According to
the synopsis for his latest short film, "About That,"  L.A.-based actor/filmmaker Damien D. Smith describes
his film this way: “Summer (played by Crystal Cotton) and Jonathan (played by Smith himself) are
in love, but love isn’t enough for some people. Their relationship can only be
described as pure bliss. Unfortunately, the world is uncomfortable with the
pair and a series of events start to hint at Jonathan’s mental stability."

But that does
not tell the whole story, and I don’t want to give anything away, but “About That”
is more than just a love story. It is also a troubling but poignant
film about the toll that mental illness can take, not only on an individual, but also on their friends and family.

At the core
of the film is a love story which is important to Smith, or, as he says, “love is
universal and it has no limits are boundaries. So whatever perceptions or preconceived
notions someone may have about a personal relationship should take more time to
be understanding and accepting."

Everyone
loves a love story, but mental illness is an issue which the black community still
has trouble coming to grips with. Most of it, I believe, stems from the stigma of weakness – that we are a mentally tough people who have
endured centuries of abuse and trauma, and are still standing strong. But the reality
is that, there are millions of black people who have, and do suffer from it, and
most of them are not getting treatment for their condition. Smith,
himself says that he feels, “that it’s still taboo for a certain demographic of
people to seek out professional mental help for fear of a stigma; moreover, the
negative connotation that African Americans associate with mental health, and the
forms of getting help for it. Finally
how society treats people they presume may need mental help. I believe the
artist’s responsibility is to help those who are in need, and our main tool in
doing so is to create art that reflects, motivates, and challenges the world
around us."

The
filmmaker himself has an extensive resume as an stage and film actor in New York
and Los Angeles, and will soon appear on an episode of the TV One sit-com “Born Again
Virgin.”

"About That" is currently touring the film festival circuit, so keep an eye out for it.

Here is the
brief trailer for the film: