“The calm, cool face of the river
asked me for a kiss.”
— Langston Hughes
A Short Film
Directed by D.C. Lewis & Aaron Wilson Watson
Produced by Cordelia Donovan
Logline
During a nostalgic weekend at their childhood beach, an observant young man struggles to decode his brother's increasingly erratic behavior, and begins to suspect that his brother is hiding something that will change both of their lives forever.
Synopsis
Mitchell and his younger brother Darrell take a nostalgic trip to the beach boardwalk their mother used to bring them to as children. What begins as a carefree weekend — music, laughter, arcades, old memories — slowly reveals a deeper emotional undercurrent as Mitchell notices unsettling changes in his brother’s behavior.
Darrell, once withdrawn and anxious, suddenly moves through the world with reckless confidence. As the brothers reconnect along the shoreline, buried emotions and unspoken pain surface between them. Mitchell begins to realize that his brother is hiding something, and the truth threatens to change both of their lives forever.
“Grief moves like the tide—arriving, retreating, returning.”
The Team
Director
Darius Charles Lewis is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and educator based in New York City. He has worked as a production assistant on independent productions such as The Lost Book of Rap, and as a freelance editor. His debut feature documentary, Eye to Eye, explores an African American family’s perseverance through the pandemic — touching on police brutality, mental health, and grief. It premiered at the Manhattan Independent Film Festival and won Best Documentary.
Director
Aaron served as Senior Video Producer in the Office of Digital Strategy at The White House, telling the story of the Biden–Harris Administration in the digital space. A skilled producer, director, and photographer, he has worked at The College of New Jersey, Tribeca Film Festival, CBS, and Mass Appeal. His films have screened at the Newark International Film Festival, New Jersey Independent Film Festival, and the International Social Change Film Festival.
Producer
A dynamic businesswoman, advocate, and entrepreneur, Cordelia founded Cordelia Donovan Inc., a public relations and marketing firm empowering businesses to “Make Big Happen.” Her notable producing credits include The Lost Book of Rap, Circles, Respect The Jux, and the documentary Heart of The Shore. In 2015 she wrote, directed, and produced the off-Broadway play Sister’s Keeper as part of Theater for the New City’s Dream Up Festival.
Mental Health Consultant
Dr. Shanta A. Jerideau is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She completed her PhD at the University of South Carolina and studied Clinical Mental Health and Professional Counseling at South University. Her role ensures that the mental health depictions portrayed on screen are nuanced and honest.
Budget
We’ve raised $8,000 of our $27,000 total budget — and are actively seeking $15,000 on the crowdfunding platform Seed & Spark to cover production expenses and shoot the film!
If our campaign is successful, we will then have a stretch goal of $4,000 to cover all remaining post-production expenses.
Total Budget · $27,000
Investor Inquiries
Our crowdfunding campaign for A Calm Cool Face is now officially live!
We are seeking partners who believe in cinema that holds space for grief, memory, and the enduring love of family. Our full pitch deck, which includes our full synopsis, budget breakdown and production timeline, is available upon request.
PLEASE PLEDGE A CONTRIBUTION TO OUR CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN ON SEED & SPARK!