For this short documentary Ode, London based Director Naomi Waring went back to her roots in Belfast.

Supported by BBC Arts to make a film on identity Waring found her subject for the film in the local dance kids, trained by an old friend of her Mum's. This film was both nostalgic as well as uplifting as Waring toys with the old appreciation she had as a young girl herself for the loud fun costumes, and also pedastals the young girls today who are bringing colour and light to their low socio-economic hometown.

'Using Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s poem as inspiration, the film celebrates the confidence, pride and beauty that disco dancing brings to a working class community in Northern Ireland.

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Waring "Ode was created out of a desire to explore joy and pride in the often dreary and dark aspect of social realist films. I had been inspired by the costumes and colour as well as talent that was present in a community of disco dancers that I new through an old family friend, seeing their faces on my facebook feed I felt like their story needed a larger platform, and when BBC N.I sent a call out looking for stories about pride I felt like it was the perfect opportunity. It was my first commission and I wanted to make sure that I wasn't imposing my own assumptions on the community so integrating their ideas and voices was all part of the creative process. We visited the estate where four of the girls lived and it provided the perfect juxtaposition to their wonderfully bold costumes. For me Ode is the perfect antidote to these challenging times, and I'm so glad that it's been given a platform that means it gets a diverse audience."

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CREDITS

Director: @naomi_waring

D.O.P: @Georgeabarns

Colourist: @kylejosephvaughan

1st AD: @erino_waa

Editor: @cristina_balduin

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