Friday 6th March 2020, London
Today, British-Pakistani Rapper and Actor, Riz Ahmed launches a new short film, The Long Goodbye. The film, directed by Aneil Karia and made in collaboration with WePresent, WeTransfer’s editorial platform, accompanies the launch of his new album of the same name.
Riz shares his thoughts on the project, "Many people right now feel like they’re going through a break up with their country. Aneil Karia and I wanted to make a film that takes this feeling to its conclusion.”
The 11-minute film exposes the emotional reality for many people who feel they are not welcome in the country they call home.
Ahmed expands about the film’s relation to his new album, "The record is a breakup album - but with your country. So many of us feel like we’re being dumped by the place we call home, a home that we built. It’s heartbreaking, and enraging - like the end of a toxic, abusive relationship. This album takes you on the journey of this breakup; through the stages of denial, anger, acceptance, and finally the self-love necessary to counter the hate.”
Holly Fraser, Editor in Chief of WePresent shares, "At WePresent we strive to commission creative work that is personal and representative, that leaves an imprint, and that can start important conversations. The Long Goodbye does exactly that. It is imperative watching, and while it speaks to those of us feeling unheard and disillusioned in Britain, it resonates with global audiences too. The film speaks to the human issues at the heart of politics and society and we are honoured to be working with Riz Ahmed on a project as powerful as this."
The film premiered on WePresent, Friday 6th March, accompanied by an interview with Riz Ahmed and Director, Aneil Karia and behind-the-scenes pictures of the filming process.
Watch the short film on WePresent here:
https://wepresent.wetransfer.com/story/riz-ahmed-the-long-goodbye
Download the press selection & film credits here:
About WePresent
WePresent, the editorial platform of WeTransfer, showcases the best in art, photography, music and more, offering more than 2 million monthly readers a fresh take on the maddening mystery of creative ideas. Championing diversity in everything it does, WePresent scours the globe for unexpected stories about creativity, from emerging young talent to renowned artists like Bjork, John Legend, Renell Medrano, Solange and FKA twigs.