The Poets
THE POETS accompanies Syl Cheney-Coker and Niyi Osundare as they return to the landscapes and places that formed their early influences, shaping their writing for decades to come. Through visits to family homes, upper-crust colonial-era schools, university campuses and other locations, we see how each man’s poetics have been shaped by place, time, and current events.
THE POETS skilfully blends the story of the two men’s journey with their poetry. As they read their works – either on camera, or over evocative imagery – we see their words on-screen, as written in their own hand. Whether writing about deeply personal issues such as his wife’s death from cancer, or on more philosophical questions like the sea as embodiment of history,
Cheney-Coker’s work is marked by striking imagery and a powerful intimacy. Osundare has long been an outspoken critic of injustice and champion of free speech. As a university student, he was beaten with an axe in an attempt to silence him. A winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize,
Osundare writes in both English and Yoruba. In the title poem from his collection The Word is an Egg, Osundare celebrates the power of language: “The word is the woodpecker’s beak / Which rattles the jungle of silence / The cat’s eye which pierces the garment of night.”
Whether speaking to admiring high school students, standing in a traditional Nigerian market and comparing it to the alienating experience of shopping in America, or talking politics and censorship in a cab, Osundare and Cheney-Coker are fascinating companions. THE POETS is a major contribution to understanding the lives and work of these two giants of contemporary African literature.
“'The Poets' is as beautiful as it is significant. A superb acquisition; would fit smoothly into courses on African literature, documentary film, poetry and, indeed, world literature.”
—Dr. Nathan Suhr-Sytsma, Emory University, in the Journal of the African Literature Association
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
TOMMY KEARNS
When director Chivas DeVinck approached me about The Poets, I knew it would be something different. This was a film rooted in memory, language, and the emotional weight of place. My goal was to visually interpret those ideas without overwhelming them, to let the camera listen as much as it looked.
We filmed in Sierra Leone and Nigeria, moving through spaces that shaped the lives and work of Syl Cheney-Coker and Niyi Osundare. I leaned into natural light, long takes, and careful composition to create an atmosphere that felt honest and grounded. Every location had its own rhythm, and I wanted to let that guide the frame.
Some of the most meaningful moments came in the more abstract sequences, handwritten poetry, glances from the past in color once vibrant faded to time. These moments were designed to make the language feel physical, almost touchable.
I approached this film as a visual poem. The colors, textures, and silences were as important as the words. My job was to bring Chivas’ vision to life by creating images that could hold space for grief, resistance, beauty, and resilience.