Local Filmmaker Brings Classic Hollywood
To The Tri-State Area

by Black Suburban Journal Staff

At 17, a young woman from Wilmington, DE had what any teenager would deem an insurmountable obstacle - she discovered a tumor in her breast.

Today at 27, Sherry Dorsey, has turned
that horrific situation into a positive force, she wrote a screenplay entitled "A Mother's Love."

This fall Dorsey will produce and direct
the independent feature film, which will be shot on-location in Delaware.

"I could have felt sorry for myself or decided to do something that would serve as a venue to help others with their trials with breast disease, I chose the latter," says Dorsey.

Dorsey is a graduate of St. Elizabeth High School in Wilmington, the University of Delaware and recently received her Masters' in Film from Howard University.

At a young age, Dorsey had an affinity for filmmaking and has been writing screenplays since her formative years. "Some were good and others ... well let's just say I was learning," Dorsey quips.

"When I was a child, I talked to my Uncle Bubby about filmmaking and he always encouraged me to follow my dream,' says Dorsey.

Even before her uncle's demise, due to prostate cancer, almost three years ago, Dorsey has been in full pursuit of making her dream a reality.

Dorsey has the uncanny ability to drive people to want to help her, says Michael A. Brown, Sr. of Wilmington. "When my wife and Ifirst met her we just felt compelled to help her with this film."

Brown's home on North Rodney Street is one of the many locations Dorsey will use for the film.

This year Dorsey formed SWAP Productions LLC (Sisters With a Purpose) in conjunction with two other partners, in order to shoot the film in Wilmington.

Before completing the script, Dorsey envisioned the locations and the talent she wanted to use. She knew Karen Burton, of Wilmington, would be Toni, the main character.

Burton and Dorsey shared the stage in a production at the Grand Opera House last summer and "I knew she would bring Toni to life through her dynamic acting abilities," says Dorsey.

Burton accepted the challenge. "When I started reading the script, I could not put it down,," says Burton. "I could feel myself becoming the character and enduring the hardships associated with breast cancer.

'A Mother's Love" follows Toni's journey as she and her family deal with her stage four breast cancer diagnosis. The theme of the film is trials in life only make one stronger, says Dorsey.

Burton, a native of Philadelphia, is overjoyed about the prospects of this project.

"I don't know if people realize this but 'A Mother's Love' is the first time that a film has been
done where the main character is an AfricJ American woman who gets breast cancer," says Burton.

"Finally, we have a movie that transcends
color barriers, while still reaching the African
American female population."

Burton's co-stars are: Christo Johnson, of
Dover, who plays her loving son Louis, Erick
Bayne, the wayward son (Nathan), Neil Can,
(Jay), the surrogate son, both of Wilmington,
Darryle Bass, (Richard), the husband, of Bear and
Dorsey will play Toni's Cousin (Sherice).

Dorsey says, "My strongest desire for 'A Mother's Love' is for women to schedule regular mammograms and to become more aware of their health issues.

"I am extremely passionate about 'A Mother's Love' and I look forward to getting people from the tri-state area involved with the initiative,"

On the other hand, Dorsey and Burton are very similar to Oprah and Gail. They have become inseparable and have formed a long-lasting bond that is evident when meeting them.

"The first time I met Karen, I knew we would be friends but we are more like sisters now. She's always so positive," says Dorsey.

Burton says, "Sherry Pie, (as Karen refers to Dorsey) has so much energy. I can't believe it. At rehearsals, she knows what she wants and does not stop until we give it to her."

When asked about the tide of the film Dorsey responds: "'A Mother's Love' is the only title I could think of that would epitomize the love I have for my Mother, while drawing people to the theatre to see it."

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