Exhibiting Forgiveness

A talented Black artist, on the cusp of a breakthrough in his career, has long used his paintings as a way to escape the painful remnants of his past. His artwork becomes a form of self-liberation, allowing him to distance himself from the trauma of his upbringing and the fractured relationship with his family. But his journey toward success and healing is abruptly interrupted when his estranged father, a recovering addict, unexpectedly reappears, determined to mend their broken bond.

The artist’s father, after years of absence and destructive behavior, seeks reconciliation and hopes to prove that he is no longer the man who abandoned him. However, for the artist, the scars of his childhood run deep, and his father's return stirs up old wounds of anger, betrayal, and confusion. The past, which the artist has tried so hard to leave behind, is now impossible to ignore.

As the two men cautiously attempt to rebuild their relationship, they realize that the path to healing is not as simple as leaving the past in the past. For the artist, forgiveness proves to be a far greater challenge than he anticipated, and he struggles with whether he can truly let go of the hurt his father caused. Meanwhile, his father battles guilt and shame, yearning to prove that he has changed and can make amends for the years of neglect and harm.

Through their painful and often uncomfortable interactions, both father and son come to understand that healing doesn't mean forgetting. It means confronting the past, accepting its impact, and learning to live with the memories that shaped them. In the end, their journey reveals that reconciliation is less about erasing old wounds and more about finding the strength to move forward, together, despite the scars they carry.

Director: Charles S. Rowe, Jeff Pinedo, Marc Bowen, Titus Kaphar

Genre: Drama

Cast: Alyssah Janey, Andra Day, André Holland, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Brawley Chisholm, Caroline Keating, Chip Carriere, Cindy Jackson, Dan Nainan, Daniel Allen Myers, Daniel Michael Barriere, Eric Newland