Can softness and strength not co-exist ? Rhythms of my Silence is an exploration and expression of music, colour, dance and poetry reminiscent of memories from Trinidad, through the gaze of Delila, as she navigates through her internal world and the emotions these memories prompt. Through a spoken monologue, she confronts the differing notions of longing and resentment, intimacy and separateness that seem to define the relations between herself and her mother.
This film was made in collaboration with Andisiwe Makuni, who was the writer and assistant director of the project as well as being involved in the sound design and mixing. The film was our graduation film for Kingston School of Art, and as we were in the middle of a national lockdown in the UK, a lot of the ideas come to be as a result of the limitations we were faced with. Audre Lorde's essay entitled Eye to Eye: Black Women Hatred and Anger was a significant piece of inspiration for our piece in a number of ways. Particularly in the way she described generational trauma and suppressed feelings that have never truly been felt, that have never gone away, and how this may affect the relationship between black women. It deeply influenced our understanding of the relationship between Delila and her mother. There is a line within that essay that goes, "I've been told crying makes me seem soft and therefore of little consequence. As if softness has to be the price we pay out for power, rather than simply the one thats paid most easily and most often" It is partially voiced within the film and powerfully describes Delila's frustration throughout the film, to be able to be both soft and strong at the same time, combining the resilience, dedication and fierceness behind her mothers sacrifices with Delila's own longing to be open, to live in a way that is honest, fluid and unrestrictive, much in comparison to the way she dances.
