Exclusive: Watch the powerful new film tackling the trauma of stop-and-search
The Lead is proud to launch the documentary short from Olivier Award nominated director Lanre Malaolu. Watch it first here.
Where I Can See Them, devised and directed by Lanre Malaolu, explores the lasting impact of police stop-and-search on Black men in the UK, told through real-life testimony and intimate movement. Featuring sports broadcaster Jaydee Dyer, as he traces his experiences from age 11 into adulthood.
“Before being interviewed for this film, I don’t think I had ever spoken about some of the trauma I had experienced,” Dyer tells The Lead. “Going through this process unearthed things in me that I didn’t even recognise that I had been suppressing.
“It was so painful and I didn't realise how angry I was. I didn't realise how dehumanised I had felt through my experiences. The crazy thing about it is that their actual job title is to protect and to serve. And I have never felt that, ever in my life.”
Here at The Lead, we champion creative projects that cross over into the realms of politics and policy. The impact of police abuse and disproportionate use of power is something we have covered again and again – from Shahed Ezaydi asking whether defunding the police is the answer, to Kai Charles reporting on police violence against the disabled community.
This film is a vital, innovative piece of storytelling that shines a light on the ongoing harms caused by the misuse of stop-and-search. We are proud to host the exclusive launch of Where I Can See Them.
Watch the film in full below, comment, share and get in touch to tell us what you think of it.
“My work is about the emotional exploration of what the body holds,” Malaolu tells The Lead. “We all hold something as bodies, as people, as humans, as souls. We all tell stories through our bodies, and we all trap stories in our bodies. And it's about tapping those trapped stories out.”
Malaolu’s previous work includes stage production SAMSKARA, which had a sold-out run at The Yard Theatre in 2021, and dance-theatre production NOW, I SEE premiered at Stratford East in 2024 and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Production.
To hear more from the award winning director and choreographer, paid subscribers to The Lead can also access this month’s podcast episode – featuring our Senior Editor Natalie Morris in conversation with Malaolu and Dyer. The three of them explore the motivations behind making the film, and get to the heart of Dyer’s experiences with the police, the impacts on Black communities, and what needs to change going forwards.
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