Two Black women in ball gowns hugging beneath a chandelier

Osinachi Ibe, film still from "Of You, as in I Am Of You," 2021; short film.

Osinachi Ibe

California
Interdisciplinary
Artist in Residence, 2023
www.osinachiibe.com

Portrait of Osinachi Ibe

Artist Statement

As a filmmaker, I create intimate, feminine portraits that meditate on the complexities of the spirit, heart, and the divine. I am naturally drawn to themes of love, spirituality, transcendence, redemption, and the connection between humanity and divinity. My work is expressive and incorporates elements of narrative and experimental cinema and poetry. At the heart of my artistic values is my desire to reveal cinema’s greatest potential: its ability to offer its audience and creators a spiritual experience that awakens and enlightens us to life’s deepest truths. This is my highest calling as an artist, and my pursuit of this allows me to be a vessel for the divine inspiration that guides my films and artistic practice. 

In addition to filmmaking and screenwriting, I write poetry (which often ends up in my films) and I am currently exploring ways to incorporate all of my artistic practices into an installation art project.

 

While at Headlands

While at Headlands I will continue developing the narrative design, visual design, and sound design of my narrative feature film Tales From Under the Sun. The film is an eleven-part symphony of love that explores the spiritual and romantic awakening two childhood best friends experience when they spend their first summer apart and realize they are in love with each other. I also plan to work on a poetry project and an essay about artistic practice. 

 

Selected Work

Osinachi Ibe, Song for Summer.

Osinachi Ibe, Untitled No. 4.

Osinachi Ibe, “Osinachi Ibe Reflects on Black Creativity in Cinema,” February 2023; cafilm.org, California Film Institute.