A teenager from Barnet whose childhood friend was murdered has made a short film about the dangers of gang violence, drug dealing and knife crime among young people.

Temi Mwale’s movie entitled ‘The Struggle’ will be premiered at the North Finchley Artsdepot on Thursday, January 23.

The 18-year-old compiled the fictional film with youth charity Fixers, which helps young people tackles key issues in today’s society.

Temi was brought up on one of the biggest council estates in Barnet and saw first-hand the effects of drug and gang culture when her childhood friend was murdered.

The movie premiere will include guest speakers and live performances from London artists and poets who share positive messages about the temptations of gang culture and struggles people face.

Temi said: “I hope the film will give an insight into the temptations of the gang life and allow the audience to understand why some people find it difficult to detach themselves from gang related issues.

“The film shows two young people polar opposites to each other, one who joins the gang to pay his mums bills to keep the electric on and the other who becomes involved for materialistic purposes.

“Through bringing these two extremes into contact, I hoped to demonstrate that there is a large spectrum and no clear formula to determine who will be involved in gang culture.”