The Banjo Boys

I first saw Yobu and Yosefe playing a concert in Lyon in 2017, and I was instantly drawn in. Their music had this raw, hypnotic energy, something instinctive that made people stop, listen, and move. Two years later, at Womad, I filmed them for the first time, watching how their rhythms pulled in a crowd, turning passersby into fans. That’s when I knew there was a story here, one about music, resilience, and the kind of talent that refuses to be ignored.

This film is personal for me in ways I didn’t expect. In my twenties, I played in electro-rock bands and even busked on the streets of Oxford. My brother Neil and I were in a band together called The Dharma Bums, but creative differences pulled us in separate directions, Neil to Malawi, where he built a life, and me to Bournemouth, where I refocused on filmmaking. That history made it even more meaningful when I met Yobu and Yosefe, two Malawian buskers now making their way onto the world stage. Over the course of filming, I became deeply connected to them. The running joke now is that I, not my brother, am actually their manager.

What struck me most was their discipline. Most musicians in their position would have been drawn to the party lifestyle, but they were different. Given the choice, they’d rather rewatch Kung Fu Panda in their hotel room than go out drinking. Actually, they don’t even drink. Their commitment to their craft was unwavering. And the more I uncovered about their journey, the more I fell in love with the story and with Malawi itself, a country I now see as a hidden gem.

Bringing this documentary to life was a challenge I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into. My background is in music and fiction filmmaking, and I wanted The Banjo Boys to have the energy and dynamism of a feature film, not just a documentary, but something that feels cinematic. I structured the story with a strong narrative arc, highlighting the emotional highs and lows: Yobu’s double life as a pastor, Rice leaving the band for school only to end up in prison for murder, and the incredible moment when Yobu and Yosefe returned to their home village. Locals had thought their success was a myth until they arrived with the film crew, making their legend real.

More than anything, this film is about the power of music to transcend borders, to defy expectations, and to turn dreams into reality. It’s a story of talent, struggle, and the relentless pursuit of something greater, something I relate to not just as a filmmaker, but as someone who has also been called mad for loving the arts.

This isn’t just a documentary, it’s a celebration of the magic that happens when music meets destiny.

www.johannayar.com/the-banjo-boys