Anthony L. Williams, writer and director of the 2017 independent feature film “Thicker Than Blood” is placing Black gay characters at the center of his work and challenging audiences to move beyond any stereotypically held beliefs in search of the truth in love that binds us all.
An official selection during the 2020 Atlanta Black Pride Film Festival, which for the first time in the event’s history was screened virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, “Thicker Than Blood” is still impacting audiences three years after it’s initial release.
The film tells the story of Jordan (Kevin Boles Jr.), an openly gay man and the youngest of two sons, who returns home for the first time in three years to celebrate his older brother’s promotion to partner in his law firm. During what’s supposed to be a joyous afternoon of family, friends, and food, secrets are revealed, masks are uncovered, and some things are said that can’t be taken back. A once tight-knit family is left broken and faced with the task of trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces and put them back together before losing each other forever.
In a rare and in-depth interview, Williams spoke with The Reckoning about his creative journey and professional partnerships that ultimately birthed “Thicker Than Blood,” the first film in an upcoming three-part series.
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas who also spent a decade in North Carolina but now calls Chicago home, Williams began his career as an actor but tells The Reckoning that after an encounter working with comedian Sinbad in Los Angeles, he was encouraged to start his own production company, Second Glance Productions, in 2009.
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Note: This article is presented in partnership with CNP in my new role as Editor-At-Large of The Reckoning.