Stories of estranged family members finding their way back to each other have long been a reliable Sundance staple, a stacked subgenre in itself and one that can grow a little wearying as a result. The artist turned film-maker Titus Kaphar’s debut Exhibiting Forgiveness, showing in the main dramatic competition here, may not exactly revolutionise the form but he finds an authentic and sensitive way through, distinguishing his film from the flurry of other superficially similar stories.
It’s art as therapy for Kaphar, grappling with a strained relationship with his own father, based on a recorded conversation they once had after 15 years of no contact. Working through one’s own strife as a form of autofiction can often lead to self-indulgence but Kaphar has crafted something that deserves to exist outside of his inner circle, an emotionally wrenching drama set to resonate with those who have also had to confront the complicated equation of radical forgiveness.
