Indie Film
Aug 3, 2021

Indie Filmmaker Spotlight: “Our Song”

Our Song is an animated short that follows a father’s fear of heartbreak, which weighs heavily on the dreams of his unbreakable boy.

Darnell Lamont Walker is a writer and filmmaker; producing and directing three eye-opening and necessary documentaries on the subjects of rape (Set Yourself on Fire), racism (Seeking Asylum), and mental health in the black community (Outside the House). Being ever-so-versatile, his energies are currently focused on children’s media, including being a writer on Blue’s Clues. His latest project Our Song promises to be another emotionally charged piece of stellar filmmaking.

Darnell’s latest project Our Song is the story of BOY, a beautiful kid with a soul that lights up a room. He has ectrodactyly, a condition that involves the deficiency or absence of one or more central digits of the hand or foot. His parents’ never-ending romance has been set to a beautiful song composed by FATHER. It’s so much a part of their life together, MOTHER even goes into labor while Father is playing it for her at the piano as she dances. Concerned about the limits he feels comes with Boy’s physical disability, Father becomes overly protective of his son, including steering him clear of the piano Boy so passionately wants to play – just like the man he loves so much. But each time Boy approaches the piano to play THE SONG, Father closes it and sends him away, afraid it’ll make boy realize his limits as well.

Darnell is writing this film because years ago, an incredible friend gave birth to one of the most amazing kids he has been fortunate to watch grow and laugh and love. Darnell states in his Indiegogo campaign, “I know so many will try to put limits on his abilities. This film is for him and all other kids who need to see themselves and know what the rest of us who love them know: there is nothing they can’t do”.

Find out more about the project here.