Promise Me Highlighted in Toronto Caribbean News
Article Title: No one gets left behind; these three films show us that all Black lives matter
On June 13th, Selina McCallum at Toronto Caribbean News highlighted Promise Me alongside two other films by her mentees in the black Youth Pathway 2 Industry program. The article focused on individuals from the Black community who should not be left behind while we are on a journey towards equity.
Below is an excerpt of the article:
Alison Duke, filmmaker and activist from Toronto, and Co-Founder of Oya Media Group, directed and wrote a film called Promise Me, about a young black woman living with HIV/AIDS. She has a young daughter who helps take care of her, and often misses school because of it.
The film was based on true events. Duke was following eight women who have HIV and attend a women’s support group where they speak to one another and do fun things together. That is where she met the woman who the film is based on.
The woman was also a mother who had a young daughter that cared for her, often resulting in being late or missing school completely.
“I was so surprised that the educational institution didn’t care that the woman only had a couple weeks left to live, they didn’t think that it was important for the daughter to be there for the person that she loves. As a filmmaker, storyteller and an artist, this story was kept in my heart,” said Duke.
Duke says that through these films they are trying to represent what is reality for some black folks.
“We want to build awareness and let people know of what’s going on. But it is not just building awareness in ‘look here it is, here is the horror of it all,’ but showing complexities and the layers, and the emotional impact,” said Duke.
The director says that hopefully in showing these films, it will open the doors for people to not be afraid to express themselves and their issues that they are going through, specifically about alcoholism, feeling isolated and chronic illnesses.
“Art allows for people to have deeper conversations,” says Duke.
Read the rest of the article: https://torontocaribbean.com/no-one-gets-left-behind-these-three-films-show-us-that-all-black-lives-matter/