“When I was a kid. I used to cry when they called me black. I didn’t cry because they called me black. I cried because I couldn’t see myself as black. That was the problem.”
Alexandre Desane’s short film THE ORANGE CHILD has a similar tone to Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT. It captures the stereotypes that black artists have to overcome. From video games to movies, the black experience in art doesn’t capture who they are.
In this personal film, Desane takes all that he loves, including some 8bit video game graphics, and captures a poetic quest to create a character that looks and feels like himself. It’s a poignant experience that will leave you emotionally questioning if more people of color do not see themselves as the beautiful people they are.
THE ORANGE CHILD is premiering at the Brooklyn Film Festival online from June 4th-13th. You can check it out by buying a pass or go to Le Double’s website for more info about this short that’s worth seeking out.
