Two Telly Awards for 'Love Zurri,' a film on autism and fatherhood

The short film 'Love Zurri' has won two Telly Awards, one for directing and one for social impact, following its recent release. The project centers on a family raising a daughter with autism, drawing on the personal history of its creator.

Mohammed Williams serves as the executive producer and lead actor. He stated that the project aims to present the experience of autism from the viewpoint of fathers, a perspective he felt was frequently absent from media portrayals. Williams noted that mothers often have access to dedicated support groups, whereas he could not find similar communities for fathers.

"A lot of these stories when they're told, you never really see it from the dad's perspective. You always see it from the mom's perspective … the moms, they have like mom groups, they have all these support groups that I just didn't see for dads," Williams said.

The narrative includes a specific scene depicting Williams running after his daughter, Zurri, who appears to be missing. Williams described this moment as a direct reenactment of a real life event. He recalled that the emotional intensity of the scene required a pause in filming.

"That scene is exactly what happened and the tears that were coming up, it was just really me being back in that same space and the director Okima T. Moore had to actually pull me back and we had to stop production," Williams said.

Williams described the process of raising his daughter as an ongoing lesson in patience and listening. He said he is learning more from her than she is from him. Zurri, who is now 10 years old, has viewed the finished film. Williams observed that she was active on the set, calling out 'cut' and 'action' during production, and suggested she may pursue a future in the arts given her creativity.

The film serves as a visual record of the family's daily interactions. Williams continues to work within the entertainment industry, using the project to share his specific family dynamic with a wider audience.