Focus on AFI Conservatory - Black Boys Can't
Javion is a dutiful and loving black father. He is the protector and provider of the family, including his wife, daughter, and grandmother. However, he is haunted by a secret that he continues to bury in silence. Not knowing how to deal with the trauma, he attempts to hide the behemoth inside him that is trying to break out. But not until tonight when he is finally overwhelmed, and he attacks his family while he ultimately comes face-to-face with his painful past. Only the prayerful hands of his grandmother can help channel his buried emotion from taking control.
Interview with Cinematographer Robert L. Hunter and Writer/Director Victor Gabriel
Watch Black Boys Can’t Cry on Vimeo
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
ROBERT HUNTER: I've always wanted to make a film that explored the power of medicine. Not medicine in the traditional western sense, but medicine in a more personal, cultural sense. As an indigenous person, the idea of medicine can take many forms. Song is medicine, family is medicine, a grandmas healing touch is medicine. These are universal concepts that I think we can all relate to. Who doesn't feel better after hearing their favorite song? Who doesn't feel better after seeing their family?
The Visual Essay program at AFI gave me an opportunity to begin my exploration - Although I didn't quite have a story yet. That's where I brought in my brother Victor, a screenwriting fellow at AFI.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
ROBERT HUNTER: I'll be honest in saying that I don't think this film is for everyone although I'm sure most people can appreciate it. It's a heavy film that unpacks a lot of trauma in just under 5 minutes. But it's also a hopeful film.
VICTOR GABRIEL: Black males are not allowed to cry. Because of this, they do not know how to. So much violence in my community occurs because of the shame that our men hold. The shame and fear that I've held, and internalized since a child that then turned into rage and extreme pain. This movie is about me, my family, the men I've worked with as a therapist, and the thousands of black boys who have suffered traumatic injuries in silence with no one to hear their hidden tears. I made BLACK BOYS CAN'T CRY with the hope that one day, those who are weary and heavy-laden will find rest for their souls.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
ROBERT HUNTER: We wanted to keep it real and by doing so we tried to subvert the audiences expectations of darkness and light. Sometimes in the real world the ugliest and most horrible things happen in broad daylight. As a society we are conditioned to perceive darkness as bad and scary - but that may only be because we don't understand its power all around us. Some of the most beautiful, healing moments happen in darkness if we allow ourselves to get past the fear.
I believe that's what our family in this film is experiencing and because of that it was important for Vic and I to treat the making of this film like a ceremony of sorts. Walk gently, and create an atmosphere of sweetness, gentleness and kindness and always remember to be grateful that we get to tell this story.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
ROBERT HUNTER: I came to Vic with a concept and mood board. Our cultures and home communities share many parallels and because of that we felt we could tell a story that was universal.
One example is the power of touch and song. The ceremonial songs from my community and the spirituals from his community have the ability to make a grown man buckle to his knees and break down in tears. The songs combined with a family matriarch creates an impenetrable wall that no amount of evil can break through. After a few discussions Vic knew exactly which story he wanted to tell.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
ROBERT HUNTER: I feel the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The film is nearing the end of its festival run and many audiences have responded well to the performance of Phrederic Semaj. He brought so much to the character.
VICTOR GABRIEL: We have received great feedback so far and even won The Social Impact Award @ HollyShorts. It has been humbling, surprising and also motivating to keep working.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
ROBERT HUNTER: There were moments throughout the development where certain elements of our story came into question. However Vic and I needed to stay true to our intentions for the story to work the way we saw it. We are dealing with a complex subject matter and it may not be everyones cup of tea.
VICTOR GABRIEL: The feedback has not surprised me, we swung for the fences in terms of subject matter and there are going to be people who love it and those who would rather not see it. And both are okay. I think we knew on some level that what the response would be, whether it was “this is too much” or “this is incredible”.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
VICTOR GABRIEL: Selfishly more exposure. And also, because of the type of film it is, the conversation that can be garnered concerning black male trauma is necessary.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
VICTOR GABRIEL: We need journalists, producers and film festival directors to help us spread our film into the world.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
VICTOR GABRIEL: On a social level I would say I want the world to connect to black male suffering and black male triumph. Too often we are the scapegoats of the black community, the black male image is reviled and desecrated and I am not sure black men are even allowed to acknowledge that.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
VICTOR GABRIEL: Do we actually care about what happens to black men or do we perform faux outrage when we get murdered by police?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
VICTOR GABRIEL: We are in post production for a proof of concept short film that will be leading into a feature film called The Incredible Heist Of Hallelujah Jones. It’s about a black boy in Compton CA who is a bookworm who is planning to steal a very important book from a high end auction house.
Interview: July 2021
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Black Boys Can't Cry
Length:
4:34
Writer/Director
VICTOR GABRIEL is an African-American writer/director in Compton CA and is a recent MFA graduate of AFI Conservatory. He holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Clinical Psychology and has been working as a therapist with survivors of trauma for the past several years. Growing up in poverty and experiencing severe abuse and abandonment pushed him to attempt to help others heal and soon he turned to filmmaking as another way for him to wrestle with suffering.
Cinematographer
ROBERT L. HUNTER — of Blackfeet, Sho-Pai and Washoe descent — is a storyteller currently based in Los Angeles, CA. He firmly believes our optics have the power to inform our culture and the societal narrative. His commitment is to use that power in service to community. Hunters 35mm short film recently won the Social Impact Award at the Oscar Qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival. He is a recent Cinematography graduate at the American Film Institute.
Producer
JORDAN TYNER graduated from Ohio University with a BS in Communications and a Business Administration minor. In 2014, he moved to Los Angeles to attend the inaugural OHIO-In-LA film program. He worked as a Production Assistant for HBO, ABC, TNT and Amazon. He has also worked as an Actor's Assistant on AMERICAN CRIME STORY and AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Last summer, he served as the Producer's Assistant on an upcoming film shot in New Orleans. Tyner has produced one short film, a web series pilot and recently completed principal photography as producer on the feature-length film THROUGH THE BLINDS.
Key cast:
Phrederic Semaj, Tysonia Sichinga, Adrienne Bratton, La’Croiz Locke, Elliott Williams
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/blackboyscantcry/
Hashtags used:
#shareblackstories
Made in association with:
AFI Conservatory