Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former first couple Barack and Michelle Obama, made her motion picture debut at one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals over the weekend.
The reluctant 24-year-old celebrity, who graduated from Harvard University, unveiled the movie short The Heart at the Sundance Film Festival near Salt Lake City. She filmed the project while interning in Los Angeles with TV and music superstar Donald Glover in 2022.
Obama describes the short film — which she wrote and directed — as an “odd little story, somewhat of a fable” about a man grieving the loss of his mother after receiving an “unusual” request from her in her will.
“The film is about lost objects and lonely people and forgiveness and regret, but I also think it works hard to uncover where tenderness and closeness can exist in these things,” Obama said in the voiceover, according to ABC News.
“We hope that you enjoy the film and that it makes you feel a bit less lonely, or at least reminds you not to forget about the people who are,” she continued.
The former first daughter is following in her parents’ footsteps in the movie and TV industry.
In 2018, Obama’s parents created their media company, Higher Ground Productions. The company teamed with Netflix to produce the thriller Leave the World Behind, which stars Oscar winners Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali. Obama’s parents also produced the stunning documentary Working: What We Do All Day, which earned the former president his second Creative Arts Emmy for best narrator.
