Los Angeles – Writer‑director Walter Thompson‑Hernández, a native of the city’s South‑Central area, has brought his award‑winning short to the big screen. The new feature, If I Go Will They Miss Me, opened in U.S. theaters on Friday and tells the story of a young boy and his family navigating life under the constant roar of the LAX flight path.
Local roots fuel the narrative
Thompson‑Hernández grew up near the airport, where, six years ago, a Delta jet dumping 15,000 gallons of fuel over the city of Cudahy and nearby schools left teachers and children with skin and lung irritation. The airline later settled the lawsuit for $79 million. The incident sparked the filmmaker’s imagination and became the emotional core of his new movie.
“There are 800 airplanes that fly into LAX every single day,” the director said. “That gives us 800 opportunities to dream, but with that dream also comes a terror.” He cites his own asthma as a reminder of the daily health challenges faced by residents living under the flight path.
Plot and characters
The film follows Lil Ant, played by newcomer Bodhi Jordan Dell, a boy who idolizes his distant father, calling him “Poseidon” and “Odysseus.” Danielle Brooks, an Oscar‑nominated actress, and J. Alphonse Nicholson portray Lil Ant’s parents, Lozita and Big Ant, characters loosely based on the director’s real‑life friends. The story explores the tension between love and pain, healing and hurt, as the family seeks connection amid the constant hum of aircraft overhead.
“I created this larger‑than‑life figure for my father,” Thompson‑Hernández explained. “I wasn’t the only one in my neighborhood doing that. The universal truth is a boy longing for a father who can’t fully love him, yet still seeing him as a Greek god.”
Visual and musical homage to Los Angeles
Visually, the movie is steeped in symbolism, weaving Greek mythology with recurring images of planes, ocean waves and a palette of purple and blue. Thompson‑Hernández frames the city’s expansive blue sky as a metaphor for hope and a love letter to his hometown.
Brooks, known for her supporting role in the 2023 musical The Color Purple, described the project as a “breath of fresh air” that lets her showcase a different side of her craft. “I want to see it win,” she said. “I hope people recognize how art can help them see and reflect on themselves.”
Community impact
Beyond the screen, the film aims to give voice to the often‑overlooked families of Watts and surrounding neighborhoods. Thompson‑Hernández, a former journalist for The New York Times, has spent his career documenting Southern California’s subcultures, from the Compton Cowboys to the vibrant street life of his own community.
“My world is full of people who are loving, beautiful, and complicated,” he said. “We need stories that reflect how multifaceted we are, how we dream, love and repair.” The movie’s central theme of repair—both personal and communal—offers a hopeful vision for younger generations seeking a future of healing.
Reception and future screenings
The short version of the film earned a jury prize at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and the feature is already generating buzz in local arts circles. Community groups in Watts plan post‑screening discussions to explore the film’s themes of family, faith, and resilience.
As Los Angeles continues to grapple with the environmental and health impacts of living under one of the nation’s busiest airports, If I Go Will They Miss Me provides a poignant reminder that hope can rise above the noise.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
