These Woods
Benji Jackson
Storied Films
Director's Works
Benji Jackson is a London based, unsigned documentary director. He believes film has the power to stop people in their tracks, to remind them of what really matters in life. His work is shaped by a non-traditional path into filmmaking, having previously worked in impact investment and built businesses in West Africa. He now works independently across documentary and short-form storytelling, directing films for clients including McDonald’s, BBC Children in Need, and Amazon Music.
For the girls in this story, basketball is not just a hobby, it’s a lifeline.
Kayole is described as a “forest of brick and stone,” a place that is difficult to leave, particularly for young women. Rather than focusing on explanation or statistics, I wanted the film to feel intimate, an insight into what daily life looks like for these girls, and how they find ways to thrive amidst, and in spite of, their surroundings.
Sport is often framed as simply entertainment or aspiration. Here, it means more. Beyond the game itself, basketball offers safety, structure, and community, and with it, the possibility of education, opportunity, and a future that extends beyond Kayole.
What stayed with me most from this project was a line spoken by the girls’ coach:
“That is what we dream and aspire for a lot of our girls. They should be able to understand that where they’re coming from does not mean that is the end, but rather it’s just a start.”
I hope the film offers a shift in perspective, not through information, but through empathy and proximity, and reminds viewers of the power of spaces that allow young people to imagine a future beyond their immediate surroundings.
