The Kickstarter for Hair Love, an animated short film about hair positivity and Black fathers, has received over $55,000 in pledges since its the campaign’s start on July 10.
Filmmaker and former NFL player Matthew A. Cherry noticed a pattern in viral videos, he said in the campaign’s promo. Black fathers would upload themselves attempting to do their children’s hair—from simple puffs to intricate braids, and lots and lots of scalp grease. While the social media trend showed a variety of hits and misses, followers applauded the public debunking of the deadbeat dad myth, lessons in self love and disobedience of society’s gender roles. More fathers became inspired to post their own videos and Cherry, he became inspired to create a film honoring them.
“This story was born out of seeing a lack of representation in mainstream animated projects, and also wanting to promote hair love amongst young men and women of color,” Cherry said.
Hair Love centers on an African-American father who is learning to do his daughter’s hair. In its 5-minute entirety, audiences will witness character Stephen’s first time styling daughter Zuri’s kinky curls for a big event, but there’s a twist; for a little humor, Cherry personifies Zuri’s hair into its own character and a team of top animators will help him tie everything together for his first work of animation.
Hair Love is his third Kickstarter campaign. So far, it has raised 73 percent of its listed goal of $75,000 in days. That amount would allow the animators to create the film in 2D, however, Cherry wants to make the animation more advanced and hopes for a turnout of $100,000 in donations. His goal is for Hair Love to have a Pixar-like appearance.
With a successful Kickstarter campaign, Cherry could add this project to his portfolio of video work. Just a few on his resume, he was involved in the music videos for Michelle Williams’ “Say Yes” and Jazmine Sullivan’s “In Love With Another Man.” In 2012, He made his first feature film, The Last Film, starring Lance Gross—and received much acclaim including festival awards, streaming service deals, and a television premiere on BET.
For more information on Hair Love and to pledge a donation, visit Kickstarter.
