FROM THE BLACK WE HEAR-COLTRANE (O.S.) The night is beautiful, So the faces of my people. The stars are beautiful, So the eyes of my people. Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people. FADE IN: INT. COLTRANE'S BEDROOM - MORNING - FLASHBACK Coltrane, 17, a first generation Liberian. He is brilliant and on the verge of manhood. He stares in the mirror as he recites MY PEOPLE by LANGSTON HUGHES. He laces up his worn-down Chuck Taylor shoes. He checks his violin before closing the case. He rubs shea butter on his hands and face. He takes a final look at his reflection and grabs an old tattered copy of Fine Clothes to the Jew by Langston Hughes. He heads into the -
Aint I A Man LLC LIVING ROOM
COLEMAN WOTORSON, a 40 something, Liberian immigrant. Strong and proud with a formidable presence. He reads The Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams. Coltrane walks past him to the front door. COLEMAN Coltrane. LATER Coleman sits across from his son. COLEMAN You're older now and sooner or later you'll find yourself alone with a girl you like. You're a young man and it's only natural to feel what you'll be feeling in that moment. (Clears his throat) I'm just going to ask you to do a few simple things, alright? (Off Coltrane's nod)
2. When you're with a girl, be respectful and always listen to her no matter what. If you're going to do anything beyond touching and kissing, make sure that's what she truly wants. Protect yourself always and make sure she's on some kind of birth control. (Remembering) Treat her like you'd want your mother to be treated. Even if you don't love her, always be honest and appreciate the fact that she's sharing herself with you. You understand? COLTRANE Yes, sir. COLEMAN You're my son and I love you. But if you ever come home and tell me I'm going to be a grandfather...that'll be the same day you can leave. Because there won't be anything left for me to give or teach you.
Aint I A Man LLC COLTRANE I understand.
COLEMAN I'm not perfect. Every choice I've made for better or for worse has been for you. (Beat) There's a lot of challenges in this world that you'll have to face and I hope I've have prepared you for all that. Coltrane nods, processing. COLEMAN Know your worth, son. You come from greatness. You're a black man first and foremost. You'll be always be given the most blame with the least authority. Even still, you'll always be a Mende man. Never forget where you come from Coltrane. He holds his son's gaze.
3. CUT TO BLACK Over BLACK, JOE CHAMBERS MIND RAIN rises with the sound of sneakers rubbing against concrete pavement. CUT TO: EXT. BASKETBALL COURT - NIGHT A father and daughter, both African-American, play one-onone. The father blows by his daughter for a left-handed lay up. He's teaching. She's frustrated. He checks her the ball and she starts dribbling. VARIOUS SHOTS of the intensely physical game. The father coaches and pushes his daughter as hard as he can. The game ends with the father backing his daughter into the post and banging her to the ground as he scores a lay up. She looks up at her father. He's still the bigger and better athlete. She grinds her teeth in frustration. He holds his hand out.
Aint I A Man LLC INT. COLTRANE'S APARTMENT - BATHROOM - MORNING COLTRANE'S eyes flash open.
How does one describe the Coltrane Wotorson now? A hard worker would come to mind - which - in fact, he very much is. Despite pushing 40 and taking in a consistent diet of middle class stress and fatherly burden. Many would say Coltrane is a tall, good looking brother who's deeply in tune with his Blackness. But still very connected with his African identity. He holds his head under the nozzle. BLACK GIRL LOST by NAS fades in. INT. COLTRANE'S APARTMENT - GEORGIA'S ROOM - DAY GEORGIA WOTORSON, Coltrane's sharp and free-spirited daughter who is every bit of 15 gets herself together for school. She lips syncs with the music. INT. COLTRANE'S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - DAY Dressed in a suit that's past its expiration date, Coltrane stands at the stove top scrambling eggs.
