Filmmakers premiere “Stay With Me” at Urban Film Festival as a love letter to Haitian courage

When “Stay with Me” premieres Aug. 31 at the Urban Film Festival in Downtown Miami, it will arrive as more than just another short film. The story, inspired by true events, is what its creators call “a love letter to the courage of the Haitian community amidst violence.”

Directed by Samuel Ladouceur and written by executive producer Yanatha Desouvre, the 9-minute short centers on a tense afternoon between investigative journalist Margaret Goodman, played by Geegee Rock and her teenage son Grayson, played by Akili McDowell, known for his role in Billions, the drama series on Showtime. 

Set against the backdrop of political unrest in Haiti, Goodman’s reporting on corruption has put her family at risk. Over a simple meal, mother and son grapple with fear, duty and the weight of violence that shadows their lives.

The film weaves their intimate conversation with real footage of turmoil in Haiti, underscoring both the danger Goodman faces in pursuing the truth and the toll it takes on her son. At its heart, “Stay With Me” is a portrait of resilience — a mother refusing to back down, and a child longing for safety — that speaks to the courage of families caught in cycles of grief and conflict.

The project marks a reunion for Ladouceur and Desouvre, childhood friends who reconnected this summer to collaborate on the film. 

“What motivated me to write and produce this story is [that] there are people behind that violence. There are families behind that violence. Stay with Me is an ode to fearless journalism and the courage it takes to hold the powerful accountable,” said Desouvre. “Journalism for me is one of the last barriers of a world going into anarchy.”

Their next film, Fortunate Son, which would be their first feature film tells the story of Margaret’s son, Grayson, now an aspiring journalist after his best friend is gunned down amid political turmoil in Port-au-Prince. He risks everything to uncover the truth behind the murder, exposing a web of corruption and power that threatens his family, his community, and his own life. 

The film pays homage to Desouvre’s late Sunday school teacher, who was shot and killed when the director was 7 ½ years old.

“Yanatha and I grew up in church together, Yanatha’s dad was the director for all of the Christmas plays, since the mid-90s,” said Ladouceur. “His father encouraged me to be behind the camera since I was very little. “It wasn’t until the filming of  ‘The Sweetest Girl’ in August 2020, that I had an opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude to Yanatha’s dad.”

Desouvre, a best-selling author and professor of entrepreneurship at Miami Dade College, has received accolades for his screenwriting. 

Ladouceur’s body of work spans shorts, television and major films, including “Person of Interest,” “Unstoppable,” “Power and Boardwalk Empire.” In 2020, he directed “The Sweetest Girl,” which earned wide acclaim in festival circles, including Best Short film at the Urban Film Festival in 202.

The screening for “Stay with Me” is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 31 at Silver Spot Cinema in downtown Miami. Admission is free.

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Urban Film Festival has grown into one of the largest free film festivals in the country. Held across Historic Overtown and downtown Miami over Labor Day weekend, the festival blends red carpet premieres, exclusive industry panels and community-centered programming.

Alongside “Stay with Me,” the festival will feature official selection screenings, film workshops and industry discussions — all live and free to the public. 

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