Growing Down

Growing Down tells the story of a young black man named Jerome. He works an hourly job and shares an apartment with his girlfriend of some time, who happens to be white. His girlfriend's parents have disapproved of the relationship from the start; seemingly phoning to say so every time Jerome comes home from work. It becomes obvious he's unfulfilled after running into Phil, an old friend of his from school. Jerome discovers Phil has landed a new job: executive in the same office where Jerome sorts mail. After being told at a party that night that he "doesn't talk like any black guy I ever met" he goes home without his girlfriend to mull things over. Realizing that no one's going to live his life for him he quits his job and puts his energy toward the only thing that meant anything: film. In the course of a day he cuts together old 8mm into a cathartic release of emotional history; freeing him to be the person he so desperately needs to be. The film ends with a powerful 8mm sequence Jerome screens for his girlfriend; saying for him what he could never say.