Jared Malik Royal wrote and directed this short film, Dear Dad, which premiered over Father’s Day weekend at the American Black Film Festival in Miami as part of festival sponsor Walmart’s three-film showcase and panel platform for its Black & Unlimited series.
Produced by RSA Films, Dear Dad is the story of a Black father named Kamal Bell, a former educator who nurtures the earth for a living as a farmer, and instills his inventiveness, imaginative spirit and scientific know-how in his own children. In so doing, he sets them on a path to grow, thrive and understand the value of nature and togetherness in their lives.
“Dear Dad portrays Kamal Bell tending to the land of Sankofa Farms where he’s growing organic food,” said Royal. “Generations of my family made their lives tending to the land in this country, so I felt a connection. Kamal’s process is creative and scientific, practices that are underrepresented by the media with Black men. Kamal instills these things in his children. A lot of times, very unhealthy food is promoted to Black communities. I wanted to show us taking control of the narrative. The Walmart team was very conscious of what is important, has integrity and strong leadership, and gave me the freedom to make this film in the right way. The result is a stronger representation of Black fathers and their families which I hope inspires and empowers.”
As part of Walmart’s "Dear Dad: A conversation on the new face of Black Fatherhood" program, Royal had the opportunity to work with a filmmaker mentor in Malcolm D. Lee, an award-winning director (and cousin of Spike Lee) known most recently for Girls Trip and Space Jam: A New Legacy. That mentorship, Royal said, gave him insights not only about delivering a strong narrative, but also about the importance and responsibility of having the platform to be recognized as a young Black director by the film industry.
Royal chose “Love is the Message” for the film’s music anthem, written by Yussef Dayes shortly after the birth of his first daughter and performed by Dayes, Mansur Brown, Alfa Mist and Rocco Palladino. The track’s energy and emotive groove helps drive the story forward.
CreditsClient Walmart Agency Contender Robert Clifton Jr., chief creative director; Djenaldbeth Louis, creative strategist; Frank Tamakloe, associate creative director (art). Agency The Community Laurie Malaga, executive producer; Tejan Mahford, producer; Adam Shilling, integrated producer. Production RSA Films Jared Malik Royal, director; Luke Ricci, Matilde Ramos Pinto, exec producers; Tom O’Connell, head of production; Natalie Orsi, coordinator; Rodney Byerson, producer; Aaron Argomido, production manager; Christina Krioutchkova, production coordinator; Elena Studier, local production coordinator; Danyal Khan Niazi, DP; Nathan Peterson, drone coverage; Elanor Ramissa, sound mixer. Editorial Final Cut Matt Carter, editor; Alex Winkler, colorist. Music “Love is the Message” (Live at Abbey Road), Performed by: Yusel Dayes, Mansur Brown, Alfa Mist, Rocco Palladino. Cast Kamal Bell
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More