Sr.
Narrative Feature / 1 hr 28 min / 2025
After a struggling father takes his two kids on the run from social services, he attempts to shield them from their harsh reality by making them a promise to the beach.
With his son Junior patently waiting for his father to keep his promise, he has to grow up early and challenge his fathers demons to get the family to their happy place. Can he do it?
“I created Sr. after my father passed away. He was the rock that held our family together, and after he passed, I felt like his legacy would go into the ground with him and no one would ever hear about the amazing father he was or what our family had to go through. Creating Sr. became a way for me to honor his memory and tell a story about fatherhood, sacrifice, resilience, and the bonds that hold families together.”
“The film grew out of my award-winning short film The Beach, which was inspired by my father’s passing and centered on a father trying to give his children one final moment of joy. After seeing how audiences connected with that story, I felt compelled to expand those themes into a feature film.
Sr. is a film about a father trying to keep his promise of taking his children on a trip to the beach. The film was shot in 2020 with the support of the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund, which awarded the project a $75,000 grant.”
“Through the program, I received valuable mentorship and participated in classes that taught me budgeting, legal practices, and how to secure and manage a film crew. The experience helped prepare me for the many challenges that come with producing a feature film. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and support the program provided.
With the support of Keith Mehlinger and David E. Talbert, I was able to complete the final color grade of the film at FotoKem. Through their mentorship and advocacy, I had the opportunity to work with the same colorist who color graded the film Sinners, helping bring a professional finish and visual polish to Sr.”
“Since its completion, Sr. has screened at the Maryland Film Festival and the American Black Film Festival, and it won Best Feature at the Urban Film Festival in Miami. The journey of making Sr. taught me that filmmaking is as much about perseverance and problem-solving as it is about creativity. Despite many obstacles, I am proud of what our team accomplished and grateful to everyone who helped bring the film to life.”
- Toroes D. Thomas, Jr., Director & Writer