A Father’s Love

A Visual Piece By Kelsey Matthews

This is dedicated to all of the fathers who are no longer here with their daughters. May your love live on, and may we never forget.

My father died 18 years ago. I am now 29 years old and at this point, I have lived most of my life without him. His memory lives on and so does his love. I wrote this piece after I came to the realization that I was starting to forget him and the love he gave. A good father’s love is a specific type of unconditional love. The source, and a foundation/example of how a girl should be loved. As we get older, if we become removed from the memory of a father’s love, we begin accepting variations of things that don’t serve us best. We begin to put other’s needs before our own and we accept what we are given. Unintentionally.

To all the little girls out there who have lost your fathers.....it’s hard. You will feel their absence a different way at each age of your life. But as you grow and learn you have to remember: Don’t let anyone or anything shake your foundation. Never forget the way you were loved. Don’t lose yourself and take what people want you to conform to. Remember your worth and your father’s love.

I was compelled to turn this into a visual piece after a year of seeing so many little girls being left without their fathers due to an untimely death for a variety of reasons: police brutality, disease, virus, or accidents. May your love live on and may we NEVER forget. Happy Father’s Day Daddy and to all of the Girl Dads who are no longer here. RIP ❤️.

This short film is loaded with black excellence. I’d like to give a special shout out/thanks to the amazing team who helped me actualize my vision:

Executive Producer/ Written By: Kelsey Matthews

Director: Michael Harvey & Kelsey Matthews

Cinematographer: Quinton Thomas

Black Artists Featured: Marcus Wise & Matthew White

Filmed @ The Portfolio Center (Miami Ad School)