‘Sincerely, Brad’ Explores Black Heroism, Family, And The Cost Of Greatness

The blessing and burden of Black excellence, fictional or otherwise, are inseparable. As the safety and security of marginalized legacy are actively threatened, the 20 minute sci-fi drama Sincerely, Brad couldn’t have landed at a more appropriate time for its target audience. Black and brown communities of the United States should be reminded of the importance of staying grounded through our professional accolades, and the Grammy-nominated producer turned award-winning director Isaac Yowman has given us just that—a high stakes, yet relatable story that nudges viewers to consider the wider impacts of Black heroism, societal perceptions of race, and the generational value of a strong family unit.

In addition to his accolades in music, Yowman leads IYO Visuals; a production company that serves to express impactful stories through the hands of multicultural artists of underserved communities. For the past decade, he and the company have produced notable projects for big players including Marvel, Netflix, Nike, and NBA. Even through commercial successes, strong narratives are a large piece of IYO Visuals’ mission, making Yowman and his team more than capable of natural short form storytelling. I couldn’t expect to feel such depth of a generally unspoken phenomenon in less than 20 minutes… but here I am, holding back tears of validation over my laptop on a Tuesday morning. 

Without having to teach viewers a lesson on the nuance of choices that come between greatness and racial judgement, Sincerely, Brad illustrates a world similar to ours that deserves more heroes through pain and pride, but at a cost. Patrick Walker (Lessons in Chemistry, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Peripheral) stars as Brad; a prolific astronaut chosen to save humanity through a high risk mission. He may not survive, but as the first Black astronaut on an operation this dire, he will undoubtedly be immortalized.

Stills from short film, ‘Sincerely Brad.’

Brad is also a soon to be father. His wife, Zoey is in her third trimester of pregnancy, and plagued by the thought of raising a Black child through rough sociopolitical times with a father stuck in space, or worse. Cinthya Carmona (The Tax Collector, Greenhouse Academy)’s performance against Walker’s displays a transparently weighted love to Zoey and Brad’s relationship- a descriptor that many BIPOC and biracial partnerships hold, having to work critically through circumstances of cultural perceptions that exist above us all.

The impact of fatherhood holds the most importance in Brad’s story. If not for the support of his own father, played by household favorite Carl Anthony Payne II (Martin, The Cosby Show), the country might’ve never had a prolific Black astronaut to call on. In a post-screening Q&A, Yowman confirmed that he wanted to “make sure the father shows up in a way that I would desire to show up, and how I wish my father would’ve showed up for me. I feel like there’s magic in a father and son on-screen”.

The ripple effect of honest parenting creates more Black genius, if you believe it. Not just in Brad’s potential, but for all of ours. We know, but our children might not understand that marginalized people step twice as fast to celebrate their rightful professional accomplishments, while white counterparts are awarded the same at a more leisurely pace. Although there’s a world where this can be said with the pride of drive and persistence, Isaac Yowman has released a timely story to remind marginalized artists and thinkers that we’re all allowed up there as long as we promise to come back down.

Sincerely, Brad made its debut last month via the “Surrounded By Stories” showcase at the SVA Theatre in New York City, and will continue to make its rounds in the festival circuit. If you’ve ever needed an outlet to accept validation for the conflicts of your success, or even a quick reality check, I suggest you seek this short film out.