'Beautiful Life' by Michael Kiwanuka offers a unique and immersive visual experience that complements the emotional depth of Kiwanuka’s track. The raw raw and dynamic approach, coupled with the use of 16mm film and kinetic camera work, creates a nostalgic and alive feel. The authentic performances from the nuanced and diverse cast add to the storytelling, celebrating the strength of the human spirit in a matter of life and death. Overall, the music video provides a compelling and entertaining visual interpretation of Kiwanuka’s powerful single.

By weaving his artistic expertise with the stirring single from Kiwanuka, Phillip Youmans masterfully brings together a compelling narrative delivered by a varied and nuanced cast, showcasing the genuine resilience of the human spirit in a life-or-death scenario.

Shot on 16mm, the film takes a raw and immersive approach to create bold, dynamic, and claustrophobic feeling, while the kinetic camera during each flashback brings a nostalgic and alive feel. The power of the track into a matter of life and death, celebrating the real strength in human spirit.

From the director, Phillip Youmans: “This story is a cautionary tale about our nation’s easy access to, and fascination with, guns. We follow teenagers playing Russian roulette with a parent’s revolver. As each player holds the gun up to their temple, their lives flash before their eyes. When we die, our bodies release DMT; as the chemical fills our bloodstream, it’s said that a person experiences their life flashing before their eyes. So close to their possible death, I wanted to explore these characters through their memories. With each pull of the trigger, the chance of death rises and each player deals with varying levels of fear. Overconfidence and recklessness underline the core themes of this film: life is beautiful and precious, and conformity and exhibitionism can be deadly. Though they’re fearful, they pull the trigger anyway, bowing to the pressure of the moment.”

The work was aired on social channels and online.

The video received widespread media attention and has garnered over 350k views.