Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, has stepped into the spotlight at the Sundance Film Festival with her directorial debut, “The Heart.”
“The Heart” is a comedy-drama revolves around the narrative of lost objects, lonely individuals, forgiveness, and regret, seeking to uncover the tender and close aspects within these experiences.
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The film’s storyline follows a lonely man named Josh, portrayed by Tunde Adebimpe, as he grapples with the sudden loss of his mother, Anita, played by LaTonya Borsay. The plot takes an unexpected turn with Anita’s peculiar request in her will for her son to preserve her heart organ and care for it after her passing.
During a Q&A session at the Sundance premiere, the 25-year-old filmmaker, credited as Malia Ann, shared insights into the making of the 18-minute short film. She described it as an “allegorical little poem story” and expressed hope that the film would make audiences feel less lonely or, at the very least, remind them not to forget about the people who matter.
This isn’t Malia’s first venture into the entertainment industry. She began her Hollywood journey in 2017 as an intern for media mogul Harvey Weinstein and has since worked on projects like Donald Glover’s Emmy-nominated “Swarm.” Her unique perspective and creative prowess shine through in “The Heart.”
Malia Obama’s foray into filmmaking also aligns with her parents’ commitment to the industry. Barack and Michelle Obama’s company, Higher Ground Productions, entered a development deal with Netflix in 2018, resulting in projects such as the recent thriller “Leave the World Behind” and the Emmy-winning documentary “Working: What We Do All Day.”
“The Heart” is set to be available for online viewing from January 25 to 28 as part of Sundance’s short film program.
