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Marvel Kalukembi – Journalist // Copywriter // Content Creator

Hey, welcome to my portfolio! I'm Marvel, a journalist, copywriter and content creator – with an obsession for unravelling the cultural zeitgeist through the lens of film & tv. 


My Most Recent Posts

Black Ballad •

Is Our Love For Reality TV Affecting Our Real Life Friendships?

In all of the studies that I read around Gen Z and the topic of loneliness, a lot of the onus is placed on the excessive use of social media. Essentially they conclude that we are chronically online and that is why an overwhelming majority of 16-25 year olds are experiencing loneliness like no other generation.

According to Cigna, a US-based healthcare insurance company, 70% of Gen Z feel lonely. When I first read the statistics I wasn’t surprised. I understand why the effects of doom scrolling
THE FLOOR MAG •

Euphoria Review: S2 E1 'Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door'

As soon as that trailer dropped announcing the return of the infamous coming of age hit show Euphoria starring our fave Zendaya, all the memes started flooding our timelines.

Many focused on what the cast would be wearing, the hair and makeup ordained in rhinestones and not a school book, bag, or pencil in sight - just vibes.

It’s almost like the writers looked back at the last season and said, “how do we turn this up a notch?” The opening scene threw us straight into the deep end with a POV o
BuzzFeed •

Everything Issa Rae Got Right With “Insecure”

When Issa Rae announced that the fifth season of her hit show Insecure was going to be the final one, a large group of 20-something-year-old Black women let out a collective gasp. The show follows the loveable, yet slightly gullible, Issa as she navigates her complicated love life and long-term friendships while she searches for her ultimate career path and what makes her happy. What brings the show to life isn’t only the relatability of these growing pains but also, the honest depiction of Blac
LBBD Council •

Marvel’s most female empowered film “Black Widow” shot in Dagenham | LBBD

Finally, back in theatres, Hollywood’s dominant film franchise posted the biggest opening of the pandemic era as Marvel spinoff “Black Widow” ruled last weekend’s box office.

The long-awaited film sees Scarlett Johansson play the ‘Black Widow’ in a solo spy adventure long before she becomes an avenger.

The film embraces both on screen and off-screen female empowerment, with a majority female cast of directors who helped bring a more relatable MCU film for the female audience. As one of the mos
BuzzFeed •

17 Black-Led International Films And TV Shows That Are Total Must Watches

A talented street dancer is juggling a dead-end job, family responsibilities, and a rocky love life, while trying to get back into her groove. She soon realises her love for dance and thay a local dance competition with a generous cash prize is her one-way ticket out of her working-class Durban Township. Why you should watch it: ‘Jiva' is essentially a South African slang term that's used as a physical interpretation of music. There hasn't been a film or series which amplifies African dance cult
Bluebird Pictures •

Three reasons why you should submit to small film festivals

The film industry was hit hard by the pandemic with theatres, cinemas and sets having to redefine the film landscape to cater whilst catering to eager audiences.

During this time smaller production companies and filmmakers were able to gather online audiences by moving film festivals online and removing the mystery surrounding getting your film debut.

At Bluebird Pictures we have created a platform for filmmakers, whether you’re just starting out or looking to reach a new audience, to submit t
Meeting of Minds •

Zero: The Unsung Hero

In late April, Netflix released their first original Black Italian scripted series ‘Zero’. Not many Italian scripted series have featured a Black star let alone a mostly Black cast.

The series follows the life of a timid pizza delivery driver Omar (Zero), played by Giuseppe Dave Seke, bestowed with the superpower of invisibility. Like many superhero films the audience follows Omar on a journey of self-discovery whilst using his powers to save his hometown.

Set in a neighbourhood found behind t
Bluebird Pictures •

Oscars 2021: The winners who made history.

In a year where the film industry has been deeply impacted due to COVID-19 restrictions on film sets and the closures of cinemas, it was difficult to predict the outcome of this year’s award ceremony.

According to UCLA’s bi-annual Hollywood Diversity report, on average, films with between 41-50% minority casts fared best at the box office, while films with less than 11% minorities fared worst.

While film studios had to hold off releasing their big budget cinema attractions, streaming service
Meeting of Minds •

Skinfluencer Alicia Lartey looks beyond the surface to tackle racism in the Beauty Industry

Skinfluencer Alicia Lartey looks beyond the surface to tackle racism in the Beauty Industry

Alicia Lartey is on a mission to tackle racism in the skincare industry – an industry which has historically ignored the needs of Black women. From dermatological misinformation deterring Black women from procedures such as laser treatments, to the ashy cast of poorly formulated SPFs – mislabeling and scaremongering has resulted in Black women making ill-informed choices regarding their skin care.

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