My ABFF Experience: Sugar Dumplin’ Found Its People in Miami

Attending the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) this year was nothing short of surreal. As a Jamaican-Canadian filmmaker, I’ve always looked up to ABFF as a space that truly celebrates Black storytelling—not just as entertainment, but as a cultural necessity. So to see my film, Sugar Dumplin’, screened on that stage… it was emotional.

Sugar Dumplin’ is one of the most personal projects I’ve ever made. It tells the story of a daughter trying to reconnect with her estranged Jamaican father, who’s now battling Alzheimer’s. The film stars Oliver Samuels, a legend in Jamaican culture, and Chantel Riley, a powerhouse talent who brought so much depth to her role. To watch these two share the screen, with an audience full of people who understood the nuances, the silences, the subtext—that was a moment I’ll never forget.

Did we walk away with a trophy? No. But what we gained meant more.

People hugged us after the screening. They cried. They told us it reminded them of their parents, their grandparents, their unspoken regrets. I had someone stop me and say, “This is the first time I’ve seen my family on screen like this.” That’s when I knew we had already won.

Sugar Dumplin’ was never about chasing accolades—it was about creating space for stories that reflect who we are and where we come from. Sharing it at ABFF, and having Chantel Riley there beside me to represent our team, was an honor. The post-screening Q&A turned into a heartfelt dialogue about memory, fatherhood, and the quiet ways we love each other in Caribbean families.

To every person who came up to us, who posted, who said, “this film touched me”—thank you. Your words reminded me why I do this. We didn’t leave ABFF with a trophy, but Sugar Dumplin’ found its people. And that’s the kind of win I’ll never forget.

Stay locked in. The journey continues.
— Tristan Barrocks
Writer | Director | Producer
Sugar Dumplin’ | @tristanbarrocks | @midcareerproductions