Jason Sondhi
It seems I’m finally approaching a famous right of passage for a critic—a time frame I know well, that I consider my “prime”, and which I still remember distinctly, is given the period-piece treatment by a younger filmmaker. *sad_pensive_face_emoji*. Christian Nolan Jones is at fault, but I cannot blame him. His loving recreation of the early-2000s Atlanta of his childhood is suffused with a warm fondness, and though I was cross-country at the time, I recognize the authentic trappings lovingly seasoned throughout, from the Ecko shirts to Nelly on the soundtrack. The result is an enjoyable and immersive stay in a world that is given just the right amount of hazy, nostalgic glow.
Glitter Ain’t Gold is a vibes short first and foremost. Though it is structured around a teenage boy, Jibril, and his quest for a fake gold chain, the stakes feel small. Instead, direct-to-camera interstitials, portraiture, and spoken-word montages break up the narrative throughout and confess the overriding motivation for Jones, as they are employed to emphasize the tertiary characters and environment of the community. From the kids at the playground to the hustlers on the corner, Jones wants to create a panoramic view of the East Atlanta neighborhood of his youth that is at once clear-eyed, but also stripped of the pathologizing that too-frequently accompanies storytelling around African-American communities.
The performances of Jibril (Alfred Lewis) and Tawanda (Priah Ferguson) are standout
This motivation makes sense, as Glitter Ain’t Gold was envisaged as a proof-of-concept for Jones’ debut feature, Kinfolk, which follows Jibril and his friends 6 years past the events of this short and which is set to go into production soon. Worldbuilding, therefore, is the short’s primary reason to be. Yet, as Audience Awards at Black Star Film Festival and Atlanta FF attest, Glitter Ain’t Gold still has no issue working as a satisfying stand-alone piece. Much of this I think can be attributed to the dynamic between Jibril and his best friend, Tawanda. An enjoyable character and ever-present companion, Tawanda is as capable of knocking Jibril down a few pegs as she is lending him a shoulder to cry on. The pair have an impressive chemistry and her dismissiveness towards Marlana (the object of Jibril’s affection and whom the chain is meant to impress) hints at an unrequited love that is a classic of teen media. Sadly, Jibril’s obliviousness is very genuine for a teenage boy and only adds to the overall film’s authenticity.
With such enjoyable characters and detailed recreations, Glitter Ain’t Gold is an exceedingly pleasant trip in a filmmaking time machine. Though Kinfolk envisions a time-skip, I hope that it is able to retain some of the same tone that makes this short such a treat. Since completing the short, Jones has taken on additional pursuits, including getting his feet wet in episodic directing with an episode of Issa Rae’s Rap Sh!t and sketching out a second feature, Black Star Line, with the support of Spike Lee. However, Kinfolk is the major challenge ahead of him and his team now. We wish them luck and can’t wait to see it!