Director

Statement

When my grandmother died years ago, I was the only family member scheduled to speak at her service. But when it was time for my remarks, I found myself paralyzed by grief, unable to move from my seat. Although I felt guilty for years about not speaking, the experience ultimately allowed me to honor her legacy with BULL STREET.

My grandmother’s ability to embrace life with dignity, kindness and compassion is woven throughout the tapestry of BULL STREET and informs the character of Mrs. Big-Gal, played by the incomparable Loretta Devine. As I eulogized my grandmother in the script, I learned more about my own family’s struggles with mental illness and a lost legacy.

Shot in my maternal family's birthplace of Clarendon County, BULL STREET takes its name from the South Carolina State Hospital where my great-great-grandmother died in 1958. Like so many before her, there was no deed to show what was rightfully hers and she lost her land while she was hospitalized.

From the Biblical roots of land ownership to the contemporary struggle, preserving generational wealth is imperative. BULL STREET is both a call to action and the ultimate tribute to my grandmother’s determination. Never take your eye off the prize.