I shouldn’t get into Oscar talk because that’s not really my world, nor do I really pay much attention to the tea leaves of that game, but in a just world, or for my money, anyhow, the Sundance drama “Exhibiting Forgiveness” is at least nominated in every major category, including Best Picture and Best Actor for its star André Holland (“Moonlight,” “The Knick,” etc.).
Directed by renowned painter turned filmmaker Titus Kaphar, “Exhibiting Forgiveness” is a searing father and sons drama about a traumatic past and a father trying to find forgiveness in a son who has tried to contain his hate and anger for his dad. Based somewhat on Kaphar’s autobiographical experiences, Holland plays a troubled painter, Tarrell, trying to navigate his art, career, and family while still clearly grappling with the pain of his childhood.
The film also co-stars Andra Day as Tarrell’s wife, a musician, John Earl Jelks as his estranged father, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as his mother. The film kicks off with La’Ron (Jelks), a homeless drug addict who ends up getting clean after being attacked on the streets. A few weeks into his recovery, finally clear-headed, he returns home to try and find his son and reconcile with him.
But the damage has been seemingly done, and Tarrell is still livid and uninterested in reconnecting. What ensues is a painful and bruising drama about family, childhood trauma, fathers, sons, and the limits of forgiveness. The film’s cast is outstanding, and Jelks is a phenomenal discovery, as is Kaphar as a filmmaker. But as the lead, André Holland really steers this powerful and poignant film. With “Exhibiting Forgiveness” out in theaters now in limited release, we sat down with Holland to discuss the making of the movie.
This movie is outstanding but painful. Before all that, though, were you ever concerned about a first-time filmmaker? You’re probably intrigued by who he is as a well-recognized painter, but you probably want to know more, right?
Man, for sure. It’s funny; we discovered we have a mutual friend, Titus and I. I got a call from Terrell McCraney, who actually wrote “Moonlight” and is a playwright with whom I’ve collaborated over the years. Terrell called me and said, “Man, there’s this dude, Titus, who I don’t know if you know him, but he’s a great artist, and he’s written this script that I think you might like.” So he sent it to me, and Terrell’s endorsement meant a lot to me. And then I said, “All right, let me talk to this dude.” And so I went up to New Haven and met with him. And right away, man, we hit it off. And we didn’t really talk that much about the script, to be honest. We were talking about family and life, and he’s a father. He was talking about fatherhood. And we talked around the movie, and then, of course, about art and things that we’re interested in and eventually got to the script, and then I thought, “Man, this isn’t, this is pretty special, so let’s, let’s do it.”
I’m wondering how much this fatherhood stuff resonates with you because much of it is universal, obviously, but this particular relationship is rather toxic between father and son, and the reality is that the father poisoned it thanks to addictions.
Man, much of it resonated, but uniquely, in the sense that my relationship with my father was outstanding. We were as close as 19 is to 20, you know? In a way, one of the more challenging things about this piece was trying to get into the headspace of a person who has such a fractured relationship with his father. I think I came to understand through the process that underneath all that hurt, I believe the two of these folks love each other and want to be in each other’s lives. It’s just that all this other painful stuff has gotten in the way.
Once I understood that, it was easy for me to use a bit of my life in terms of my father in the story. My father actually passed away very recently.
Oh man, I’m so sorry to hear that.
Yeah, thanks. It was tough. When I first got the script, it was at a moment when we were going through some serious challenges—my dad was. And what’s ironic is that my dad—I started to do that interview thing that my character in the movie does with his dad—everybody puts him on camera. So I asked him all these questions. So, even before getting the script, I was already in the process of doing something similar to that with my own dad.
Wow, that’s incredible.
Yeah, I can’t believe it. It was wild to me that these two things happened at the same time. It gave me such a greater appreciation. I appreciated my dad so much, but I appreciate him even more, you know? And being inside this story, seeing how fatherhood can go so wrong and understanding like all the effort and steps that he made to try and repair it—I know it wasn’t easy for him, and I just I appreciate it all even more.
Without spoiling things, the ending of this movie is tough. It’s not necessarily an unhappy ending and arguably open-ended, but it’s challenging emotionally and truer to life. Did you talk to Titus to understand the resentment and trauma that still lingers?
