Private Project

Dreams

"In America, dreams take flight, but reality writes its tune. Don't forget, part of its heartbeat gets its rhythm from the talking drum too."

Dreams aren't just born in Africa; they migrate, seeking refuge in different lands that promise opportunity, and the United States is one big dream catcher.

Picture this: eight dreamers, eight immigrants, each with their own desires, cultures, and challenges, striving for a better life in the United States. However, as they confront the realities of immigrant life, they grapple with the stark disparity between their expectations of success and their day-to-day struggles.

You might connect with someone like Edla, an Angolan struggling with grief and the idea of home in a country that makes her feel like a delinquent, or Romy, a Cameroonian student trying to stay sane while balancing the weight of her family's expectations and school in a country on her own.

As tensions rise and conflicts emerge, they must confront difficult choices in their quest for a better life. "DREAMS" explores the raw emotions the average immigrant faces with navigating the complexities of assimilation, identity, and belonging in a land of promise and opportunity through powerful visual and metaphorical moments. And here's the fun part—it's all through Afrodance. Every step, every movement, every expression transcends language and culture to speak directly to you."

  • Kemi OG
    Director
  • Kemi OG
    Writer
  • Kemi OG
    Producer
  • Sarah Essama
    Key Cast
  • Malahni Ngalle
    Key Cast
  • Olanga Materanya
    Key Cast
  • Mariame Bah
    Key Cast
  • Lydrock
    Key Cast
  • Kylie Herald
    Key Cast
  • Bethany Rodriguez
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 36 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    14,390 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Blackmagic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Kemi OG

Kemi OG is a dance artist, choreographer, and creative director. She is the founder of three ventures: Afrobeats with Kemi OG, an Afrodance program teaching technique and fusion choreography, AFROBEAT at JHU, a Zumba-inspired Afrodance fitness program based on Afro -Caribbean rhythms, and OG Creatives, a creative studio using art to explore BIPOC narratives. She is a 2022 Artist in Residence Fellow at Dance Source Houston, and the grant recipient of the Houston Art Alliance's 2020 Individual Artist Grant, Houston in Action's 2020 #Htownvotes initiative, Dance Source Houston’s 2021 Spark Dance Grant for Choreographers, Diverse Works 2022 Idea Fund Grant, and the Houston Arts Alliance’s Let Creativity Happen Grant among others. Her dance credits include: Tiwa Savage, Oritse Femi, Toofan, Yemi Alade, Eddy Kenzo, Afro B, Mr. Eazi, Kizz Daniel, and Yvonne Orji. Kemi is passionate about sharing African culture and history through dance and using the intersection of African art, Afrodance, and technology to tell stories that encourage discourse and catalyze empowerment and social change.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Reality is often very different from expectations. So it makes sense living in America isn’t exactly what we dream it to be before we get here. This film was inspired by scores of conversations and stories about the realities of living in the land of milk and honey and how it often differs from the expectations we had before we left our home countries. I hope this is a film my fellow immigrants can send to their compatriots back at home to help them understand that living here is a privilege, but it’s not always flowers and roses.
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