Exhibiting Forgiveness, the debut film written and directed by Titus Kaphar opens this Friday, October 18 in theatres nationwide. The movie features Andre Holland (Tarrell), Andra Day (Aisha), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Joyce), and John Earl Jelks (LaRon).
The storyline centers around the life of Tarrell, a painter who resists forgiving the strained childhood relationship he had with his father (LaRon) who was not only abusive to him and his mother, Joyce, but was also largely absent. When LaRon resurfaces as a changed man, seeking forgiveness, Tarrell wants nothing to do with him.
Through his painting, which offers him therapy of sorts, Tarrell grows from his childhood experiences.
“He uses his paintings to bring healing to himself and his family,” said Kaphar.
Kaphar says his primary motivation for making the movie, which in part is based off his personal life experiences, was to speak to his sons about how different their world is from the one he grew up in as a child.
As for the meaning of the title, Kaphar said, “People take from it what they need to take away. Forgiveness is not earned because it is not easy. This is not a forgive and forget movie. This is not what this is about. It is about generational healing, so we don’t just carry these burdens and give a load to our children. All of us have issues of forgiveness to some degree or another.”
The authentic paintings featured throughout the movie are Kaphar’s works, which are also featured in the High Museum of Art in Atlanta as part of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats collection, Giants: Art from the Dean Collection. Keys and Beats are collectors of his work, Kaphar says.
He added, Day wrote the featured song Bricks on the set of the movie as they were filming. It was not originally written in the movie.