North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Date:
2013-2016
Caption:
The short animated film "I, Destini" tells the story of having an incarcerated brother from Destini Riley’s perspective (at the time she was 14). The film is a collaboration between her and filmmaker Nicholas Pilarski. All of the key frames were drawn by Destini. Destini’s mother and father, Latina Riley and Carlos Riley, Nicholas, and Sarah Bassett did the subsequent Rotoscoping of more-than 10,000 frames. Destini and Nicholas met at a community meeting held at JC’s Kitchen, a soul food restaurant in Durham, NC owned by Destin’s aunt Phyllis Terry, while Destini’s family was organizing around what they deemed an unjust incarceration of her brother. Destini’s brother Carlos Riley, Jr. was acquitted for shooting a police officer, but imprisoned on lesser charges.
Description:
A pen and ink drawing of an animation still for a short film titled I, Destini. It features a sketch of Destini Riley.
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Destini T. Riley, Nicholas Pilarski, Lattina Lennon Riley, Sarah M. Bassett, Kathleen Lingo and The New York Times Company