4. Georgia sits the table devouring a syrup soaked waffle as she reads "_______________________________________ THE COLLECTED POEMS OF LANGSTON HUGHES". Coltrane shoves eggs onto her plate. GEORGIA Thanks Dad. (Remembering) You got a letter from Aunt Sharee. COLTRANE Oh yeah?! Georgia hands an envelope it to him. COLTRANE (Reading) How about that? She's coming to town in a few days. EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - DAY Coltrane's car stops in front of the school gate.
Aint I A Man LLC GEORGIA How long has it been?
COLTRANE (Remembering) I don't know. I wanna say, five years probably. (Off Georgia's look) It's okay if you don't really remember her, the last time she was here you were ten. GEORGIA It'll be nice to get to know her since she's like the only family you have besides your dad and Uncle Kev, right? COLTRANE Yeah, we've been friends for a long time. GEORGIA Then that means she knew mom then, right? COLTRANE Yeah. She knew your mom.
5. GEORGIA Well, that's cool. Maybe she can tell me a few stories about her. (Beat) Can I get some lunch money? Coltrane reaches for his wallet. Georgia's friend, ROSAMIE OCAMPO, 16, Filipina, tall taps on the window. Georgia unrolls the window. ROSAMIE Hey Mr. Coltrane. COLTRANE Hi Rosamie. (Beat) Good job working the boards the other night. ROSAMIE Thanks for noticing. (To Georgia) So did you decide about the Travis Scott concert?
Aint I A Man LLC Georgia looks at Coltrane, embarrassed.
GEORGIA I haven't really thought about it. ROSAMIE Okay. Well, come on we're going to be late. Pause. Coltrane gives Georgia $20. She gets out of the car. GEORGIA Good luck with your pitch thing. You're like their best employee, so they have to say yes. Georgia leans over and hugs her father, proud. ROSAMIE Take it easy, Mr. Coltrane. They join the herd of kids funneling to the entrance. EXT. TURNER LOGISTICS - DAY Coltrane check his appearance in the reflection of his side
6. view mirror. His hair is cut, clean. His face is put together with a fresh shave. He heads inside, eager. COLTRANE (O.S.) ....I know residential and corporate moves have been this company's life blood for a long time, but I believe now is the time for Turner Logistics to get involved in the parcel distribution sector. INT. TURNER LOGISTICS - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY A family owned company that's done very well and has managed to survive the pit falls of the bad economy. DAVIS TURNER, African-American, 60 something and self made. He is the first in his family to ever own a business or work for himself. He reviews a file. Sitting next to him doing the same is his son Za'Darius TURNER, mid to late 30's. Despite being born into wealth, Za'Darius is in a constant game of show and prove for his father's respect.
Aint I A Man LLC Coltrane sits across from them. COLTRANE Turner Logistics has lasted this long because you've always seen what's coming next. And this: right here is what's next. The money you could be seeing in the first three years on these private contractor appointments are beyond worth it. DAVIS As always Wotorson - you talk, I listen and voila, I'm impressed. COLTRANE Thank you, sir. DAVIS I mean it. All this is very interesting. You're not only great in the truck, but-
7. ZA'DARIUS You're smart. And you're always thinking bigger. And that's what this companyDAVIS (Stern) I'm talking son. ZA'DARIUS Right. (Beat) My fault, pop. DAVIS As I was saying Coltrane, you're always on time and dependable. If half my guys were like you, we'd be better off. Davis studies the figures in the file. DAVIS How's things on the home front been?
Aint I A Man LLC COLTRANE Nothing new. Taking it one day at a time. DAVIS Wife keeping you honest? Confused, Coltrane stares at him. Wedding band, you idiot. COLTRANE Oh, there is no wife, technically speaking. But I am blessed to have a wonderful daughter. (Matter a fact) I've mentioned my daughter to you before, right? DAVIS You most certainly have, sir. COLTRANE That's my heart and soul right there. Being Georgia's father is the best part of my life.
