According to the famous African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child - and the remarkable and emotional video for Kae Tempest's Statue In The Square could be seen as an embodiment of that idea. Kae's own village is all there with him in front of the camera lens. And also behind it.

The promo for this stupendous track was created by a collective of filmmakers assembled specifically for the purpose by EP Juliette Larthe - as 5-person directing team Boy Dykes - with a huge cast from the queer and trans+ community.

With so many different people on screen, and a range of in-camera devices to heighten the sensibility, elevating the urgency of the message, Kae remains front and centre. It is all, ultimately about him, proudly and fearlessly expressing his right to be a boy. It's powerful, affecting - a big moment for the artist that comes at an important moment for the community as a whole. 

"Our music video for Kae Tempest’s *Statue in the Square* is a powerful statement of resistance and visibility for the trans and queer community," writes the video's producer Gael Houdin-Brenac.  

"The song itself is an urgent, unfiltered cry against oppression, a declaration of strength in the face of systemic hatred. To honour that message, we assembled a production where 95% of the crew and cast are queer and trans+, ensuring that every aspect of the film is shaped by those who live the reality it speaks to.

"Directed by Boy Dykes - Juliette Larthe, Jess Kohl, Lydia Garnett, Jesse Glazzard and Romeo Roxman Gatt - the film is more than a music video; it is an act of defiance, a refusal to be erased, and a raw celebration of resilience. At a time when attacks on queer existence are intensifying, Statue in the Square stands as a counterpoint, a bold expression of identity and freedom.

"Every frame is infused with the energy of a community that refuses to be silenced, capturing the urgency and defiance that support the song itself."