You know, we really didn’t have to talk that much about it, but I agree. As I read the script, “I thought, “OK, so they gonna reconcile at the end and go fishing or something.” But you’re right; it was so much more honest not to have him have a complete reconciliation. The scene after that where Terrell wakes up in the studio, that moment felt so important to me in relation to what you asked him. Because when he wakes up in that chair, it’s, as far as we know, the first time he’s woken up without having these panic attacks or this anxiety. He wakes up in a state of peace, and there’s a moment we wanted to capture where you see a sense of relaxation on his face that allows him to approach his work differently. And then his son comes in, and he can approach his son and hold him. And so, for me, I wanted to give the sense that even though we don’t see him forgive his father on-screen, things inside of this character have shifted in a way that makes future forgiveness possible, or maybe even a possible reconciliation in the future.
Or that maybe the healing process has begun.
Exactly. He has to heal. To do that, he needs some boundaries and distance from his father. And that was a lesson that I had to learn. Because I’m from the South, man, and the old school church, where you feel forgive no matter what. So, in this process, and talking to Titus, it’s like, no, it’s actually possible to forgive and also be protective of oneself at the same time. So that was new for me.
I hear that. You’re a painter in the film and actually painting on the screen. You had to learn to paint at least somewhat, yeah? A crash course?
Yeah, I spent around three days with him in the studio up in New Haven, and it was amazing. I’m not a painter. I’m the kid who couldn’t even color in the lines in school. Man, I don’t have that gift, but on the first day, Titus said, “Alright, let’s mix some paint, take that brush, and start making some marks on the canvas.”
He had me painting on top of one of his paintings, which looked finished to me. And I was like, “Dude, I can’t touch that painting.” He’s like, “Come on, put some grass down there, let’s change the light to this color, add a little bit of this there.” And I was like, “What?” The remarkable thing is that he was so not precious about it, which I thought was cool. And then he was like, “Look, let me show you something.” He reached out and pulled out a towel. And he was like wiped it all away, and he’s like, “You can always change it. You can always revise it, you know.” And I thought, “Wow,” and then you kinda understand the painting never really stops. You can constantly adjust or manipulate it, and it’s so much like acting that way. It’s like doing a play on opening night. You think you know what you’re doing, but by the time it closes, you’re like, “Damn, now I feel like I’m ready actually to start.”
I love how the paintings reflect his evolving state of mind on everything and how he deconstructs them, adds to them, and tears them apart, whatever it is, as he grapples with his emotional situation and pain.
Absolutely, absolutely. I love that gesture at the end where he cuts the little boy, himself, really, out of the painting. It’s so evocative. We only had one take, and that’s the actual painting; it wasn’t a double. So, it was a little nerve-wracking; my hand was shaking that day.
I wanted to ask about a few things coming up ahead, like “The Knick” [editor’s note, see the full update on “The Knick” here] and that intriguing project you’re doing with Duke Johnson—who co-directed Charlie Kaufman’s “Anomalisa”—called “The Actor.”
Yeah, it’s fantastic, it’s great. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, like a super, special movie. I cannot wait for people to see it. And talk about a cast, stacked cast, man, we had some great actors in there, and Duke did a beautiful job with the movie [ed. note: the cast includes Gemma Chan, May Calamawy, Toby Jones, Tracey Ullman, Olwen Fouéré, Joe Cole, and many more]
He’s really trying to get it exactly right, so he’s getting all the music rights and all the elements right. But I think people are going to love it.
Is it kind of surrealist like his last film?
Sort of, though maybe I wouldn’t say surrealist. It’s just unusual, really unusual, but also theatrical in a really interesting way. I don’t know how much he’s said publicly because I don’t want to spoil it for folks, but I play a theater actor who gets into an accident and loses his memory. Throughout the movie, you see this guy trying to find his way home, and it’s just a beautiful meditation on identity, love, and belonging.
I can’t wait for you to see it. I just heard a little something yesterday that makes me think it’s coming soon, so yeah, I can’t wait.
This interview has been condensed for clarity. “Exhibiting Forgiveness” is in theaters now via Roadside Attractions.
