Private Project

The Davion Effect

LOGLINE:
The life of a young child trapped in the foster care system takes an unexpected turn when he makes a very public plea for a forever home and the injustices of the system are uncovered.

SYNOPSIS:
Born in a prison hospital and given up to the foster care system at birth, the very lovable Davion tells his story of moving from one foster home to another, and the significant people he met along the way. When, at age 13, His plea to a church congregation for anyone to take him as their own, to just love him and give him a home, goes viral, the world responds. His heart-wrenching pleas resulted in thousands contacting the local foster care agency with interest in adopting him. With much hope and promise, he is then sent out of state to live with a well-meaning family. His lifelong dream of having a loving family unravels, yet his story ultimately ends in a surprisingly heartwarming turn of events.

  • Ken Nolan
    Director
    Executive Producer: FLY (2024, National Geographic), ATHLETE A (2020, Netflix), ALLEN V. FARROW (2021), 16 SHOTS (2019, Netflix) and the Academy Award winning film ICARUS (2017, Netflix)
  • GB Young
    Director
    GAMECHANGERS: DREAMS OF BLIZZCON, PRESCRIPTION THUGS (2015, Tribeca), HEARTLAND (PBS), MY NAME IS SMITH
  • Ken Nolan
    Producer
    Executive Producer: FLY (2024, National Geographic), ATHLETE A (2020, Netflix), ALLEN V. FARROW (2021, HBOMax), 16 SHOTS (2019, Netflix) and the Academy Award winning film ICARUS (2017, Netflix)
  • Daniel J. Chalfen
    Producer
    AGENT OF HAPPINESS (Sundance 2024), LOUDMOUTH (Showtime/BET), BODY PARTS (Starz), LIQUOR STORE DREAMS, DELIKADO (POV), BAD AXE (Oscar Short-list), CAPTAINS OF ZAATARI (Hulu), PRAY AWAY (NetfLix), THE INFILTRATORS (Sundance 2019), ALWAYS IN SEASON (Sundance 2019), UNITED SKATES (Tribeca 2018, HBO), BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY (Focus Features/Netflix)
  • Matthew Straeb
    Executive Producer
  • Davion Only-Going
    Key Cast
  • Connie Going
    Key Cast
  • Yasmin Mistry
    Impact Producer
    ABSENCE/PRESENCE (2023, PBS), FOR A BETTER LIFE (2018, DOC NYC) , FEELING WANTED, MY IDENTITY
  • GB Young
    Editor
    GAMECHANGERS: DREAMS OF BLIZZCON, PRESCRIPTION THUGS (2015, Tribeca), HEARTLAND (PBS), MY NAME IS SMITH
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 12 minutes
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Sarasota Film Festival
    Sarasota
    April 10, 2025
    World Premiere
  • Sunscreen Film Festival
    St. Petersburg
    United States
    April 25, 2025
    St. Pete/Tampa Premiere
Director Biography - Ken Nolan, GB Young

KEN NOLAN:
Ken honed his film instincts as a longtime social impact film supporter and Executive Producer of multiple award-winning feature documentaries. His credits include FLY (2024, National Geographic), ATHLETE A (2020, Netflix), ALLEN V. FARROW (2021, HBOMax), the Emmy-winning 16 SHOTS (2019, Netflix) and the Academy Award-winning ICARUS (2017, Netflix). Ken is an original Board member of Chicago Media Project, and has for most of his career practiced law as a whistleblower attorney. Ken served on the Board of multiple non-profits, including ChildNet, the Community Based Care lead agency in South Florida responsible for managing the local system of services and support for children in foster care.

GB YOUNG :
A 20 year veteran of production, GB’s recent credits include Wild West Picture Show’s GAMECHANGERS: DREAMS OF BLIZZCON which was released by FilmRise and is available on streaming services. He co-directed, produced, edited and shot the documentary PRESCRIPTION THUGS which premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival and was picked up and released by Samuel Goldwyn Films. It was in iTunes top 10 documentaries for over six months, and is currently on Amazon Prime, Youtube, and Apple TV. He also edited the Feature Documentary HEARTLAND which won awards at Kansas City Film Festival, Omaha Fest, and St. Louis International Film Festival as well as had multiple showings on PBS. GB’s first documentary, MY NAME IS SMITH, which he shot and edited, was an official selection at the Big Sky and Austin Film Festivals in 2010. GB is currently busy developing several documentary and narrative projects as well as directing music videos and creating assets for the metaverse.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

KEN NOLAN:
As a board member of ChildNet, the Community Based Care lead agency in both Broward and Palm Beach County, Florida, I have witnessed many personal stories inside our flawed foster care system. ChildNet’s mission is to protect abused, abandoned and neglected children, to ensure their safety and to promptly provide them with a permanent, loving home. Among other functions, it is responsible for managing the local system of services and support for children in foster care. I have always been passionate about this issue. A foster child overcomes overwhelming odds from birth- and when I first heard Davion’s story, and then met him, it was clear that his story could do so much for the system at large if it could reach a broad audience. He had his moment on national television, but it was all that came before and after that which made his miraculous journey so valuable to tell. Using a compelling mix of interviews, verité, old photos and tv archives, we relive the before, during and after of Davion’s viral plea for an adoptive family. But the stakes in the film go well beyond just Davion himself. Foster care, as an institution of the state, has since its inception, failed to take care of our most innocent, precious and vulnerable. Taking matters into his own hands, Davion perseveres in spite of the institution that saw him move him through 36 foster homes in 16 years. This against-all-odds rollercoaster ride of fortitude and bravery opened my eyes even more to the reality of the foster care system in the United States, while showing what perseverance and love can do in spite of the system’s failures. I hope this film exposes a broken foster care system through Davion’s very special story. Davion is the story of all foster kids.