Danielle Brooks Shines in If I Go Will They Miss Me at the 50th Annual Atlanta Film Festival
- Madison Johnson
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
During the 50th annual Atlanta Film Festival, I had the opportunity to screen the film If I Go Will They Miss Me. Written by Walter Thompson-Hernandez, and starring Academy Award nominated actress Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple, Peacemaker) and J. Alphonse Nicholson, (P-Valley, Just Mercy)
If I Go Will They Miss Me, is currently making its way through the film festival circuit, continuing to connect with audiences through its emotional and socially grounded storytelling.
Before the film, Brooks accepted ATLFF's New Maverick Award in recognition of her bold, barrier-breaking career across film, television, and stage, and her ongoing commitment to expanding representation in the entertainment industry.
The story follows a boy named Lil Ant, (Bodhi Dell) growing up in Watts, California, who struggles to build a healthier relationship with his father.. We not only see his struggle with family relationships, but he faces; poverty and violence.
I enjoyed the fact that the film began as a short film, and later became a more detailed story which goes into more depth on Lil Ant’s story. This expansion allows the audience to better understand smaller moments that may have been smaller during the short film. It also helps the audience to connect with the characters on a deeper level. For instance relationships and environment.
One of the most important parts of If I Go Will They Miss Me, is that the film did not only highlight the bigger story of how Lil Ant became who he was, but how the world changed around him.
Following the screening, both Brooks and Nicholson answered questions from audience members during a Q&A session.
Overall, the film delivers an emotional and thought-provoking look at family, environment, and survival, while reminding audiences how deeply a community can influence the course of a young person’s life.
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