Barack and Michelle Obama’s oldest daughter, Malia, is facing a serious allegation from an independent filmmaker. Natalie Jasmine Harris accused the social media platform X. Harris shared a clip of her short film “Grace.” The clip showed two young girls on a porch playing pat-a-cake. She also shared screenshots of a Nike commercial that Malia directed. The screenshots also showed two young girls playing pat-a-cake.
Accusation Against Malia Made On X
“Been sitting with this for a while. My Sundance short film GRACE (shot brilliantly by Tehillah de Castro) was made with deep love and care. The social cut of the new @Nike commercial directed by Malia Obama (who was also at Sundance my year) feels shockingly similar to my work…” she claimed on X. “I know art often overlaps, but moments like this hit hard when you’ve poured your heart into telling stories with care and barely get the recognition you deserve. If brands want a certain look, why not hire from the source instead of for name recognition?” she wrote.
Harris Speaks To Media
Harris expanded on her claims during an interview with Business Insider. She claimed that the similarities were more than the two girls playing pat-a-cake. “It’s about the cinematic tools used to depict it.” “At first, I was confused, wondering whether it was real,” Harris added. “Initially, I was disappointed and hurt, not just for myself but for my entire team.
I sent the commercial to friends who had the same reaction I did. The route that used to work for the Spike Lees and Steven Spielbergs of the world feels less viable today. If we’re continuously overlooked, how is the next generation of filmmakers going to exist?”Harris claimed that she was reluctant to come forward with the issue.
She says she was fearful of taking on a former president’s daughter as well as a brand as big as Nike, but she felt she needed to take a stand as she sees the issue as major in the film industry.“I’ve poured too much into my work to sit by and watch.” Harris’s short film “Grace” was shown at the same film festival that displayed Malia’s film, “Heart,” so the two women have had contact with each other in the past, but have not had contact since Harris brought the issue to light.
Conclusion
Many X users responded to Harris’s post and defended Malia. One user wrote, “You’re reaching.” Another posted, “You’re reaching,” and another wrote, “I watched both. Not a copy.” Other users supported Harris. One X user wrote, Sorry this happened to you.”One social media user noted, “I watched your film, and it was amazing, but respectfully, one could say that certain scenes of your film were eerily similar to scenes from The Color Purple or Daughters of the Dust.
My point is, don’t give air to a victim mindset. Your amazing work speaks for itself.”“That scene is literally 15 seconds of your 13-minute short.”How did she steal a scene when we have been patty cake for 100 years? Nothing in that commercial is similar to your short,” another wrote. Harris says that she has not had contact with Malia or Nike, but adds she “would like for there to be some acknowledgment” in the end.
The Nike commercial is the first commercial that Malia has directed. Harris has done commercial work, shooting spots for both Verizon and Hyundai. HBO purchased her student film “Pure.” However, she says independent filmmaking is a “struggle.” Malia majored in Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University. She graduated in 2021, and soon after was recruited as a writer for the TV series “Hive.” Amazon Prime produced the show.
