Before designing the titles, Suzy dove head-first into research, studying the history of Somali immigration to the UK. “I learned about the lifestyle of this ethnic group in the UK,” she says, she explored cultural cornerstones like cuisine, clothing and home decor. “But as a person who has lived in many countries, I know that if someone who does not belong to my culture creates things about my culture, I don’t want to be stereotyped,” she says. And so, she approached her findings with empathy. “I can do a lot of research, but any expression must be based on respect.” She questioned what second-generation Somali immigrant may feel when they watch the film. “Is there a sense of comfort? What do they hope to get from this movie?” Suzy asks. “I think the confusion brought about by dispersion is usually a very delicate feeling.”
The subsequent titles directly reflect the protagonist’s situation and state, after she finds herself confined to her home. “She couldn’t go out with her friends and was cut off from the outside world, so I wanted the typeface to express this feeling of isolation,” Suzy says. “I think the tone of the movie is full of nostalgic, complex, and delicate emotions,” she says, “I directly expressed these feelings through a handwritten typeface.” Constructed of multiple disparate strokes, the typeface also references the ornamental tone of Somali-style home decoration. As a result, the letterforms feel both interconnected and simultaneously at odds – punctured with a contrast between stroke weights and negative space. The sense of a bigger, unified structure is present but cloudy. But, there is an undeniable optimism, one achieved through the warmth of the title’s calligraphic mark making.
Marking Suzy’s first foray into film, the project and process has been overwhelmingly positive. “It is amazing to see Muna go from a project of a passionate team to a larger platform,” Suzy says, excited to see her work publicly available on BBC iPlayer. She’s also excited about the longevity the project now represents. “Just like we can still see movies from 100 years ago, we remember movie posters from 100 years ago.”