“I want to use film to teach my people how to fish. To show my people there are other
opportunities in the entertainment industry besides being on-camera, to show my people
what we can do and help promote the arts and use the film to be able to show everybody
‘you can do this. Wherever I am, whatever project I am on, I will always have locals working
alongside me on every aspect of the film – from crew and staff to the musical score and
soundtrack. With every story, I want to show the world the community’s potential. I want to
show each story authentically in every aspect. Part of why I utilize film is to show other
people who only have limited perceptions – and misconceptions – about people, and to
show off what a beautiful people we are collectively.”
Filmmaker Damien D. Smith is an award-winning writer/director and the founder and Creative Director for 4910 Rosalie Productions. Hismost recent documentary, Target: St. Louis Volume 1 Best Documentary Feature Winner at the Urban World Film Festival, centers on the chemical testing that took place in Northern St. Louis which left many African Americans victims of sickness and birth defects. The St. Louis native’s work is touted across the filmmaking world for his powerful work; lending his voice to important issues facing the black community. Smith’s short film, Daddy’s Big Girl, won the 2018 Filmmaker of the year at Gentleman Jack Reel to Real Short Film Competition
He also is the winner of the Arts with Impact Grand Prize Award for his short “About That.”
Born in St. Louis and raised by his grandparents, Smith developed an early appreciation for helping others. His grandmother imparted a deep-rooted passion for community, faith, and social activism. Her gift for taking care of those that were mentally, physically or emotionally challenged planted an irreversible seed of empathy in Smith, and a desire to shed light on various injustices and all of the“isms” that keep people from truly connecting. Having a desire to change narratives, Smith began creating his own films that centered around themes like fatherhood, mental health, and social advocacy. Smith has partnered with social justice organizations across the country to assist in collaborations that infuse storytelling, grassroots organizing and issue based campaign work with the goals of raising awareness and provoking action.
Aiming to support their ability to mobilize each other, allies, and influencers toward a communal goal for communal change through a multipronged digital platform.