Exhibiting Forgiveness Director Shares the Personal Pain Behind His Film

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As a cinephile with a penchant for films that delve deep into the human psyche, I find myself utterly captivated by Titus Kaphar’s masterful directorial debut, Exhibiting Forgiveness. The film, a poignant exploration of trauma, addiction, and familial relationships, is a testament to art imitating life in the most profound way.

Art mirrors life, we appreciate it, especially after witnessing the recent cinematic masterpiece of former painter-come-filmmaker Titus Kaphar. This renowned artist has delved into his troubled past through art over time, but he’s gone a step further by recruiting top-tier actors to portray aspects of his life on the silver screen. Prior to the release of ‘Exhibiting Forgiveness’, MovieWeb had a chat with Kaphar about his powerful new drama film, where André Holland and John Earl Jelks play a troubled son and father, both scarred by a past marked by abuse and drug addiction.

Holland (Moonlight, Selma) portrays a talented painter who has found solace in art, decades after suffering at the hands of his tough father. Kaphar opened up to us about the unique process in bringing his personal story to life on film. “I started this project first as a documentary,” Kaphar said, adding:

I recently returned to Michigan to see my grandmother, where I found my father seated on the porch. He expressed a desire to converse, but I wasn’t in the mood. However, my grandmother intervened, and being obedient to her wishes, I engaged my father in conversation under the condition that I could film him. That marked the start of our discussions.

As a movie reviewer, I’d rephrase it like this: “My journey into creating this groundbreaking project stemmed from a desire to connect with my children, sharing stories of my life that starkly contrasted with theirs. For years, I’ve told them ‘I’ll share more when you’re older,’ but I found myself yearning for them to truly understand me better. So, every morning at 5:00, I would rise and begin writing.

Over approximately five months, I engaged in a specific routine. During those hours, I wrote for a couple of brief spells, followed by taking my kids to school. Later, I’d head to the studio. In the studio, I utilized an application on my phone that played back what I had written that day. This allowed me to reminisce as I sketched and drew. The result? A substantial collection of work and a text, both completed by the end of this period.

‘Literally Floored’ By André Holland

In a complimentary manner, Kaphar extolled André Holland’s outstanding portrayal, describing it as not merely acting, but as a “bringing to life,” or “manifesting.” He elaborated this idea by recalling an instance when they were on set, focusing on a particularly powerful scene:

Initially, we filmed a scene in an upstairs gallery, depicting Tarrell conversing with his father. Interestingly, this scene was not staged in the gallery but rather in my own studio. Following the filming of this real-life event, I quickly regained focus and returned to work. However, when André portrayed similar scenarios and emotions that I had experienced, it deeply affected me.

As a film enthusiast, I found myself utterly spellbound on set, so much so that I had to retreat to a dimly lit room and collapse onto the floor for a good half-hour. There, I let the torrent of tears cascade down my cheeks, swept away by the raw emotion André’s performance elicited – his uncanny knack for extracting truth from the written word left me in awe. This powerful moment can be witnessed in the current cinema release Exhibiting Forgiveness, distributed by Roadside Attractions.

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2024-10-19 19:06