Flower is a short film starring and produced by Misty Copeland, who will be seen in her first performance in over three years since the pandemic and becoming a new mom. Filmed on location in Oakland, California, Copeland performs alongside a brilliant cast, as they tell a powerful story through dance and movement, seeking to highlight intergenerational equity in American cities while bringing people to the dance performance experience. The core of the 28-minute short, which also stars Babatunji Johnson and former Dance Theatre of Harlem and Complexions contemporary ballet principal dancer Christina Johnson, brings critical attention to the housing crisis in the San Francisco Bay area. Paying homage to Black silent films of the 1920s, Lauren Finerman directs a poignant dialogue-free story about a young woman named Rose (Copeland), who has had to place her dreams on hold as she cares for her ailing mother, Gloria (Johnson), who is living with dementia. As Rose struggles to keep a roof over their heads, she watches the neighborhood around her fade away, much like her mother’s memory, until the mysterious Sterling (Johnson) helps to highlight the everlasting culture of community and the power of strength through unity, bringing Rose renewed hope for the future. Flower features new music composed by Grammy Award-winning recording artist Raphael Saadiq, including the original song “Here Now.”

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