The Film | trouble-in-the-water

More about the film

Gary saw the other black man and predicted another “arctic blast of brotherhood.”

What actually transpires, marks them both forever.

A co-production of Turnip Video &

Cool Breeze Communications

Genre / Narrative Style

Drama / Memoir

Premise

“TROUBLE in the WATER” is a thought-provoking, inspirational short drama that tackles the issue of racial alienation WITHIN the African-American community. It explores a young man’s struggle to reconcile conflicting messages of black pride and black mockery within the African-American community.

Synopsis

Gary—a young African-American—is troubled by the growing emotional distance between him and his African-American kinsmen. Over the years, he’s allowed negative cultural images and messages (from both within and outside his race) to gradually drag him down. Now, he struggles between the love he’s supposed to feel for his people and the alienating effect of their negative—and sometimes embarrassing—behavior and attitudes.

He’s annoyed to find someone already intruding on the solitude of his early morning walk. Strangely, he seems to resent the intrusion even more when he sees that the other walker is also black.

As Gary slowly gets to know his unwanted walking companion (Chester), he reflects on the alienations of his youth. And, before they part, Chester shares something that inspires Gary to transcend the negativity… so that he might reconcile his love for his people.

GARY. A late-thirties telecommunications engineer and recent victim of corporate downsizing. With the additional time on his hands, he has been reflecting on ways to re-architect his career. Unfortunately, the time has also been haunted with recurring reminders of (1) the growing emotional distance between him and his African-American kinsmen and of (2) his struggle over the years to reconcile conflicting messages of black pride and black mockery within in the black community.

Principal Characters

CHESTER. A late-sixties, African-American postal employee and Sunday school teacher. Although financially independent, he’s come to learn that “real” wealth is measured in how meaningful an impact he can have on the lives of others. He has reached a point in life where he wants — even needs — someone to enlighten. When Gary first meets Chester, he braces himself for what he predicts to be yet another “cold” reception by one of his own. He had no idea Chester would be quite the transforming force.