Yvonne Mbanefo, filmmaker discusses the making of the newest project Equiano.Stories, the importance of telling this story.
In honor of Black History Month, Stelo Stories’, in collaboration with Chicago’s esteemed DuSable Museum of African American History released their newest project titled “Equiano.Stories”. The true story of Olaudah Equiano, the 18th century memoir, studied all throughout African American history, now has a new way it is told — Through an Instagram story. The memoir recalls the horrors of the slave trade and the beauty of life in Africa in the pre-colonial period. Equiano.Stories uses a modern voice to tell important and inspiring stories of people in the past. Each film is shot from a perspective of the protagonist, Equiano, as though he was actually holding the phone, filming, and telling his story directly to the viewer and rolls out over a series of Instagram stories. From living peacefully at home, all the way until he is captured. In their first ever project, Eva.Stories, a visual tell of life during the holocaust, which was also released on Instagram, has achieved a massive success of over 300 millions views within the first 48 hours.
Be sure to tune into Equiano.Stories, which is available for viewing now.