By Katie Chambers

Today we’re shining a spotlight on member Chris Grant, who recently had a wonderful NYWIFT success story to share with us!

Chris is an African American producer/writer/director based in New York City. An NYU Grad Film alum, his short films have won numerous festival awards, most recently the 2024 Big Apple Film Festival, and the 2024 Meliora International Film Festival.

He’s a 2018 Sundance Screenwriting Fellow for his script The Sugar Hill Express, based on a true story about a mother who takes her children from New York City Child Protective Services, highlighting the traumas faced by parents dealing with child/parent separation.

He captures the enduring strength of Black families, inviting the world to witness their resilience and celebrate their stories.

His most recent film Never Can Say Goodbye is, he says, inspired by a lot of people’s true stories. An African American mother, convicted and on the verge of prison, asks for one last chance to see her kids. But when her children refuse to say goodbye, she’s forced to make other plans.

Chris talked to us about the film’s success and how he’s using its community engagement campaign to generate positive change.

NYWIFT Member Chris Grant (image courtesy of Chris Grant)

Tell us about your new film Never Can Say Goodbye.

For Black and Brown parents entangled in the U.S. Child Protective Services system, the experience is one of racialized scrutiny and systemic inequity. These families face overwhelmed agencies, fragmented legal processes, and a family court system often clouded by bias. Parents I spoke with in my research described this as institutional racism.

Never Can Say Goodbye invites you to intimately grasp this issue through one family’s fight for agency and dignity in family court. It’s meant to resonate universally with all families battling systemic injustice.

Watch the trailer.

Never Can Say Goodbye won Best Actress and Best Editing at the 2024 Meliora Int’l Film Fest—congratulations! How were these honors meaningful to you and your team?

Crystal Lucas-Perry’s performance in the film is extraordinary. Just after her Tony nomination for Ain’t No Mo’, she joined our project, fully embracing its mission to amplify the voices of parents experiencing the trauma of separation from their children.

Her portrayal of a mother grappling with a last chance to connect with her children is profoundly moving and deeply nuanced. It was a privilege to see her recognized with the Best Actress award—not only because she is a brilliant talent, but because her commitment to this story has been so genuine.

The Best Editing award was equally meaningful as it reflects the immense care my editors Dylan Matthews and Joel Douris at Mattock Editorial took in crafting a film that honors its subjects with clarity and respect.

Still from Never Can Say Goodbye (image courtesy of Film Freeway)

And I heard you found out about Meliora through a NYWIFT member newsletter? Tell us more 

Yes! I discovered Meliora through the NYWIFT Screenings, Streamings, and Festivals section [of the Weekly, Deals, News, and Tips member-exclusive newsletter]. Meliora is a new festival focused on films that “help and heal or make better,” which perfectly aligned with the mission of Never Can Say Goodbye.

I am actively seeking festivals that share our goals, and since Meliora is based in New York City, it was an ideal fit. The timing and opportunity felt serendipitous. Thank you, NYWIFT, for helping make that connection!

You also screened at the Big Apple Film Festival. What was the response like from the New York audience? 

The Big Apple Film Festival was an incredibly powerful experience. It was our largest screening yet, and the response was overwhelming. I was particularly grateful that members of RISE—a New York-based organization led by parents impacted by the family policing system—came out to support the project.

Every screening seems to create space for people to share their own stories. At Big Apple, several audience members spoke up during the Q&A, revealing experiences they’d never shared publicly before. That openness and connection are a testament to the film’s ability to resonate and let parents know they’re not alone in their struggles.

Still from Never Can Say Goodbye (from nevercansaygoodbyefilm.com)

Where can folks see the film next if they want to check it out?

The film is still on the festival circuit, but private screenings can be arranged. Our primary goal is to use Never Can Say Goodbye as a tool to support advocacy movements fighting family policing and systemic injustice.

If anyone is interested in screening the film for an organization, advocacy group, or community gathering, they can reach out via nevercansaygoodbyefilm.com.

How is the Never Can Say Goodbye workshop deepening the film’s impact? 

The NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE WORKSHOP has been the project’s greatest success. Designed by licensed drama therapist Adam Stevens, this 3-day workshop merges film production and social justice into a collaborative healing experience.

Drama therapy uses theater processes to foster emotional healing, personal growth, and symptom relief. For parents navigating the profound stress and shame of child/parent separation, this approach has been transformative and we are trying to expand the program to reach even more people.

Our participants—many of whom were cast as background actors in the film—felt seen and heard throughout the process. The workshop gave them tools to reclaim their narratives, and their stories added depth and authenticity to the final film.

Poster art from Never Can Say Goodbye (from nevercansaygoodbyefilm.com)

What kinds of projects excite you?

As an African American filmmaker based in New York City and a 2018 Sundance Fellow, I’m committed to elevating marginalized voices, especially those impacted by poverty, racism, and systemic exploitation.

My work focuses on uncovering the resilience and humanity within underrepresented communities. I believe narrative film has a transformative power—not just to expose social injustice, but to inspire solutions. Through a blend of storytelling and advocacy, I aim to create spaces for healing, empowerment, and visibility.

What’s next for you?

Never Can Say Goodbye is a companion piece to my larger Sundance Labs project, THE SUGAR HILL EXPRESS, which expands on the themes of child/parent separation with the same empathetic lens.

Our goal is to scale the NCSB workshop into a nationwide initiative, paired with the feature film to maximize impact. We’re currently searching for the right partners to bring this vision to life.

Connect with Chris Grant on Instagram at @sugarchris1 and @nevercansaygoodbyefilm, on Facebook at Chris Grant and Never Can Say Goodbye Film, and on LinkedIn at Chris Grant.