amazon Prime Video’s Truth Seekers and Netflix’s Enola Holmes and earlier this year, she was on stage in Donmar Warehouse’s Teenage Dick. Other credits include Dark Mon£y (BBC One), Year of the Rabbit, Chewing Gum (Channel 4) and Crazyhead (Ch4/Netflix). Susan wrote, produced and starred in award-winning short Love the Sinner and has also written the screenplay for BBC Films Three Weeks.

A Response To Your Message is an Erebus Pictures Production backed by Film4, produced by Helen Simmons and Stephanie Aspin. Key performers include Susan Wokoma, Rebecca Omogbehin, T’Nia Miller, Allyson Ava-Brown, Toyin Alase-Ayedun, Sheri-An Davis, Ava Uzokwe, Zara Uzokwe. Director of photography is Fémi Awójídé, the editor is Ian Whitewright, sound and score are by Xana. Co-producer is Savannah Power, associate director is Myah Jeffers, executive producers are Lauren Dark and Max Park for Film4 and Dominic Buchanan.