Grateful Kid: WHY YOU HERE? by Charles Mensah [Documentary Review]

If you happened to walk past the iconic Ritzy Cinema in Brixton recently, you might have caught the listing for Grateful Kid: WHY YOU HERE?.

Whilst not technically part of the London Film Festival, this photo documentary embodies the essence of independent filmmaking and wouldn’t look out of place at such a well-respected event.

I caught up with Paris-born, London-based creator Charles Mensah to talk about the filmmaking process and the bright future of Grateful Kid.

Grateful Kid: WHY YOU HERE?, photo courtesy Charles Mensah

The documentary follows the journey of young creatives, originally from France, who chose to move to London to reinvent themselves and redefine their lives. A story that Mensah has experienced himself. Through their stories, it explores a central idea: not to let yourself be defined by your environment, but to choose change as a solution to rediscover yourself.

Outside of the project, Mensah is an incredibly talented photographer who has spent his time in London documenting the underground music scene in his trademark Black & White style, which evokes a rare, timeless authenticity.

Mensah takes a handful of characters which seemingly share the same story, the journey and sacrifice of moving away from home to make something of themselves, however each individual has their own identity and personal experiences that are explored throughout the 30 minute runtime.

The visuals in this project are stunning and would’ve sufficed on their own yet Mensah takes it a step further by implementing a very unique storytelling method which brings this picture to life. The storytelling format is essentially a Q&A between the director and the subject which gives them a voice, allowing them to reflect on their personal experiences related to the change of environment.

Hence the name, the message of the documentary is the importance of gratitude in times of uncertainty. I and the 100+ others in attendance were able to place ourselves in the film and reflect on our personal journeys in real time.

I spoke to Charles to discuss his vision for the project moving forward and found that it is far from finished. Grateful Kid isn’t just a documentary but a platform, a state of mind which will only evolve. Days after the screening, Charles released a single titled “Crash Dummies” with the help of Paprob, BOPFA and Manast LL’. The track is an extension of the doc and embodies the spirit and artistry of Grateful Kid. Crash Dummies is the first taste of an EP that Charles will be curating, overseeing and selecting beats for over the next few months.

Keep an eye on Charles’ social media for updates on the Grateful Kid story.

Grateful Kid: WHY YOU HERE?, photo courtesy Charles Mensah