The celebrated Black American author’s arrival in the City of Light is reimagined in this freewheeling feature, which prioritises images over the spoken word

There’s a woozy and seductive quality to Yashaddai Owens’s impressionistic narrative debut. Shot in evocative black and white on textured 16mm stock, this almost dialogue-free feature evokes the freewheeling spirit of 1920s city symphony films. The propulsive opening alights at Istanbul, a metropolis gradually rousing from slumber. First lingering on wandering stray dogs and cats, Jimmy soon shifts gear into a more energetic mode; animated by the rhythm of urban life, the camera swirls around the bustling city, taking in its beautiful people and architecture. Enveloping these images is Paco Andreo’s chameleonic score, which accompanies almost the entire length of the film. Though at times punctuated by diegetic on-location sounds, the shape-shifting music responds to the ebb and flow of the montage,...