Issue 41: When Water Becomes a Space for Black Men to Heal  February 20th 2026

Sea Star, which premiered at TIFF in 2025, is Evans' most personal film. He dedicates the film "to all the reticent Black men in my life and Black people's relationship with water."

Sea Star follows Chris, played by John Phillips, an older Black man as he takes his first swimming lesson with a group of kids while dealing with personal hardship. The film explores grief, fear, and quiet resilience to face long-standing fears, using water as both literal and metaphorical space for healing.

Water as Silent Narrator

Water is a powerful symbol in storytelling. It often represents renewal, cleansing, and rebirth. But in Sea Star, water means something else. It's tied to deep fear and painful memories. The male character has spent his whole life avoiding swimming, and it's about more than just personal anxiety. It's about a broader cultural story, shaped by exclusion and systemic inequality.

Toronto-based scholar, writer, and activist Jacqueline L. Scott specializes in race, nature, and trauma. In 2018, she wrote an article called "Swimming While Black". She argues not knowing how to swim isn't only about lacking skills but that it's tied to racial and economic inequality, and to trauma. The numbers back this up. Black men drown at much higher rates than white men.

Spinning Forward spoke with Evans about Sea Star

He describes water as a silent narrator in the film. “I’m hoping people come away with a fresh perspective…it’s also about deep‑seated trauma," he said, "It’s a generational traumatic thing within the Black community.”

The film excels because of Evans' decision to work with constraints. Rather than make a "trauma-filled film with dialogue”, Evans wanted to tell a more tender story relying on visual language and performance. Emotion was expressed through gesture, stillness, and expression. John Phillips was cast as the lead because "his eyes say so much without him having to say anything."

“When I was writing the script, I really wanted to challenge myself and kind of use…performance and visual language to tell the story rather than dialogue," he said. "I made sure to pull back any dialogue that I could and have as few words spoken as possible.”

The Grant Systems That Makes It Possible

Evans, a 2023 TIFF Filmmakers Lab alumni, is grateful for the grants and in-kind support he received for Sea Star from Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council for Black Arts Projects and OYA Black Arts Coalition.

"I wouldn't be able to do this production if it wasn't for grants. I think a lot of voices would be gone if it weren't for these council grants, including mine. It's very expensive being a filmmaker, especially as a BIPOC person. A lot of us don't have the connections or rich parents to fund our film. We rely on these grants to help us build our portfolio and build into the next thing."

His producer, Malachi Ellis, is a graduate of the OYA program. Ellis brought program participants onto the set as crew members, giving them hands-on experience. Evans says,

“My producer Malachi actually was a graduate from that program. He brought a few of those students on set for Sea Star".

Community Support

The OYA Black Arts Coalition provided in‑kind support for the production, including crew, equipment, and space, allowing the short film to get finished with resources and metorship.

Program manager Michelle Berry said OYA prioritizes connecting participants with mentors who are actively working in the industry.

“Those are the types of people we like to put our participants in front of and have them mentored by,” she said.

Berry said that relationships often continue after the program and turn into lasting professional connections.

“We’ve seen a lot of professional relationships grow through our mentorship,” she said.

Advice to BIPOC Creators

As diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives shrink, essential support from government and community organizations allows creators like Evans to make films that reflect complex realities in communities that are historically ignored in the mainstream.

For Berry, supporting marginalized creators is necessary in an industry where rejection is the norm and opportunities feel far out of reach.

Berry's advice to emerging Black and BIPOC creatives is direct:

“Just go for it. Apply for the program, apply for the grant, apply for the funding." She emphasizes that support exists beyond what many realize. "You would be surprised how many people are willing to help and be there”.

From Personal Story to Community Healing

Sea Star arrives amid growing conversations about Black health equity and swimming access. Projects like Black Canadian Pool Histories document how historical exclusion from pools and beaches continues to shape Black communities’ relationship with water.

Organizations across Ontario are working to address these disparities. The Breaking Barriers in Swimming Program and Afropolitan Canada offer culturally relevant swim lessons that prioritize safety, belonging, and resilience. These programs provide opportunities for communities to safely engage with water, confront inherited trauma, and heal.

Sea Star feels both urgent and deeply personal. It reminds viewers that small, intentional steps like entering a pool for the first time reflect courage, healing, and the possibility of reclaiming spaces once marked by exclusion. While the film portrays one person's journey, it also points toward broader systemic and community solutions.

Evans wants Sea Star to remind audiences that healing is both personal and collective. He says,

"I'm hoping people are able to open up more to their feelings. For Black men especially, they're more afraid to talk about their feelings. This film helps them open up more."

Faith Tabladillo is a journalism student at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, with interests in politics, technology, finance, and community reporting.

Resources and Community Connections

Film & Arts Funding

• OYA Black Arts Coalition
• Canada Council for the Arts
• Ontario Arts Council
• Toronto Arts Council
• TIFF Filmmakers Development

Swimming Access & Community Programs

• YMCA Canada
• Afropolitan Canada
• Breaking Barriers in Swimming Program
• Inclusion in Canadian Sport Network

Research & Health Equity

• CDC - Drowning Prevention
• University of Toronto - Black Canadian Pool Histories