Synopsis
A feature-length narrative film about a 10-year-old boy from Milwaukee’s inner city who runs away from home in search of a rumored ocean on the other side of town. The film takes place over a 24-hour period and will function as a portrait of Milwaukee, as seen through the eyes of an underprivileged young person who has never left his neighborhood.
The main character, Kairi, is a quiet but precocious boy who lives with his mother and two younger siblings in the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee’s northwest side. His mother works two jobs, so Kairi helps care for his siblings, getting them ready in the morning and cooking them meals. Kairi’s journey through Milwaukee will not be a straight line, it will cover a large swath of the city because of obstacles, accidents, and distractions.
Context
Milwaukee is consistently listed as the most segregated city in the US and the worst city in the country for African-Americans. We have the largest achievement gap between Black and white students in the country and four out of five Black children live in poverty. Wisconsin also incarcerates the most Black men in the country – in Milwaukee county more than half of all Black men in their 30s and 40s have served time. Milwaukee is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 most dangerous cities in the country and The New Yorker recently called it the most downtrodden urban community in the United States.
Crew
Director – Marquise Mays (The Heartland, Black Strings)
Producer/Story – Andrew Swant (William Shatner’s Gonzo Ballet)
Writer – Mikey Murry (Black Girls, Silence, and Other Things Made of Gold)
Writer – Mahdi Atif (MKE Film Focus Finder Fellow)
Producer – Jessica Knap (Give Me Liberty)
Songs by Milwaukee-based musicians
Production
The film (formerly known as Milwaukee Ocean) won the Milwaukee Film Pitch Competition and secured starter funds though the Brico Forward Fund. Filming will start the summer of 2025.