In our new Guardian documentary, film-maker, choreographer and performance artist Lanre Malaolu explains how he merges documentary interviews with dynamic movement to convey a deep emotion behind words.

The Circle explores the lives of two black brothers, David and Sanchez, growing up in east London. Malaolu uses bold movement to mirror the emotional psychology of masculinity, mental health, stigma and the wider community. Set within the environment of the brother’s housing estate, the film takes an innovative approach to storytelling, dividing the screen between movement and interview, choreography and real life.

Why did you decide to make this film?

There’s a view that society has of young black men from working-class backgrounds who live on council estates. The media, for example, often focuses on the negative connotations and crimes committed by some of these young men. That isn’t denying that crime can sometimes be an issue in some of these areas and should, of course, be combated. However, there are many young men in these environments who aren’t involved in any crime or negativity whatsoever. Yet they are still judged, not only by their surroundings, but by their economic status, what they wear and the colour of their skin.

I wanted to challenge the hell out of this stigma and show the flipside of the coin which is rarely talked about: the abundance of brotherhood, love and vulnerability these young men possess.

I made this film to show the reality of what it’s like for underprivileged, young black men growing up on a London council estate, not as being grim, but as an environment that’s full of youthful energy, strong family ties and camaraderie.

I also made this film because I am one of these men. I was born and bred in a council estate in Hackney (pre the cafes, hipsters and vegan fried chicken shops) and have seen and felt all the above, first hand.

What was your creative vision for this project and how did you go about choreographing and filming the dance sequences?

There were many nuances I wanted to explore. For example, the inner challenges some of these young men have in talking about their emotions. Whether from fear of retribution from their peers, or simply due to societal pressures on how they should be or act. This perpetuates the toxic inner dialogue of “Keep strong, keep it wrapped, keep it moving,” which I wanted to dissect. It’s also important to mention that once I met the two main contributors, David and Sanchez, (introduced to me by the incredible youth group Hackney Quest, which I was also a member of years ago), I was opened up to so much more. I remember our first conversation vividly. We sat in Nando’s and chatted non-stop for like two hours, and I was just blown away by the depth of their stories and emotional capacity.

In terms of the movement sequences/choreography, I was keen to start from universal physical expressions. For example, a hand shake/fist spud. Something that is done thousands of times by many young black men on a day to day basis. As simple and mundane as this comes across, it holds so much meaning. It represents love, respect and a feeling of being seen.

How has your professional background informed your film-making style?

I’ve had a pretty interesting journey. Training as an actor and working professionally as one for many years, while also creating choreographic work and later directing and writing. One of the biggest things I’ve gained from my journey, is the ability to connect with a creative team with a deepened sense of understanding from all artistic perspectives. Communication and honest connection is paramount with any team I choose to work with. I’ve sadly seen how people are sometimes used as pawns in this industry, and I’m just not about that. When I’m creating something I believe the energy on and off set is just as important as the end result.

Stylistically, I think my multi-disciplinary background has allowed me to come to film-making with a unique angle of storytelling, but is one that I continue to challenge and expand upon with every film.

What impact do you hope this film will have on the viewer?

I hope for it to leave an inner vibration in the viewer, some sort of awakening, maybe …

Watch The Circle.

The Circle was made with the support of the Made of Truth: BFI Doc Society Short Film Fund, part of the BFI Network.

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