This week, THROUGHMYLENS highlights Filmawi, a London-based visual artist of Eritrean heritage known for his ability to fuse poetic realism with human intimacy. His work resonates deeply, telling stories that are both personal and universally impactful. With a portfolio spanning fashion, music, and culture, Filmawi has collaborated with some of the most influential names in the industry, including Maison Margiela, Stormzy, Comme des Garçons, Burberry, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Post Malone, Adidas, Dr. Martens, and more. His ability to craft raw, emotionally charged visuals has solidified his reputation as a leading creative voice in contemporary visual storytelling.
Capturing Cultural Excellence: The 100 Project
One of Filmawi’s most recent projects is The 100, a Gaffer Magazine initiative celebrating creative and cultural excellence. The project brings together 100 individuals from across industries, including artists, musicians, podcasters, entrepreneurs, and athletes, each with a unique impact on their field. Filmawi collaborated closely with the Gaffer team, capturing their essence through photography while defining the overall visual identity of the project. His work ensures that each image not only reflects the subject’s individuality but also contributes to a broader narrative about influence, creativity, and culture.
A Longtime Creative Partnership: Jay Prince’s Album Campaign
In addition to The 100, Filmawi has been working with his longtime collaborator and friend, Jay Prince, on his latest album campaign. Having creatively directed and photographed visuals for five singles and the album cover, Filmawi has been instrumental in shaping the visual world around the project. His relationship with Jay Prince is built on mutual artistic understanding, making their collaborations feel natural and effortless. Together, they explore themes of self-expression, movement, and energy, ensuring that each image reflects the music’s emotional depth.
A Journey Rooted in Storytelling
Filmawi’s artistic journey began with a disposable camera gifted to him by his mother during his childhood in Eritrea. At the time, he saw it as a simple object, using it to capture whatever caught his eye. But when he moved to the UK, his love for photography deepened, evolving from street photography to portraiture, fashion, and eventually directing. His creative process has always been driven by curiosity and a deep desire to capture moments that feel honest and intimate.
Music plays an essential role in his work. Whether he’s creating a film, photo series, or directing a project, Filmawi focuses on emotion first, setting the mood before defining the visuals. His process often begins with a singular feeling or image—something that lingers and sparks an idea. From there, he builds a world around it, letting connections form naturally. Music, particularly soundtracks and albums like Burial’s Tunes 2011-2019, helps him establish rhythm, tone, and movement within his compositions.
Blending Reality & Imagination
Filmawi’s work exists at the intersection of reality and dreamlike storytelling. His visuals are grounded in truth yet feel slightly surreal, pulling the viewer into a space where memory, emotion, and culture collide. He believes that art, music, film, and literature act as cultural programming, shaping our worldview and influencing how we engage with the world around us. Through his work, he aims to tap into that power—creating images that linger in the mind and challenge perspectives.
Building for the Future: A Creative Company & a Short Film
Looking ahead, Filmawi is working on a short film that explores childhood and memory, touching on the way we process experiences we don’t fully understand. The film carries an introspective and surreal edge, a signature of his visual storytelling.
Beyond individual projects, Filmawi is also building a creative company, a space designed to support filmmakers, artists, and storytellers in developing ideas across film, books, brand collaborations, and immersive experiences. His goal is to create a boundary-free space where creative ideas can evolve organically, unrestricted by commercial constraints.
Through his evocative storytelling, striking imagery, and commitment to pushing creative boundaries, Filmawi continues to shape contemporary visual culture. Whether through editorial photography, music campaigns, or cinematic storytelling, his work remains a testament to the power of emotion, identity, and artistry.
