peace and blessings,

caged bird is inspired by the beloved Maya Angelou’s poem, it chronicles a man’s journey on his first day out of rehab, where he must navigate neighborhood temptations while trying to make it home. This is more than a simple story or a film, it’s a testimonial for the caged birds whose voices were stripped while they were fighting; a conscious effort to bring awareness to the folks whose wings were clipped before they ever had a chance to fly.

My name is davon cecil, an everyday person storyteller. This was born out of what I was seeing in my community in Chicago and what I saw growing up in rural Kentucky. These are the things that bothered me, the constant tension between the want to do better, yet the constructed temptation and psychological conditioning that permeate our communities. I’m an everyday person who tells stories of the people I see yet the world overlooks; and that’s the heartbeat of this. It’s a communal project, proof that none of us can do this alone. A team of real people who care, are invested, and passionate about the folks on the side of the street that everyone breezes by.

I thought about how many times addiction has consumed me, and how many cracks surround us in these ecosystems that exploit temptation. Everyday, there’s proof that strong people break too, that the fight is on-going, and the realization that we don’t have to do it alone.

We’re calling on the community in raising 10k to shine a light on the daily battle that comes with trying to better oneself. The road to redemption is not one of perfection, but of progress–a road that proves forward progress is taken one step at a time, one day at a time.

This is an independent project and funds are integral in helping us cover production costs including locations, meals for cast and crew, transportation, locations, equipment, post-production, community screenings, and festival submissions. No amount is too small, and every share counts. Our goal is to breathe life into a grounded communal project that is unapologetically truthful, intimately cinematic, and drives people to continue to support the folks that society washes its hands of.

In times where the state of the world can scare us, the one thing that can bring us a sense of peace and comfort is our community; the people who look out for you, the ones who ask you how you’re doing, the folks you know without a question would be there if it all went up in flames tomorrow. The “Why Now” is indicative of my personal life. Liquor stores have long been the cornerstone of our neighborhoods, a commodification that overwhelmingly effects the social and economic conditions that our communities face. This is an intentional act of change. An eventization that will hopefully be a testimony and touchpoint to change our future for the better.

Our mission is to do exactly what Miss Maya Angelou said in her poem:

“but a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams,

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream,

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied,

so he opens his throat to sing...”

lead with love...

Follow caged bird's journey on our Instagram page HERE