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| Image courtesy Netflix |
Afro-futurism is a cultural and artistic movement that’s been getting more attention these days. The most well-known example could be Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, which presents the fictional kingdom of Wakanda as an African nation untouched by imperialism and thriving on its own. So many other pieces of Afro-futurist art, music, and literature imagine black lives in the future, oftentimes existing in more hopeful futures.
The Kitchen is an example of this movement but in a different way. In the near future, the last remaining housing project in London is slotted to be redeveloped. But it’s many African residents are holding on to their spots. Access to water and basic necessities is limited, with a project gang often robbing grocery shipments to get access to food.
Protagonist Izi (Kano) lives here and travels to London for his job at a funeral home, which sells upscale grief packages that transform those who die into plants and trees. When a woman he knows has a funeral at his job, he peaks in to see only the woman’s son in attendance. Benji (Jedaiah Bannerman) later finds Izi to ask how he knew his mom. And then begins the central conflict of the movie: Izi and orphan Benji developing a relationship and figuring out who they are to each other.
Benji stays with Izi in the Kitchen, meeting the gangs, getting a cut in a barbershop, and eating at the street food shops there. He's rushed back into Izi’s apartment (secured by a steel door) during one of the regular raids by the police, who use this tactic to help clear out the complex.
While there, Benji also experiences the preservation and celebration of African culture, which is where the Afro-futurist elements come in. He skates in a concrete rollerskating rink that’s part of some large, underground club. African pop and rap music are also broadcast throughout the housing project by Lord Kitchener (Ian Wright), a DJ who also serves to preserve the community and culture of Kitchen residents.
While The Kitchen doesn’t have the optimistic, thriving society of Wakanda, it does have a thriving African culture that is being preserved and fought for, despite attempts to eradicate it. The metaphors in this film aren’t subtle, but often the most effective dystopian visions aren’t (i.e. The Handmaids Tale or Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower).
All the dystopian and Afro-futurist elements, though, take a back seat to the relationship drama of Izi and Benji. This understated drama works well to contrast the louder, more colorful elements of the movie. It’s a tight storyline that doesn’t get lost in world-building, so the focus stays on our two main characters.
Daniel Kaluya and Kibwe Tavares make their feature film directorial debut here, giving us hope for more well-told stories and a continuation of the Afro-Futurist movement.
The Kitchen is now streaming on Netflix.
- Eric Beach