About This Film
When They Could Fly is a 28 minute, 16mm, color fiction film rooted in African Folklore. In the movie, a group of slaves live on a 19th century cotton plantation in South Carolina. Trapped, the slaves begin to lose hope as their situation appears helpless. However, hope is about to arrive in the form of a man who brings an impossible tale to the group. Can a "flying lie" bring hope and salvation to those who have none?
Director's Statement
The idea for this film was created after I heard an African folktale from one of my friends that I was working with at The City Collage of New York. Due to the fact that, I am a Magic Realism, Science Fiction, and Speculative Fiction enthusiast, the concept of people who could feel completely free by believing in their ability to perform magic caught my attention. My interest in the story was furthered when I began to study African folklore and came to the realization that, belief and fantasy can transcend a person’s mundane existence. I then realized that this concept of escape from reality, was not an isolated idea, but was a fundamental component of human existence regardless of race, nationality or religion.
With the cooperation of writer Stephen Lindsey, we created a screenplay that was enthusiastically accepted by the faculty at the MFA department of C.C.N.Y. After my first scouting trip to South Carolina in 2004, I learned that the people I met there were warm and friendly, and the landscape, with its abundance of beautiful white cotton, was spectacular. All these experiences helped me to arrive at the conclusion that When They Could Fly will be shot on location, in the heart of the South Carolina cotton region.
When They Could Fly is being created in order to achieve three distinct goals. The first is an educational goal which is, to foster more interest in this period of American History. The second goal is to show a strong visual image that will entice audiences with the natural beauty of the South Carolina Cotton Trail region. Finally and most importantly, When They Could Fly is a social commentary and a metaphor for the human condition which shows that, people who face injustices can overcome their worst experiences by keeping their believes and imaginations strong.
