More Amour is a film about the journey to loving oneself. Written, directed and edited by former Dazed 100-er Phillip Youmans, the short film follows LA-based artist Aminé and his merry band of outrageously good-looking friends as they frolic and unwind in the depths of Los Angeles’ most scenic vistas, it’s the perfect Friday sunkissed escapism.
Narrated by the rapper himself and created in collaboration with NOWNESS, the short is an enchanting series of artful vignettes of playful friendship and community, alongside tender meditations on small acts of love. The first scene opens with Adam Daniel – as he’s credited here – shouting out the aunty who always slips him a $20 bill, the friend who gives him a shoulder to cry on, the homie he grabs food with, and the mirror that shows him ‘more amour’. Friends splash around in and dance by the lake with glorious golden hour settings, all set to a gently building, hazy synth soundtrack by Chris Runners. The vignette evokes just the right blend of nostalgia and optimism.
When describing the motivation behind the piece, director Youmans explains: “With this film, I wanted to champion the power of self-love and loving your blackness. More Amour is an escapist trip where a tight-knit friend group leaves the city to relax at a secluded lake in the mountains.
“This film exclaims that life is better when you’re surrounded by people that love you for who you are. You see the joy of the Black American teenage dream. Above all, More Amour is a love letter to you, Black people.”
And as the night draws to a close and the group gather around the bonfire, the words of the film become an evergreen toast dedicated to blackness and the community is breeds, as Daniel signs off: “To my brothers and sisters, may good luck go with you and happiness too. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.”
