Black Boys Can't Cry

Javion is a dutiful and loving black father. He is the protector and provider of the family, including his wife, daughter, and grandmother. However, he is haunted by a secret that he continues to bury in silence. Not knowing how to deal with the trauma, he attempts to hide the behemoth inside him that is trying to break out. But not until tonight when he is finally overwhelmed, and he attacks his family while he ultimately comes face-to-face with his painful past. Only the prayerful hands of his grandmother can help channel his buried emotion from taking control.

  • Victor Gabriel
    Director
  • Robert Hunter
    Cinematographer
  • Camilla Bartolli
    Editor
  • Bronte Campbell
    Production Designer
  • Diego Rojas
    Composer
  • Victor Gabriel
    Writer
  • Jordan Tyner
    Producer
    Perspectives, Through the Blinds, 2 Dollars, 410 Stamped
  • Phrederic Semaj
    Key Cast
    "Javion"
    Grey Streets, A Rodeo Film
  • Tysonia Sichinga
    Key Cast
    "Keisha"
    Bay Streets
  • Elliott Williams
    Key Cast
    "Shena"
  • Adrienne Bratton
    Key Cast
    "Grandma"
    Dia De Las Carpas, Mi Amigo
  • La’Croiz Locke
    Key Cast
    "Little Javion"
  • Lazarus McRae
    Key Cast
    "Father"
  • Robert Hunter
    Executive Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.0:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - American Film Institute
Director Biography - Victor Gabriel

Victor Gabriel is an African-American writer/director in Compton CA and is a recent MFA graduate of AFI Conservatory. He holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Clinical Psychology and has been working as a therapist with survivors of trauma for the past several years. Growing up in poverty and experiencing severe abuse and abandonment pushed him to attempt to help others heal and soon he turned to filmmaking as another way for him to wrestle with suffering.

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Director Statement

"We don't care about what happens to black men and how they suffer, but we love performing outrage at their deaths..."
-Tommy Curry

Black males are not allowed to cry. Because of this, they do not know how to. So much violence in my community occurs because of the shame that our men hold. The shame and fear that I've held, and internalized since a child that then turned into rage and extreme pain. This movie is about me, my family, the men I've worked with as a therapist, and the thousands of black boys who have suffered traumatic injuries in silence with no one to hear their hidden tears. I made BLACK BOYS CAN'T CRY with the hope that one day, those who are weary and heavy-laden will find rest for their souls.