What does it mean to be loved at your core when all of American history has rejected you? How do you take that rejection of self, excise the trauma, and turn it into something beautiful?
These are the questions that "Core" answers. The film implores its audience to turn inward. True love of being in Black womanhood begins at our Core. It's knowing for ourselves and discovering for the first time that everything we need to make us feel worthy is already within ourselves. Core shows us that we possess the freedom we so desperately seek and gives way to unlocking our capacity to live in fulfillment. When you see Core, you feel it. When you see us, you feel us.
At some point, we all struggle in our ability to define ourselves and recognize our value. Black women in particular embark on this journey alone and in silence. "Core" is meant to give the inner voice of the collective Black woman a spotlight.
"Core" is broken into four distinct elements: Defiance, Resilience, Reassurance, Centering.
When I think of the path to a personal breakthrough, these are the pillars that come to mind. Defiance - the act of rejecting external opinions and projects where you choose to opt out of a negative response to self. Resilience - the fight for yourself and going after what you believe in amidst all adversity. Reassurance - finding comfort, support, and strength in community. Centering - accepting holistically your internal freedom.
When broken down into these elements, the gateway to freedom unlocks. This is the feeling of "Core".
We treated "Core" as a tale of two halves - the dichotomy of a Black woman. The first half of the film centers on her internal struggle. The way the camera moves through the scene is controlled, almost still, to let the viewer sit in the moment and feel the weight of her thoughts.
The second half of the film is about her expression and ultimately, her freedom. We shot a beautiful beach scene handheld, giving freedom to the movement of the frame in direct correlation to the freedom our protagonist feels in the moment.
With a small crew of me and my DP, Jeff Smith, we were able to produce a film that resonated. We had an outpouring of love from a community of women who felt seen. That was the best outcome I could've asked for.
