A young Black woman has been hiding behind wigs for years until her Alopecia is exposed publicly. She uses this experience as a catalyst to break free of the shame she feels towards her baldness.

Hair or No Hair has recently been selected to be part of Telus StoryHive's and Black Screen Office's Black Creators Editions Grant. Over the next year, We will be taking this project from Development to Production and delivering a final product by February 2023 on the Telus Optik TV on demand. I plan to use the extra funds for further distribution avenues outside of Telus Optik TV on demand. The funds will also go towards crew wages making sure people are getting paid what they are worth on this small project. You can get involved and stay updated on the project at hairornohair.com and @hair.ornohair on Instagram. 

The story is a ten minutes long Dramatic short. It plays along the lines of being comical in relatable and empathetic way. The story follows Bel Davis, a young Black woman who used to be model before her hair loss and now works as Librarian in an elementary school. She wears a wig to hide away from the world, shameful of her baldness. One day, she forgets to take food with her Alopecia treatment medication and faints, her wig falls off resulting in a humiliating experience. However, Clementine a little girl with short hair comes to her rescue with a hard to hear pep talk. This pep talk changes the way Bel looks at herself and she begins to see another life for herself, a life where she isn’t hiding. Bel starts to experiment wearing no wig and just a hat, just when she attempts this new look; she’s met with a run- in with her old modelling agent that leaves her feeling defeated. Bel then sees a confident Bald Black woman walking down the street without shame. Bel is entranced by this woman and she begins to open more and more up to the idea of living her life as she is, Bald. Bel has a dream about this woman and decides that was her sign to start her journey to love every single part of herself. 

I want to make this project because I know it’s something that’s needed in today’s superficial society. I am the best person to tell this story because part of this story is mine. I had beautiful afro hair that I didn’t love for a long time; right when I started to embrace it, I lost it. I have Alopecia and have lived with it since 2015. Alopecia is an auto-immune disease that affects your hair follicles. Some have hair loss in patches, some just on the head and some all over. I have gone through all the different stages of Alopecia. Alopecia is something that has completely changed my perception of beauty. I no longer see beauty being this one way. I want to share this story of hair loss specifically happening to a Black woman because I find it’s not openly discussed and accepted in the Black Community. Maybe if more people had a glimpse into what it’s like, they can see beauty the way I do.  

Alopecia and hair loss within Black women is a conversation that needs to be brought to the forefront, I’m still not sure if it’s an “advantage" being a black woman with alopecia because as a black woman I spent majority of my life either worried or aware of what’s happening with my hair, not for myself but for the comfort of others. Constantly feeling like my hair wasn’t allowed to do what it wanted, how it wasn't  “acceptable.” This lifelong sense; in a weird way has helped me on this journey to self acceptance with my baldness. Now, I know I’m not going to be societally palatable as a Bald, Black Woman. I know that, and somehow with that knowledge I’ve allowed myself to essentially…not give a damn. Alopecia has taught me that there should be more to me than what I think others will assume of me based on something as little as a hairstyle. Alopecia, without consent stripped me naked. The trauma of that has left me a better person who literally sees the world in a different way now. I don’t see beauty based on what’s out there in media, film, magazines or Instagram. I see it living and growing inside individuals that choose themselves. I want to share this perpespective with the world. 

This project is relevant to the community because it is showcasing a Black person’s life in so called “Vancouver.” Any story being told by a Black person who has been born and raised on this land is relevant. The Black community in Vancouver is one that is not yet solidified or seen in a way. However for specifics, Hair, Hair care is a broader cultural practice and is something that is specific to Black communities. Hair means a lot to Black folks. So much so that there’s a billion dollar industry dedicated to it. So what does it mean when you don’t have hair? This project is exploring that question for my own community. There’s a lot of shame within the Black community when it comes to what it means to have “good hair.” So when you have no hair as a Black woman, you automatically feel shameful. I want this Project to disrupt those ideas within the Black community and have representation of a Woman I’ve never seen, a Black woman who is bald and still trying to figure out what that means to her.

Hair or No Hair centres a Black woman and her specific relationship to hair. It is important that in-front and behind the camera Black non-men are represented, and represented with humanity and authenticity. ALL Black people should feel included and welcome when it comes to stories that pertain to us. Black non-men will be prioritized for hiring to foster a safer community on set.

Production Company: Film Boldy 

Producers: Geoff Manton, Angelica Stripe 

BOLDLY operates A-level film productions in Vancouver and down the west coast quickly mobilizing crew, art, gear, locations and talent without compromising on quality. We fill 250+ roles with versatile, sought-after professionals who put their best work forward.

DOP: Cathy Ye 

Cathy Ye is a Director of Photography who works with filmmakers to translate their vision from an idea to a unique, captivating cinematic experience.

Cathy believes that cinema is a powerful psychological medium capable of building empathy and influencing positive change. During her many years working in NYC and LA, she has collaborated with some of North America’s best creatives, including Unit 9 (Campaign’s 2021 Tech Company of the Year). Cathy knows the key to designing emotionally palpable visual languages - and it’s not through lens flares. It all begins with connection, and heart.

Visuals: Insecure (2019), Girlhood (2014), Summering (2022), Zola (2021), Selah and the Spades (2019), Beatriz at Dinner (2017), She's Gotta Have it (2018), The Fits (2020),  Madeline's Madeline (2018), Ganja & Hess (1974), StandAddict on Youtube (Filmmaker: @eduardokikiperez)