Sometimes the family you choose protects you from the family you don’t
Two young people become fast friends and discover their black identity while in the front lines of the BLM protests of 2020. “Teal & Princess: Kinship” is a story about two young people - Teal (age 21) and Princess (age 19) who discover themselves and each other on the front lines of one of the most important social movements of the last 50 years - the Black Lives Matter protests from the summer of 2020.
Teal & Princess: Kinship is a tale of resilience, purpose, and self discovery born on the frontlines - an unlikely place for two young kids to become fast friends under the barrage of sweat, tears, blood, teargas and rubber bullets. This heart felt, funny and wildly alive documentary opens with two strangers - Teal, a stripper and mom from a broken home and Princess, a gay only child raised by adopted parents - meeting on the frontlines of the protests in Portland, OR - two of the only black people in attendance. And through their kismet connection, they soon find themselves gripping bullhorns, leading the protests, with an army of sympathetic people in tow.
Through the film, Teal & Princess navigate the new role of leaders in the community and of their new chosen family / activist group Black Unity. With each passing moment, Teal & Princess fall deeper into their friendship along with their awakening sense of black identity - something that had been dormant for them both - Teal having been raised in a mixed household and Princess having been adopted by two white parents.
The deeper Teal & Princess find themselves in the protest movement, they more they put their lives on the back burner, with things like school for Princess and an ongoing custody battle for Teal all feel a million miles away from their daily struggle for restorative justice. But as time goes on and their real lives starting to rear their ugly heads, Teal & Princess discover that when they’ve got each others’ backs, they can take on just about anything - from white supremacists to ex boyfriends and anything in between.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
DIRECTOR - MARISSA KAISER has professionally documented subjects for 20 years. Beginning in Portland, Oregon, she captured the spirit of youth in the skateboard and music community in the mid-90s. Her honest and organic images gained her attention and soon she was shooting advertising campaigns for Nike and Wieden + Kennedy. Marissa transitioned from still photography to motion picture photography in 2008 when asked to be Director of Photography for the award-winning documentary, The Wolfpack. Marissa has directed and shot numerous short films for The New York Times online network and NOWNESS online network.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - PRINCESS (XAVIER WARNER) was three years old when he attended a children’s dance performance–the dancers transported him somewhere magical. From a very young age he knew that he wanted to be a performer and in high school won many state and regional awards in musical theater. Finding his voice and purpose in activism was unexpected as was his close friendship with Teal, forged on the Portland streets.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - SHRUTI GANGULY is an award-winning filmmaker and writer based in Oslo and New York City. Shruti was a member of Obama’s ECCO committee of 30 leaders and creators in entertainment, chairing its Asian Caucus, and is on the Creative Council for Emily’s List. She has produced several films (including Spirit-winner H., and the Nora Ephron Prize-winner, INITIALS SG) premiering at Sundance, Venice, Tribeca and Berlin.
SUPPORT
Help us tell these critical real life stories of hope and transformation from Portland’s ground zero in the fight for a brighter future. Contributions raised will help us finish one of the most important coming of age stories in the last 50 years.
For more information contact:
Caroline Fitchett
caroline@wewinstrategygroup.com