P.I.G.’s Dean Freeman Went Off to Istanbul to Shoot an Affecting Short Film

“Because hate is legislated, written into the primer and the testament, and Black timeless night sucks us in like quicksand…I need love more than ever now. I need your love. I need love more than hope or money, wisdom or a drink.” – from ‘To My Beloved’

When not directing commercials, our directors will often go off and shoot their own personal projects, just to satisfy their needs for creation. Sometimes, like here, the results are fantastic, and remind us all why these directors are so in demand in the first place. P.I.G.’s Dean Freeman applies his style of bright, naturally lit, and uplifting images to his independently-made short, “I Need Your Love.” The 90-second, Istanbul-set film is a visual interpretation of a cherished excerpt from poet Walter Benton’s book, To My Beloved. “I Need Your Love” is an entrancing blend of music, poetry and photography, with a detached, yet penetrating voiceover narration by its star, model Godeliv van den Brandt. In 90 seconds, Freeman’s short evokes that sense of longing—those blurry gradients between melancholic and hopeful—that is found in the best moments of Wong Kar-Wai and Sofia Coppola’s films. If you enjoy “I Need Your Love,” check out more of Dean Freeman’s work here, and read the film’s full narration here.