In the music industry, artists have a tendency of releasing short films that play more like a mashup of various music videos than an actual work of cinema. Little Simz, whose fourth studio album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is one of the essential Hip-Hop albums of 2021, beats that stigma by releasing I Love You, I Hate You – The Film, a real-deal short film inspired by her critically acclaimed track “I Love You, I Hate You.”
Having already landed roles in Netflix’s Top Boy and Sony’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Little Simz proved once again that her skills stretch far beyond the realm of music. According to Complex, Simz takes on the lead role of Sage, a young writer dealing with trauma and abandonment, in the 22-minute short film, and the Sam Pilling-directed project also features C.J. Beckford, Sonia Ajuwa, and Shaniqua Okwok in supporting roles.
“Love You, I Hate You’ is the story of abandonment, how trauma can affect us in our adult lives if never confronted,” Little Simz says when speaking of the short film. “I wanted to make this film because I feel it’s a universal story that many people can relate to. It’s been incredible to work with a partner like WePresent, who are so invested in telling stories like this. They understood and trusted my vision from the jump and had my back to create the film I set out to make.”
Scroll back up to the top to check out the full short film. Are you impressed with Little Simz’s prowess as an actress?