SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
In the new film "Exhibiting Forgiveness," Tarrell is a successful Black artist who still wrestles with nightmares - can't really call them dreams - about his father. And one day, that father stumbles back into his life hoping for forgiveness.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS")
JOHN EARL JELKS: (As La'Ron) There's some things I wanted to talk to you about.
ANDRE HOLLAND: (As Tarrell) Let me explain something to you, man. I really don't want to be doing this anyway, but my mama asked me to, so here I am. Now, if you don't want to do it, I'll be more than happy to leave.
JELKS: (As La'Ron) I'm not the same man you remember, Tarrell.
HOLLAND: (As Tarrell) I don't even know what that's supposed to mean.
JELKS: (As La'Ron) All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
HOLLAND: (As Tarrell) Yeah. We doing this?
SIMON: "Exhibiting Forgiveness" is the first feature film from Titus Kaphar, the painter and sculptor. His own life inspires this film. We will certainly ask about that. It stars Andre Holland as Tarrell, alongside John Earl Jelks, as La'Ron, his father, and Andra Day. Titus Kaphar joins us from our studios in Culver City, California. Mr. Kaphar, thanks so much for being with us.
TITUS KAPHAR: Thank you for having me, Scott.
SIMON: Is this an autobiography?
KAPHAR: You know, it is not a direct autobiography. What I mean by that is I actually started this project, before even the writing, with a documentary. I sort of stumbled into that documentary. I was going back to Michigan to visit my grandmother. And when I showed up, I wasn't expecting to see him. And to my surprise, my grandmother insisted that I talked to him. I was trying to get out of the situation, so I said, if you want to talk to me, then let me film you, thinking, of course, that he would say no. But he said, be at my house in 15 minutes, and that began that documentary.
What happened is I finished it. I screened it one time publicly - decided I was not going to do that again. And I realized my dissatisfaction was from the fact that it did a really good job of explaining where we were but not how we got there. And this film, utilizing the foundation of my story but allowing fiction to come in and pull in some broader truths that would be more difficult to say if it was a documentary. This version of it is the version that I want to be in the world.
SIMON: Why relive so much sadness and difficulty?
KAPHAR: You know, there are moments of sadness and difficulty in this film, but ultimately, this film is about hope and healing. I didn't want to put in every moment of hurt and pain. I wanted to create something that had balance. So I literally created a grid to make sure that there was balance, that I was telling a whole story. The other thing, honestly, Scott, is when I've shared this film at film festivals, people's responses have been heartening. We did a screening of this film at the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama. Two thousand people showed up for the premiere. And after the film, people from all walks of life, all races were coming up to me saying, you know, that is my father, too; that was my mother, too. And they're finding themselves reflected in the film. There's something about that that feels like maybe this was worth that initial pain.
SIMON: I feel the need to explain. The father in this film is not just a jerk. He's cruel. He works his son to the bone to help pay for his drug habit. He ignores his son when the little boy is hurt. How were those scenes to shoot?
KAPHAR: You know, those scenes were challenging, but when you watch the film, what you'll notice is none of those cliches that you normally see in these kinds of movies apply here. So there's a father who is struggling with addiction, and there's no drug use in the film. There is a struggle - a domestic abuse struggle - and there is no violence or harm done to express that. I gave myself parameters in my writing. I knew that as a person who struggles with getting images stuck in his own head, that I didn't want to be responsible for just dropping these kinds of things in other people's head.
And the truth of the matter is it was through the writing process that I've come to understand my father. If you had asked me when I was a young man, I would have told you that my father is the villain of my narrative. But when you sit down and you write a character, you have to put that character on the page, and you have to be honest. You can't just make that person a villain.
SIMON: Yeah.
KAPHAR: There are no villains in the world that just do evil to do evil. We like to think that, but that's not the case. Usually what happens is people who do things that are harmful think they're doing something good. My father wanted to teach me a work ethic. He wanted to show me a way of getting through the world that he thought would be best. Now, my cousin said it best. He said, you know, you threw hurdles in front of me, and I jumped over. And now you want to take credit for my strong legs.
SIMON: Ah.
KAPHAR: I'm not going to give you credit for that. But what I will say is I would not be here without that experience.
SIMON: Oh. One of my favorite scenes - and there is nothing complicated about it, unless I'm missing something - it's Tarrell making pancakes...
KAPHAR: (Laughter).
SIMON: ...For his much-loved son and wife.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS")
DANIEL MICHAEL BARRIERE: (As Jermaine) Daddy, can I get some pancakes?
ANDRA DAY: (As Aisha) No. Baby, Daddy doesn't feel good right now.
HOLLAND: (As Tarrell) Hey, don't tell him...
DAY: (As Aisha) Come on, I'll make you some oatmeal.
DANIEL: (As Jermaine) Please.
HOLLAND: (As Tarrell) Hey. Come here, big boy. I got you. I got you. You want some blueberries and pancakes?
DANIEL: (As Jermaine) Just pancakes.
HOLLAND: (As Tarrell) Yeah. All right. Come on.
SIMON: Gosh, I love that scene.
KAPHAR: (Laughter) Yeah. I mean, I'm glad you pointed that out because there are all of those moments of hope, you know? We come from the backgrounds that we come from. And as a father, what I want most in the world is to create a future for my children that helps them be more whole. And so in the film, you get that from Tarrell, that he and his partner have created this peaceful world for themselves, even when the son, Jermaine, comes into the house and starts jumping on the couch and he's...
SIMON: Yeah.
KAPHAR: ...You know, if had come into my house jumping on my mother's couch, well, I won't tell you what would have happened...
SIMON: (Laughter).
KAPHAR: ...But that is not the way that it's handled in this household.
SIMON: I feel the need to ask a question, and I would understand if you wanted to say just none of your business. How are you and your father doing?
KAPHAR: My father is on his journey. He's on his journey to healing. And I, more than anybody, believes that - I believe that he is going to make it there. And I am - like I said in the beginning, I have gained a compassion for my father that I didn't have before. And we are in contact. I'm also aware that the relationship may not look like what you might want it to look like. But this film and my life, I wasn't looking for a Hollywood ending. I was looking for something that reflected the truth.
SIMON: Titus Kaphar - his feature film, "Exhibiting Forgiveness," in theaters now. Thank you so much for being with us.
KAPHAR: Thank you, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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