BRUISER Discovery

US Premiere

Screening to be followed by a conversation with director Miles Warren.

Away from his private school friends and having to spend the summer break at home with his mother and stern father (Shamier Anderson), 14-year-old Darious (Jalyn Hall) strikes up an unexpected friendship with the mysterious and charismatic drifter Porter (Trevante Rhodes), who lives alone in a houseboat on a lake in the woods. But when Porter’s true identity is revealed, Darious must contend with his very existence and how it intersects with his understanding of what it means to be a man. Eschewing familiar narratives surrounding Black masculinity, Miles Warren’s piercing feature debut examines the complexities of father figures and the legacies of toxic masculinity. Featuring a tender performance by the promising Hall, we watch with gentle optimism as Darious forges his own path in a stifling world. –Anna Li