Spirit
A film by Christine Boateng & Claudia Owusu
Written by Claudia Owusu
“Spirit” follows the journey of a seven-year-old girl as she makes petitions God about why things are the way they are. In the story, we find her just as she has moved into a new house with her parents, and the film explores her ability to advocate for herself, to have a voice, and to interact with her own loneliness outside of the influence or supervision of adults.
Photo by Julius Tornyi (@commonjuls)
DIRECTOR’S NOTES - Christine Boateng & Claudia Owusu
This story came out of a deep desire to collaborate and make sense of the world around us, especially in the wake of COVID-19. The film explores curiosity and the melancholia(s) of Black girlhood, namely what it means to navigate the world, especially at times when it all feels too big, too foreign, and too distant. Our main character’s curiosity and bravery in conversing with God shows the importance of making room for questions, especially as young Black women, and subsequently, affirms that it is okay not to have all the answers. Her conversations with God are loaded and light-hearted; and thus help the audience turn their gaze inward to explore their own book of questions.