By Khalida Sarwari
“It is the fall of 2014 in Hong Kong. Bobby Parker is a 12-year-old boy who was given a gift by his father the day he was born.” So begins The Gift, a coming-of-age film about fatherly love, second chances and taking a stand against bullying.
Written, produced and directed by Lisa Belcher, The Gift is based on a short story written by her brother, Steven Wayne. The siblings and Saratoga High School alums collaborated to turn Wayne’s three-page story into a 25-minute film.
The story is about Bobby (portrayed by Luke Seybold, whose mother, Tommy Flynn, is also a Saratoga High graduate), a fifth-grader who is given a gift by his father (Matt Totty). The gift, a blue and yellow parcel, is a physical embodiment of his father’s love that he carries around with him everywhere. All is well until Bobby switches schools and is subsequently faced with peer pressure. As he tries to fit in, Bobby encounters a new group of kids who challenge him to choose between them or his gift.
“Suddenly, what is a gift he sees as a burden,” Wayne said, adding that Bobby goes through an ordeal that teaches him the true value of his gift.
Belcher said she was touched immediately upon reading the story, precisely because of the way the father is portrayed.
“When I think of our father, he was the greatest father ever,” she said. “It touched me to think of how powerful a father’s love or a parent’s love could be.”
Wayne said his story champions the father insofar that it veers away from the typical “loser dad” depicted in TV shows like The Simpsons and Married with Children. Empowering oneself against bullying is another major theme in the story.
“It’s more about how to deal with injustice,” he said. “Do not give up the gift; do not give up what makes you unique.”
Wayne wrote the story in 2004 during a spontaneous burst of creativity. Though he runs ProspectNow, an online real estate prospecting database he founded, he devotes some of his free time to writing short stories for his boys, ages 2 and 6. He said he enjoys writing stories with positive lessons similar to Aesop’s Fables.
In the 10 years it took to translate the story from the page to the screen, Belcher developed her filmmaking skills while allowing the story to marinate in her head. Finally, in January, “the stars aligned and it was just the perfect time” to begin the endeavor, she said.
The movie, which marked Belcher’s directorial debut, was filmed over a period of 13 days in Hong Kong with a cast of 10 expats hailing from as far as Australia and South Africa. Belcher’s own three children appear in the movie as extras, and she also has a small role.
She praised her cast and crew, as well as the parents of the child actors. Because it was a low-budget film, everyone chipped in with whatever they could to help, whether it was the actors donating their own wardrobe or people assisting with necessities such as transportation.
“Not only is [the movie] a good message for kids, but it was a good process for kids,” Belcher said. “It was overall a really awesome educational experience.”
She said she maintained the spirit of her brother’s story in her screenplay, but made a few changes to better convey the story on screen. Her ultimate goal, she said, is to turn the short movie into a feature film.
“I’m a little afraid, though, because this is so perfect; I don’t want to ruin it,” she said.
For now, Belcher is focusing on completing the film and entering it in various local film festivals. A win would make the film eligible for the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 2016. Belcher and Wayne also hope to make the film accessible to a general audience.
“It’s a big goal, but we believe in dreaming big,” Belcher said.
Funds for the film were raised through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign with the support of local sponsors. The Gift finished filming in early June and is now pending the attainment of an additional $20,000 for the post-production process.
Belcher is also seeking a local musician to contribute songs to the movie. For more information about “The Gift” or to donate or get involved, visit thegiftthemovie.weebly.com.
