Gabardine

A Black poet haunted by the sound of fingers snapping seeks therapy to address the source of his hallucinations.

director: Elijah Crawford, poet: David A Gaines, United States, 2025, 16 min, in English with English subtitles

About the Artists

Elijah Crawford is a director, actor, model and Director of the Philadelphia-based film production company Ugly Art. His career has taken him from modeling on billboards to being featured in multiple magazines, including Essence, The Cut, and Insider, for his creative direction and fashion. However, his true passion has always been behind the camera. Although he never attended film school, his vision is shaped by a deep study of movies, television shows, and art exhibitions over the years. With a flair for creativity and a strong focus on color, style, and composition, he has cultivated an aesthetic that draws you into a fascinating world of his own creation. His style can best be described as evoking nostalgia for a moment you’ve never experienced. Elijah most recently debuted his debut feature film, The Cure for Depression, in May 2024.

David A. Gaines (he/they) is a poet, director, actor and educator born and based in Philadelphia. His work examines Blackness, masculinity, Christianity and mental health through an intersectional lens. As an award-winning, nationally touring poetry performer and Poet Laureate of Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County, his work has been featured in several publications including The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, VICE Media, Button Poetry, among many others. His forthcoming sophomore poetry manuscript, CECIL, was selected as the first runner up for the 2025 AWP Donald Hall Poetry Prize.