Harrowing drama paints a triggering picture of generational trauma

Titus Capar, an internationally acclaimed painter, turned his talents to filmmaking in 2022. Considering film production as an extension of his painting, Capar’s filmmaking debut, Shut up and paintWas listed in the 95 Academy Awards. It’s no surprise that his timely and award-winning art has been featured in notable collections. Continuing the tradition of using his art to tell important stories, Kapar made his directorial debut, Exhibit forgivenessto the Sundance Film Festival. This soulful and, at times, triggering film offers the beautiful message that generational trauma can indeed be broken.

Kapar’s feature debut is authentic and graceful

Tarrell Rodin (André Holland) is a painter and family man on the verge of remarkable success. When he’s not painting, he spends time with his singer-songwriter wife Aisha (Andre Day) and their young son. Despite living a mostly blissful life, Tarell suffers from nightmares due to past trauma. His mother Joyce (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who recently starred in Ava DuVernay’s origin) has a scary memory of events that causes a small rift between her and Tarell. When estranged father La’Ron (John Earl Jelks), the man responsible for his trauma, unexpectedly walks back into Tarell’s life, everyone struggles with forgiving and forgetting.

Exhibit forgiveness is a tough watch – and that feels like an understatement. There’s a sense of relief in how Capar captures a fragile family dynamic that’s genuine and a little triggering. As Tarrell’s background unfolded, I couldn’t help but think how many black families could see themselves in this movie. Too difficult and destructive parenting, addiction and a heavy grasp on religious teachings – these are all examples that led to a tough upbringing, and for many of us, the source of severe trauma. The film serves as a window to examine our own traumatic experiences.

The film enables us to sort through our own pain to find peace

As mentally gripping and emotionally stimulating as Kapar’s script is, there is a sense of peace as you watch the film. This is only due to the beautiful direction of Kapar’s narrative approach. Exhibit forgiveness Plays out like poetry in motion, a live painting on a canvas. Just as Tarell takes his frustrations through every stroke of his brush, we are forced to reckon with our own disturbing experiences. But the magic of thinking about pain and hurt is thinking about a path forward and how to heal. And ultimately, that’s what the film is all about.

As the story progresses, it’s obvious that Tarrell, La’Ron, and Joyce will never see eye-to-eye on the reality of their family dynamic, but the decision is brilliant. Because forgiveness is not about correcting mistakes or forgetting past behaviors. It is about making a conscious decision to facilitate a future of generational healing. A future where our children are not subject to relentless criticism or extreme tough love as a means of teaching them about the real world. That’s not parenting, that’s abuse. Capar defines the lines very clearly, but he does so with grace, removing any malice from all parties.

The defining elements of this film’s brilliance are a streaming display of redemption and the art of reclaiming one’s sanity. For Tarrell, his strategy is his paintings. What Capar does so well is challenge us by determining what will work for us as individuals. By showing us an example that doesn’t go well, Capar offers a generic happy ending that most films would use. In doing so, André Holland delivers an absolute masterclass in acting. He is a talent, and anyone who has the opportunity to witness his performance should consider themselves lucky.

finally, Exhibit forgiveness is a movie that spoke to me on a deep level. This is the type of transcendent experience that can make you confront your own demons and familial traumas that you may not have even known existed. On some level, it’s terrifying to know how such a mentally harrowing film can have so much power over you, but in reality, it’s therapeutic. The final message of Capar’s feature is not just about who the onus of forgiveness falls on. Rather, it is a definitive testament to trauma being generational until someone actively decides to break it.

Exhibit forgiveness Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. The film will hit theaters on October 18. It is 117 minutes long and rated R for language and brief drug material.