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
Director Gia Coppola Teams With Mejuri For “A New York Minute”; 1st Episode Takes Us To The Grocery Store
Mejuri, known for turning fine jewelry into an everyday luxury, has partnered with director Gia Coppola (The Last Show Girl, Palo Alto) and The Directors Bureau in Los Angeles, for the first time reimagining the brand’s story as episodic content. In a series of microfilms, co-created by Coppola and premiering following New York Fashion Week, Mejuri eschewed a typical celebrity campaign and cast us as voyeurs to a group of aspiring young women--real people, not actors--at the crossroads of their adult lives against the backdrop of New York City.
Titled “A New York Minute,” the series features five real-life friends, who include one perfectly imperfect heroine named Emma. The women celebrate ordinary moments and interactions which reveal, sometimes retrospectively, the extraordinary within the mundane. Adjacent to the brand’s own community, the 30-something year old cast includes Laura Love (Emma), Rebecca Ressler, Natalie Vall-Freed and Rozzi Crane. Mejuri’s jewelry makes an appearance as the best supporting actor.
“When I met with Gia and The Directors Bureau team, there was instant creative and personal chemistry and a natural alignment on the desire to push and blur the lines between marketing, storytelling, and the construct of what a ‘campaign’ could be,” said Jacob Jordan, chief brand officer, Mejuri. “Gia was able to push that idea into something that truly feels new and artful, with a realism and relatability that almost feels jarring. Gia was such a perfect collaborator and partner, someone I had complete trust in to be a catalyst for Mejuri’s values of celebrating women as their truest selves. I can’t wait for us to continue to tell the next chapters of this story.”
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