ABFF and Walmart’s Black and Unlimited Fatherhood Project: Celebrating Black fatherhood

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) partnered with Walmart to highlight a subject everyone loves but does not see enough of: Black Fatherhood. The two organizations collaborated on the Black and Unlimited Fatherhood Project, which involves celebrating Black fathers and amplifying the presence of Black men in their families and communities. The result was the Director’s showcase of short films on Black fatherhood by up-and-coming filmmakers Travis Wood, Khalid Abdulqaadir, and Joshua Kissi.

The Black and Unlimited Fatherhood Project Director’s Showcase took place On June 13 at the American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach, Florida. 2024 is the first year of the showcase. ABFF and Walmart called for film submissions on the wide range of Black fatherhood stories. The project intends to spotlight emerging directors while providing a platform to showcase these stories. The project winners received $10,000, a trip to ABFF with their films screened, and mentorship from an established filmmaker. This year’s mentor is David E. Talbert, the director behind Jingle Jangle, Baggage Claim, and Almost Christmas. Over 150 submissions were received. Wood, Abdulqaadir, and Kissi were selected for their films Black Santa, After These Messages, and It Takes a Village.

“What we were looking for is variations on stories of fatherhood. I was just impressed by the range that they had, to be honest. This is the first time many of these filmmakers are premiering at a film festival, and you can see the different ranges and styles,” said Denetrias Charlemagne, director of cultural strategy for Walmart.

All the films are available on Walmart’s Black and Unlimited YouTube page . Black Santa is about a father and a son named Henry and Otis. Every year, Henry looks forward to his job playing Santa at the mall with his son. As Otis gets older, this may be their last year doing this activity together. Travis Wood’s inspiration for this film came from a gentleman he met who worked as a mall Santa for over 30 years. He used that and stories from his childhood to form Black Santa .

“I remember when my mom put cocoa butter on me in front of my friends, and I was like, nooo. I was so mad about it, but when I got older, I reflected on those moments and became grateful my mom and dad wanted to do those things for me. This film makes me think about why I was embarrassed and what it means to me now that I am 30,” said Woods.

After These Messages is about a single father struggling with university politics; as a professor, he must choose between his job and his daughter, whose desire to be authentically herself threatens their livelihood. Khalid Abdulqaadir is pursuing his Ph.D. and lost his mother when he was young. He explains how this film reflects him and how these are the challenges he will face when he steps into the arena of education.

“The state of Black education in America is under siege, and I have two twins going into their sophomore year of high school. I am constantly thinking about what that experience will be for me when I step into the education arena as a Black man and a father,” said Abdulqaadir.

It Takes Village takes place in 1960s Georgia. Lawrence Cooke prepares his son, Isaiah, for his ascension to manhood through the hunting of deer: a rite of passage every Cooke man has gone through before him. The film stars Micahel Ealy and Jackson Abram. Joshua Kissi wanted to capture Black boys in nature. He is inspired by The Goonies and Lord of the Flies, which show a child’s adventure and have their destinies come into question. He locked in Michael Ealy for the project by presenting a role Ealy doesn’t play often.

“Michael called me and said he wanted to do the role, which put me in a space of so much gratitude. He is where he is and doesn’t have to do this. He said he loved the character but hasn’t been able to play this type of person because Hollywood hasn’t written a script for him. For someone like you to bring this script to me is an honor and pleasure,” said Kissi.

Walmart and ABFF want to provide access to filmmakers who want to tell stories. The two organizations will host the film competition next year to elevate more films that reveal positive images of Black Fatherhood.

“We celebrate intersectionality by showcasing the various dimensions of fatherhood. Holistically, we think about how we can show these positive portrayals of black men to defy some of those negative stereotypes that are perpetuated,” said D.J. Vaughn, director of multicultural media partnerships for Walmart

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