Atlanta-based director/writer David Fortune aims to shed light on communities hidden in darkness through the art of visual storytelling and cinema. Fortune’s new film, “Color Book,” does just that through an intimate black-and-white portrayal of a devoted father (Will Catlett) who, after his wife’s passing, is learning to raise his son with Down syndrome (Jeremiah Daniels) as a single parent.
The film will premiere on June 8 at the Tribeca Film Festival and compete in the viewpoints category after Fortune was awarded $1 million to produce the film at the 2023 festival through AT&T’s Untold Stories, a pitch competition that is committed to providing resources and mentorship to systemically underrepresented filmmakers to produce their films.
The Atlanta Voice: How does it feel to be able to premiere “Color Book” at the Tribeca Film Festival after winning the pitch competition in 2023?
David Fortune: “I always have a sense of gratitude. These opportunities don’t come around often, and for me to make a film that shows the human light of the Black community and shows our wounds, but also our beauty, was such a pleasure to make. I’m so grateful that AT&T and Tribeca (Film Festival) gave me the resources and the financial backing to tell this story, particularly in black and white, which isn’t always the popular choice. Still, they really supported my vision through and through, so, it’s been a beautiful journey just bringing this story together.”
I think so often when I think of portrayals of differently-abled children, it’s usually from the scope of motherhood or a nuclear family. How was it, as the director and screenwriter, creating a film through the lens of, not only a father, but a grieving widowed father?
DF: “That’s such a great question, because for me to just tap into the grief of a father, I had to think about my own grief. And thinking about grief in not just a sense of death, but what does it feel like to lose something that you love so much, but now it’s absent? Grief doesn’t always mean the death of someone. Grief can mean a heartbreak. Grief can mean the loss of a friend.
“How do you put all those emotions of grief and put it into this character, Lucky, who has such a beautiful relationship with his wife and a beautiful, dynamic relationship with their entire family? What does that look like when she’s gone? Even the tone of the house is very quiet and oftentimes eerie because her presence is no longer there. And even just talking about the role of women, how do they play a part in a family dynamic? And what happens when that is removed?”
As you said, it is a somber film at times, and it’s obviously a film devoid of color, but I feel like the warmth comes in a lot of the moments that you’re able to show with the waitress, the cop letting them go or Lucky’s friends. Can you talk about your intentional choice to make “Color Book” black and white?
DF: “It wasn’t a stylistic chance. It was more based off the narrative. With “Color Book,” I recognized early that this is a very character-driven movie. It’s not about the world; it’s about the intimacy between these two individuals. And I felt black and white enhances that dynamic because now you’re not distracted by the world around them. You’re so much focused on the relationship between them.”
How were you able to inform yourself on what parents have to tackle when it comes to children with Down syndrome and what the children have to tackle as well?
DF: “Before I started penning this film, I knew I wanted to tell a story about a father raising his son. And as I began to think about our community in general, I recognized you have the differently-abled community. And reflecting on, what are their stories that are not being told within the Black community, and slowly but surely, they started to emerge.
“Before I wrote one word, I spent time speaking to parents who were raising children who have Down syndrome and were on the spectrum to make sure that this film wasn’t coming from my voice, but it was coming from theirs. I didn’t even take notes. I just listened. And I knew that whatever they were saying would filter into me, and it would flow into the page, and I had to trust that voice. I have to trust that process. I just really wanted to listen to hear their pain but also hear the joys.
“We often look at raising differently-abled children as a struggle, but they will tell you that while you have specific experiences, for the most part, it’s just raising the child in general.”
Can you talk more about crafting these characters and writing it in a setting that is the backdrop of essentially 24 hours in Atlanta?
DF: “I just wanted to give you a window into these two individuals’ lives, and we get to see the different people in the community they come in contact with. And through these people, we get a sense of understanding of the textures, the tones and the personalities of Atlanta. This film doesn’t shove Atlanta down your throat … I just really wanted an intimate portrait of Atlanta that wasn’t yelling but whispering.”
It makes sense because I totally forgot at times that it was set in Atlanta, which is such a loud city at times. So, I thought that came off really well.
DF: “Thank you. I also really wanted to explore the idea that it takes a village. Growing up in Decatur, Georgia, one of the phrases I used to hear so much as a kid was, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ In this film, I really embody that all these different communities come together to raise Mason.”
Can you talk more about the symbolism of the balloon in the movie? Obviously, Mason is holding or wanting a balloon through the movie, and the movie starts off with a balloon release for his mother.
DF: “That’s an interesting one. I really wanted the audience to determine what the balloon means to them. For myself, the balloon is a reflection of Mason’s connection with his mom Tammy. When he has his moments where that balloon is no longer there, it shows that longing — his own grief in a way. Because Mason struggles with being verbal, we get a chance to finally see him verbalize whatever emotions that are in him regarding his mom. So, the balloon is a reflection of letting go.
What do you hope the audiences, especially parents of children with Down syndrome, take away from this movie?
DF: “My goal is to make sure that you get a chance to spend time with two people that you often haven’t. What are the highs? What are the lows? What are the joys? I don’t want to force a message down your throat. I just want to give you a beautiful experience that is an honest portrait of these two individuals’ lives. I just want you to decide what means something to you.”
This interview was edited for length and clarity.