Man on a mission, asks Where Are The Children? in his forthcoming short-film

When it comes to the hardest-working independent artist in the music business, many may instantly think of Eric Roberson, but in the UK, the title could be given to West London-based R&B/Soul singer and actor Leyton Benta.

After featuring in the Bollywood film Heer Express last year, the entrepreneur will release a short film, Where are the children, written and produced by Leyton. The film is about a 31-year-old valorous soldier, Trey Simmons, who Leyton says ‘’is putting everything on the line to reveal the dark schemes within the shadowy corners of a secret government agenda’’.

Trey Simmons, portrayed by Leyton, seeks to elucidate viewers with uncomfortable and scandalous activities pertaining to child trafficking, abduction and abuse within underground tunnels, military constellations and secluded private islands.

Leyton says ‘’He [Trey] has seen first-hand atrocious acts that have been long hidden from the world.’’ Personifying his role, Leyton speaks as if he were the character Trey, stating that Trey seeks ways to shield himself from the consequences of what he has witnessed as the sole survivor of reprehensible behaviour.

The songwriter’s film, Where are the children, is not too dissimilar from aspects of his music in its ability to express and provoke difficult conversations. ‘’Anything I do has got to be meaningful, in-depth, and it’s got to be reality. There is controversy in it. And of course, I reveal. I expose things, but at the same time, it is also to bring the level of perspective to the wider audience to see that children just don’t go missing out of nowhere, and there is always a reason for these scenarios as to why it results in that’’ proclaims Leyton.

Leyton’s forthcoming film, Where Are The Children, was inspired by a song Save The Children from his latest album, Speak On Out, in which he expresses his aversion for the trafficking and abduction of children. This was also, inspired due to the levels of Leyton’s awareness, experiences and deep observations prior to the corrupted entertainment industries that have played a major responsibility behind the missing children on a global scale.

With still no music video for Save The Children, for myriad reasons Leyton would rather not disclose, Leyton decided to focus on the short film Where are the children, where he could delve into his acting skills to highlight the contentious topic of child abduction and trafficking.

By using the concept of the military throughout the film, Where are the children, Leyton aims to encapsulate the paradoxical predicament Trey finds himself in. A young Trey joins the military with good intentions, but is exposed to inconceivable depravity, which propels him to be what Leyton describes as a ‘’whistleblower.’’

‘’I felt very emotionally attached to it [the film]. I knew the direction I wanted to go with it’’ says the outspoken performer. ‘’It was also to bring exposure to this society and the names of certain bloodlines that really pretty much control everything, such as the health organisations, or the wars that have been created, or the banking systems,’’ asserts Leyton.

Although the duration of Where Are The Children is just above 15 minutes, Leyton had to conduct substantial research. Except for an obscured individual who is seeking retribution, Leyton, portrayed as Trey, is the only cast member in the film. Leyton printed out the images of children globally who have been abused; some were enlarged, while others appear to form a visual display comparable to a photo collage.

‘’The film is very disturbing, and it is very revealing’’ acknowledges Leyton. Where Are The Children aims to tackle the unsavoury world of child abduction and trafficking in a non- sensationalist manner and unravel meaningful dialogue with family members and wider society. Leyton considers the film age appropriate for all age groups, though young children, he advises, should be under parental supervision.