“Ooohh, girl. Can I see your ring?” That is the first question most women ask when a friend gets engaged. But what if that friend produced a left hand with no diamond, and a discolored wedding band? Independent filmmaker and Chicago native, El
What follows is a firestorm of commentary%uFFFD some good, and some not so good%uFFFDfrom the couple’s family and friends. Porter admits that the film, the idea for which was sparked by a discussion in a beauty shop, treads in traditionally female territory %uFFFDbut he does it to offer a male view. “Doing this movie was to show a perspective of how men feel about the diamond ring,” he said.
And how do they feel? Clinton J. Lewis, 31, who plays Charles, summed it up. “It’s such a huge privilege and blessing to find someone that truly loves you unconditionally, to the point that they want to spend the rest of their life with you, that the size of the diamond on the ring just should not matter %uFFFDat all,” he said.
To some women, that sounds like a cop out, or a way to get love cheap. But Porter, who said that the film ends happily, disagreed. “Anybody who cares about somebody wants them to have the best. But men also want to walk away knowing that the ring has no bearing on their relationship. That even if their fiancΘe didn’t have that ring, she’d still be down,” he said.
“You want that kind of unconditional love.” Porter said that presenting a male view is the theme of all the films he’s done so far. Player In Training, released in 2004, tells the story of a funny guy who hardens his image in an attempt to get more women. Caged, released in 2005, is about a man whose life tailspins when his best friend is killed.
“Men never get a chance to vent to our women, because many times we’re the venting post for our women,” Porter said. “So I try to present a male view point in all of my films.” And the public is responding. All About The Ring has played to three packed out audiences; two at the Inner City Entertainment theater, 210 W. 87th St., and one at Studio E, 2310 E. 75th St. Porter estimates that 900 people have seen it thus far.
“Studio E was packed out so bad that I was using office chairs. I went to people’s cars and got lawn chairs%uFFFD It was ridiculous, we were on top of each other in that place,” he recalled with a laugh. The Black acting community also responded strongly. In March 2007, Porter held a casting for the film that drew 125 people for just 12 roles.
“I read 75 percent of Sidney Poitier’s 300-page biography waiting to get in,” Lewis remembered, with a laugh. The response, Porter said, is indicative of a growing interest in Chicago’s Black film scene. “They’re hungry. A lot of people really want to break into the industry. They’re looking for opportunities, whether it’s paid or unpaid, to showcase their talent,” he said.
The film was shot entirely in Chicago, with scenes at Millenium Park, the Austin YMCA, 87th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, and the Afrocentric Book Store in Hyde Park. Local musicians Kelvin Taylor of Raw Vibes, Michael White, and Swaylo of Constant Groove provided the soundtrack. So far, the film has been accepted at the Hollywood Black Film Festival in Beverly Hills, Calif., and will screen there from June 3-8. Porter is also planning a fourth Chicago showing May 18, at the ICE Theater.
The South Side native said that he is energized by all the local participation and support his film has received. “I love it%uFFFD. Chicago has everything that Hollywood and New York have: nice locations, a nice city, people who are talented, local artists with music. It’s like a small artsy community,” he said.
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