Misunderstood

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Runtime: 16:58 minutes
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Synopsis

Twin brothers Devon and Keshon rely on each other for their daily survival. When they find themselves attracted to the same girl, a rivalry builds that leads to deeper questions about how society judges boys and men.

Misunderstood examines masculinity by addressing family, relationships, decision-making and rites of passage.

Credits

Misunderstood was written by Siraj Bah, Minkia Burgos, Tiauna Clark, Amberstar Farrow, Amina Felder, Phillesia McKenzie, Mariet Polanco, Malik Roberts and Ravyn Sweringer all part of the SPARK Program in Manhattan’s High School for Graphic Communication Arts. The film was directed by Clark Johnson, shot by Frank Demarco, and produced by Jamin O’Brien.

Click here for the full cast and crew.

Honors

2007-2008 National East Contest Winner, New York NY
2008 December – One of the writers, Tiauna Clark, was interviewed on WNYC Radio’s "Leonard Lopate" Show
2008 December – Mariet Planco, another writer, was interviewed on Sirius Radio’s "Judith Regan Show."
Screened at the 2009 Provincetown International Film Festival
Screened at the 2009 Coney Island Film Festival

The story behind the story

Nine Students collaborated and wrote the story for Misunderstood as part of the SPARK program in Manhattan’s High School of Graphic Communication Arts under the guidance of Ms. Kioni-Sadiki. Spark is a program that students join during their lunch period. They talk about personal reflections and social justice issues – peer pressure, decision making, culture, dreams, racism and sexuality. In the process, these students become peer educators for the school educating the community about a variety of things that affect young people. In the fall of 2007, these students turned discussions into a story written in response to the Scenarios USA Contest question "What’s The REAL DEAL with Masculinity."

The students began their project by discussing their personal beliefs about masculinity. They soon made an interesting discovery: their own beliefs about masculinity contradict the stereotypes the media usually portrays, especially the separation between “good” and “bad” men. The writers wanted to show that many of their peers share the same goals as they do even if they go about reaching those goals in a different way. Like the brothers in the film, many men share similar dreams in life—and may even fall in love the same girl—but in pursuit of those dreams, they take different personal risks and are forged by different internal and societal pressures. The characters are metaphors for the split in society and in people’s minds about defining and judging men.

Misunderstood was filmed almost entirely on West 49th Street between 9th And 10th Avenues in Hell’s Kitchen. The writers used their own high school for the movie and the extras were all friends and family and students at The HSGCA. Clark Johnson enlisted his friend from The Wire, Reg Cathey to play the boys’ father. Clark worked closely with the students and even had two read troughs with them in his own home where he bought everyone pizza and cupcakes. During the shoot, a street fair started on 9th Avenue. Clark, the writers and the crew decided to take advantage of the event and took a 16mm bolex camera to film the scenes you see in part of the opening and closing sequences.

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