8. ZA'DARIUS How old? COLTRANE Fifteen going on thirty if you know what I mean. They share a small laugh. DAVIS That's a fascinating age. I should know, God sent me royal a flush of girls after I had this guy. COLTRANE Explains why you're so strong. DAVIS Sometimes, I think I'm not strong enough. (Beat) I know you have to get to it. So anything else you'd like to add, Wotorson?
Aint I A Man LLC Coltrane contemplates for a minute.
COLTRANE I'm a father and a hard worker, in that order Mr. Turner. If let me quarterback this expansion, you won't regret it and I stake my name on that. The Turners take this in, studying Coltrane. DAVIS I'll give it some thought and be in touch. COLTRANE Thank you for your time. He shakes their hand. We hear a TRUCK ENGINE pulling to a stop. INT. BOX TRUCK - MOVING - DAY Coltrane sits behind the wheel. Next to him in the passenger seat is KEVIN "KEV" BOLES, 30's, light skin complexion sporting a GOLD FANG GRILL with a well tapered edge up.
9. Kev isn't a follower or a leader, he just lives his life. They're parked in front of a house. COLTRANE Your shoulder never hurts from the way you be reaching with your "Negro please" conspiracy theories? KEV I'm telling you these fancy ass Hollywood flicks never give the black guy has any kind of agency. And if they do, it has to be approved by the much more important, smarter Caucasian character. COLTRANE Example? KEV Force Awakens. Finn was so shook of being a storm trooper, he couldn't even make a run for it on his own. He had to beg Poe Dameron to run with him. On top of that he decides to go back to rescue Rey who was supposed to be his love interest. Although home girl wasn't really into him like that cause she's white and we know them filmmakers weren't really about that swirl life. And lastly he didn't believe in the Force until Han Solo tells him it's for real. Like, he ain't capable of coming to that conclusion on his own. Finn didn't have no say so or control over any meaningful choice in that movie. He makes a run for it with a white guy, he grows a backbone and decides to fight because he's with an old white guy. They only made his character black so they could pretend they were woke.
Aint I A Man LLC
COLTRANE You almost had me sold, but Poe Dameron isn't white. Technically speaking anyways.
10. KEV Poe Dameron is a white name fresh off the assembly line of text book white names. He could only ever be white. COLTRANE The actor who plays him is GuatemalanAmerican, meaning he isn't white. Meaning his character according to the eye test, isn't white. KEV There's only two races in Star Wars, us and them, you dig? And Finn is clearly us in terms of where he falls with the hierarchy. And just like that, Hollywood strikes again when making art for commerce by imitating life, Coltrane. COLTRANE Is that right?
Aint I A Man LLC KEV Another example for you. Django unchained, negro wasn't about that lets get free shit until King Schultz gave him freedom. Which he technically didn't do. There deal was strictly quid pro quo. COLTRANE Quid pro what? KEV You know, the favor for a favor play. Anyhow, Hollywood wanted to get paid off making another slave movie that wasn't about the slave or the slave experience. It was about the one white character who did right by a slave. And Django didn't even get to kill Calvin. (Beat)
COLTRANE Yeah, but he did get kill the President of the house negros are us club.
11. KEV Bottom line, brothas ain't shit in movies unless they got a fine ass piece of white bread on their arm or some stuffy ass white man behind them. COLTRANE I'm not going to say you're all the way wrong or right, but you're still reaching hard. KEV Keep talking shit. Look it up. He downs a bottle of ice water. KEV So you gon' tell it? (Off his look) Quit acting like you ain't meet Turner and his bougie ass son 'bout some business moves.
Aint I A Man LLC Coltrane smiles, caught red handed.
KEV So when was you gon' say something? When Turner adopted you, or you started handing me my paychecks?
COLTRANE It's nothing official. I mean, I noticed some things and had a few ideas that could make the company and us as drivers some more bread. KEV Brother, you got more ideas than the word nigga in a Tarantino joint. COLTRANE Aye. They laugh. KEV But real talk. I hope Turner sees the big picture bro. Ain't nobody break they back more for his company than you.
