Walter Thompson-Hernández’s IF I GO WILL THEY MISS ME, which is part of the 2026 Seattle International Film Festival lineup, is an instant candidate for the most poetic film of the year. It starts and ends with a soul-wrenching rendition of This Bitter Earth by Jon Batiste, who is an executive producer on the film. Lil Ant idolizes his father. He wants to be seen and understood by him, but Big Ant is too busy fighting his own demons.
It is shot, edited, and scored flawlessly. Michael Cambio Fernandez’s photography is stunning. Danielle Brooks shines among the talented cast. The film embraces the community it is set in and effortlessly makes each person feel like a significant member of its ensemble.
Thompson-Hernández is a major new talent and this is a tender, poignant, meditative film that moved me deeply.
Independent distributor Rich Spirit is planning a fall theaterical release.
