SIN PADRE
Shot in Shibuya, Tokyo and all within the walls of a barbershop. Sin Padre is a film about manhood, fatherhood, and the immigrant/expat experience in Japan.
SYNOPSIS/LOGLINE
Inspired by real life. A Brooklyn native runs a local barbershop in Tokyo. He and his clients find themselves at odds with foreign life in Japan and the absence of their own children.
POSTERS
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
We live in a world where conservative, liberal, and religious political ideologies dictate our forms of speech. There are few places where a man can express himself among other men without being dismissed or taken too seriously. A barbershop is one of those rare locations.
In urban communities, the barbershop is a place for both grooming and male camaraderie. This dynamic also manifests in Tokyo, Japan among foreigners who originate from urban communities in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The topics of discussion with clients and their barber range from street politics, hard earned economics, urban music, physical sports, religion, family, and intimate relationships with women.
A challenging aspect of living in Japan and coming from countries with a history of immigration and slavery is that both their country of birth and migration do not feel like home. Starting a family in Japan could make it a home for them, however, consequences of Japanese divorce laws can mean a man can lose complete access to his children. This can leave some foreigners without a country to call home and Japanese children without a father.
SCREEN GRABS
TRAILER
CREDITS
Talent
Maurice Shelton as Marvin Uzochi James
Jude Greaves as Atticus Evans
Michael Placido as Joan JD Dolorosa
Yaritza Peña as Natalie James
Supporting Talent
Shiihashi Diana Hitomi as JD’s Daughter in dream
Sammy Rei Greaves as Evans’ Son
Chiaki Nobuhira as Basketball Girl
Johann Albarracin Hortta as JD in dream
Koudai Yamamoto as Smoker
Katsuto Takahata as Skater 1
Shinnosuke Tamano as Skater 2
Malcolm Ray Shelton as Yasuke James
Ellie Belle Lena as 2 year old Natalie
Lizmarie Elisha Rodriguez as JD’s 2 year old daughter
Creators
Free Rodriguez - Director / Writer / Producer
Boa Campbell - Producer / Casting Director
Tamru Grant - Producer / Location Manager
Production
Boa Campbell - Production Designer / Stills Photographer
Hemant Singh - Cinematographer
Scott Larson - Cinematographer
Johann Albarracin Hortta - Cinematographer
Paul Doroshevich - Sound Designer
Emmanuel Lopes - Sound Mixer
Eugene Kobayashi - Assistant Camera / Grip / Lighting Assistant
Ryan Gilchrist - Assistant Camera
Joe Fox - Assistant Camera
Taro Takeuchi - Gaffer
Daishi Kusunoki - Lighting Assistant
Yohei Suzuki - Production Assistant
Nikki Rodgers - Production Assistant
Nicholas Bean - Production Assistant
Anne Elizabeth - Production Assistant
Adrien Shimizu - Production Assistant
James Honeycutt - Production Assistant
Costume
Shingo Fukuyama - Wardrobe Stylist
Akiya Ohta - Wardrobe Assistant
Atsushi Takita - Hair Stylist
Saiko Hayashi - Hair Stylist Assistant
Tamru Grant - Barber
Postproduction
Free Rodriguez - Editor
Paul Doroshevich - Sound Engineer
David Jiménez Figueroa - Colorist
Jennifer Olivera - Argentine Spanish Translator
Sheyla Marie - Boricua Spanish Translator
Ivan Ramirez - Dominican Spanish Translator
Ian Gonzalez - Boricua Spanish Translator
Miraqle.M - Japanese Translator
Towa Fujii - Japanese Translator
Crystina Parkz - Graphic Designer
Music
Atmosphere Airlines, Vol. 3 by Dela
Influx - Evgeny Bardyuzha
Continue? - Cheese
Earthbound - Biz20
Solar (ft. Avy) - Kooma
Pensando en ti - Litos
Feel like I am Goin’ Down - 110Kid
Give Themselves - Berry Deep
You Are My Sunlight - Soundroll
Ghost - Mogli the Iceburg
The Lights - Ateller feat. Phase One
FILM FESTIVALS & LAURELS
REVIEWS & FEEDBACK
“Super dope story and concept and super jealous of the beginning segment of the film, music and shots were outstanding!!”
“The short was on point pertaining to barbershop conversations overall... The conclusion was epic... All three characters did an amazing job, music was very good.”
“It was very interesting but not only the cinematography but the conversations. As a Japanese born and bred, it was grateful to see a foreigners point of view.”
“I love the 3 different perspectives. All black but different culturally. ”
“Full of relatable interweaving conversations and concepts amongst blacks and foreigners in Japan surrounding fatherhood and acceptance while maintaining personal faith and cultural power in a foreign land. Very powerful and kudos to the cast.”
“Beautiful movie. I somehow didn’t even notice that it was shot entirely in the barbershop.”
“Excellent collage of culture adaptation, parenthood’s love and all the dilemas it brings”
“I don’t know much about cinematography but I enjoyed it. The angles, the exposure. When it comes to people of color in movies I notice that the exposure is not that high and their details are too dark for me to see. Here I feel everyone should take note on how to film people of color because for the first time I was able to see how to film people of color.”
“It was intense and thought provoking! I could relate to the characters a lot especially living in Tokyo myself. Kudos to the actors!”
“The film was deep. The cinematography was great. I felt what ya’ll were saying was gospel. The family separation hit home.”
BEHIND THE SCENES
Photos by Boa Campbell
MEDIA
The Art We Make Podcast