Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program opens the door to nonprofit funding for independent filmmakers and media artists. Donate today and help bring Weight of Silence to life.
 

Logline

When an emotionally distant older brother has to bail his younger troubled brother out of yet another arrest, the two are forced to confront the years of buried grief, resentment, and unspoken pain since their mother’s death before it tears them apart for good.

Synopsis

Weight of Silence follow two estranged Black brothers, Gerald and Jamal, as they confront years of grief and resentment since their mother’s passing. Reunited in an interrogation room, Gerald arrives to bail Jamal out yet again. What begins as a familiar argument slowly reveals a deeper truth: both are still mourning, just in different ways.

After their mother’s death and in the absence of their father, Gerald became the provider, prioritizing stability over emotional connection. His distance left Jamal feeling abandoned, driving him toward the streets in search of belonging. Jamal’s reckless behavior became a silent cry for connection.

This film captures the long-overdue conversation between two men shaped by loss, silence, and a fractured sense of masculinity. Weight of Silence is a story about brotherhood, grief, and the emotional silence often placed on Black men. At its heart, it’s about family showing up when we need them most.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Oscar Rudecindo — Writer/Director
Oscar Rudecindo (Writer/Director): An award-winning Dominican actor, writer, and director. Oscar’s work seeks to challenge assumptions, foster empathy, and elevate the lived experiences of Black and brown communities. On screen, he’s appeared in various feature films and television shows across Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Tubi. His directorial debut, Homecoming, premiered at the Pan African Film Festival and screened at several festivals across the country.

Alena Drake — Executive Producer
Alena Drake (Executive Producer): She’s a producer and director from Los Angeles whose films explore social issues through intimate, character-driven storytelling. Her award-winning projects have been featured in multiple film festivals and highlight her dedication to amplifying underrepresented voices.

Mason Greer — Producer
Mason Greer (Producer): Mason Greer is a Writer/Director who was recently awarded the “Big Indie Pictures Fellowship Award” after his drama feature script was a winner at the Austin Film Festival. His work has been featured in multiple festivals across the world including receiving a distribution deal with DirecTV, Shorts TV, and a publication in the New York Times. Additionally, Mason was named “Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2025” by Movie Maker Magazine. Mason’s work spans narrative films, commercials and dubbing for Netflix films and TV shows, 3 of which have crossed the global top ten on the platform.

Make a donation to Weight of Silence.

Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.