12. COLTRANE Appreciate it. Just out here trying to survive. KEV That's the problem. Coltrane looks at him, confused. KEV We been surviving since we been out here. We long overdue to start living. COLTRANE Go tell it on a mountain brother. He glances at the house. KEV Ready to get it? COLTRANE Damn straight.
Aint I A Man LLC KEV Then let's make it do what it do.
They hop out of the truck. INT. BOX TRUCK - BACK OF THE TRUCK - DAY TIME LAPSE as we fast forward through the day. Daylight floods in revealing Coltrane and Kev as the door slides open and shut from a series of load ins. The sun moves across the sky and transforms into magic hour while the truck slowly fills up with furniture and large boxes that are packed and prepped for shipping. EXT. BOX TRUCK - MAGIC HOUR Kev slides the door shut. COLTRANE I'm going to make sure this guy is straight, alright? Kev nods. Coltrane heads into the vacated property. A FORECLOSED SIGN is plastered across the door.
13. EXT. EVICTION PROPERTY - BACK YARD - MOMENTS LATER RANDALL NANCE, African American, late 20's, sits on the back porch steps smoking a cigarette. He stares off at the sinking sun in the horizon. Coltrane appears at the backdoor. COLTRANE Mr. Nance, we're all loaded up and good to go. No response. Randall takes a hard drag on his cigarette. RANDALL This neighborhood's gone to shit. COLTRANE People rising and falling everyday. It's nothing new. He begins to step away when-
Aint I A Man LLC RANDALL (contemplative) Man, I tell you, it's a hell of a thing. Seeing your family's history get boxed up in the back of truck like it ain't shit. Nothing about that feels right. (beat) My pops been dead for a minute now. He outlived two brothers, one of his uncles, and my grand pops by like seven years or something. It's like take a picture when a black man sees 60 let alone 70 in my family. (beat) Hell or high water, whatever you have to do Randall, you protect what's ours. Don't let them take away your grandfathers legacy son. (gets worked up) And I was fighting them as hard as I could. They push. I pull harder. And I'm doing all this on my own, while trying to do it the right way. 'Cause I can't be backsliding, you know? But now the part of my family's history that I was supposed to give my son is boxed up in the back of your truck,
14. man. And now, who am I? Just another black man who's living without? How in the hell am I supposed to look at my son and tell him that, huh? (Calms himself) This don't feel right. My grand pops and my father lived and died with the nothing but the piece of mind they got from calling this house their home. And now, I can't even do that, 'cause you boxed it all up and are about to take it away. Coltrane nods and leaves Randall alone with his thoughts. EXT. PARKING LOT - EVENING Kev and Coltrane head out for the day. KEV How you figure they always got us on the foreclosure moves?
Aint I A Man LLC COLTRANE
What?
KEV The foreclosure and eviction moves. Why we always catching 'em? I mean we ain't the only set of hands who can move furniture off a lawn. COLTRANE Honestly, I never gave it a second thought. KEV I'm just saying, how many times a month am I supposed to pack up and move someone's bad decisions? COLTRANE That's a harsh way of looking at it, but I can't call it. (beat) Something for me to work on if Turner bumps me upstairs. KEV (teasing) For real? You'd do that for a brotha?
15. They reach their vehicles. KEV How's queen Georgia adjusting to life on varsity? COLTRANE She's getting along fine, give or take. I'm just proud she's holding her own, you know? KEV With the way you pushed her, Sheit! She should be in the WNBA by now. COLTRANE Well brother, I had to have done something right. KEV I think you did alright. (beat) Brotha, it's payday. Time to celebrate by finding some trouble to get into. You smell me?
Aint I A Man LLC COLTRANE You never get tired of that, do you? KEV I don't lie about a damn thing. When I'm with you, I'm with you. When I'm not with you, I'm not with you. Ya dig? COLTRANE Case closed, huh? KEV Case closed my dude. We all can't be single fathers of the year like you Coltrane. COLTRANE My brother. (beat) 'Til the next episode. They embrace each other and get into their cars.