You know when a project just speaks to your spirit? That’s exactly how I felt the moment I came across Heart of Sunshine.
It’s the debut short film from Joy Ofodu, celebrated voice actor, comedy creator, and now stepping confidently into the role of director. And she’s doing something we don’t see enough of — creating from a place of warmth, honesty, and yes, joy.
Co-written with Donnita Shaw, Heart of Sunshine is a comedic short about a daddy’s daughter who loves love — and just wants to pull off her “pretty-please-it’s-urgent dream” before heading back to boarding school. It’s light, it’s funny, and it centers a father-daughter relationship that feels refreshingly familiar — not because we’ve seen it on screen a hundred times, but because we haven’t.
This film offers something a lot of us have been craving: a portrayal of present, loving Black fatherhood that isn’t rooted in trauma or absence, but care, humor, and connection.
As someone who also grew up with a present dad and knows firsthand how complicated, layered, and loving that relationship can be — this project hit home for me. TV and film haven’t fully captured the totality of what that father-daughter bond can look like. And when Joy and her team reached out, I knew I had to support. Not just as a journalist or a creative, but as someone rooting for stories like this to be told — loud and clear.
Right now, Heart of Sunshine is being crowdfunded through Kickstarter under Joy’s company, Enjoyment Endeavor. It’s even been selected as a Kickstarter “Project We Love.” And with just a few days left in the campaign, there’s still time to help bring this vision to life.
Whether you’re here to learn more, to connect with the story, or to find a project that brings a little sunshine into your day — I invite you to listen to this conversation with Joy Ofodu. Her passion, her purpose, and her vision are all on full display.
Let’s get into it.