Private Project

The Anthem of Our Souls

In the summer of 2017, LIQUID Arts and Productions LLC completed a film and community mural in the city of Watts, California, for a project titled The Anthem of Our Souls.
The Anthem of Our Souls is a film which combines the creative process of a community collaborative mural, with stories depicting the issues on the hearts of the collaborators.
The stories arise from individual experiences, community concerns and reflections on cultural history. As the film winds through the mural’s creation, many of the artists and contributors involved lead us through individual vignettes, which provide a closer look into the profoundly personal concerns and experiences which inspired the art.Instead of "Talking Head" interviews, the storytellers use poetry, song, drama and rap to communicate the film's points of view.

  • Jahmal Holland
    Director
    Spanish FLY, 14 Minutes, Crossing Over
  • Jahmal Holland
    Writer
    Still Standing, Crossing Over
  • True Milliner
    Writer
  • PeQue Brown
    Writer
  • LIQUID Arts and Productions
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 16, 2017
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Bellingham Music Film Festival
    Bellingham, Washington
    United States
    April 7, 2018
    Best Short Film
  • LA Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Best Documentary
Director Biography - Jahmal Holland

Jahmal Holland attributes his diverse interests to growing up in San Francisco, California. Inspired by his mother’s social activism, as well as her love of music and art, Jahmal developed a passionate interest in music, art and culture at an early age. Jahmal’s first directing effort was a viral music video, which attracted interest from CNN, The Discovery Channel, and Intel Electronics. His projects include writing the screenplay for the Nigerian feature film “Still Standing”, and directing the music video “Get it Right” for platinum recording artist Domino. “Still Standing” won a Golden Icon Academy Award for best Diaspora Film. In addition, Jahmal received a nomination for Best Screenwriter.
In the Spring of 2016, Jahmal completed a Master’s of Fine Arts Degree in Film and Television Production at the University of Southern California. His thesis film, completed as part of the Master’s, is the documentary Spanish FLY. Set in the Los Angeles Harbor area, this documentary chronicles the rise of three Latin American youths who meet in Jr High School, start a hip hop group, and pioneer Chicano Rap as a genre.
Jahmal is also part of an artist’s collective called LIQUID Arts and Productions LLC. In 2017 LI QUID collaborated with artists and community members in the city of Watts, California, and completed a film and community mural, for a project titled The Anthem of Our Souls. Jahmal and his wife currently reside in Los Angeles.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The Anthem of Our Souls started out as a stage performance piece. The members of the Los Angeles arts collective LIQUID each contributed music and poetry to the piece. I suggested a film based on the piece and LIQUID's Executive Director PeQue conceived a mural that would combine contributions from students and community members in Watts, California, where PeQue teaches an art class. What followed was an experience that has changed all of our lives. The Anthem is an experience in both mural and film creation that neither LIQUID's members nor the youth and adults from the community will ever forget.