Experiencing Interruptions?

Never Can Say Goodbye

Inspired by a lot of people’s true stories…

An African American mother, convicted and on the verge of prison, asks for one last chance to see her kids.  But when her children refuse to say goodbye, she’s forced to make other plans.

  • Christopher Grant
    Director
    2018 Sundance Fellow
  • Christopher Grant
    Writer
  • Hash Sesay
    Producer
  • Crystal Lucas-Perry
    Producer
    Tony Award Nominee- Ain't No Mo'
  • Christopher Grant
    Producer
  • Crystal Lucas-Perry
    Key Cast
    "Shayna"
    Tony Award Nominee- Ain't No Mo'
  • Shaundra Patterson
    Supporting Cast
  • Noel Woods
    Supporting Cast
  • Lilianne Amina-Hamilton
    Supporting Cast
  • Noah Molinari
    Supporting Cast
  • Martin Guggenheim
    Supporting Cast
  • Michael Rooney
    Supporting Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, African American, dramedy
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 31, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    55,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Alexa Mini LF, Alexa S35
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39-1
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Christopher Grant

Chris Grant is a filmmaker based in New York City and a 2018 Sundance Labs Fellow. After attending NYU Grad film, his short films won numerous festival awards including screenings in the Showtime Black Filmmaker’s Showcase, The Clark Atlanta Festival, and The Mill Valley Film Festival.

During a prolific career in television marketing, Chris was proud to become the first African American Creative Director for two of the Discovery Channel.

Chris tells stories of the African American experience finding hope, addressing themes of justice, transformation, and complex family dynamics.

The Sugar Hill Express, a Sundance Labs script, will be his debut feature film.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE was created for and stars real parents who are dealing with child/parent separation. They have suffered in silence for too long.

I want to make the universal strength of black families accessible on film, to have the world see them on screen and rejoice. NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE is a story about the strength and self-determination in one family to stay together. It's about fighting for your right to exist on your own terms and by your own hand.

Black parents who struggle with the Child Protective Services (CPS) system in the United States can’t tell you how hard it is to be poor and a person of color. The process is hopelessly bureaucratic; overloaded agencies, a legal system in disarray, and family court bias that adjudicates families too strictly. Once encountered, the system is very difficult to escape. The parents I’ve spoken to in my research call it institutional racism.

With Never Can Say Goodbye, I want to invite you to experience the issue firsthand. I’m certain you’ll see why one family’s choice to fight back is really an act of true heroism for families everywhere.