A Film by The Becoming Love Project · 2026

The Way
Back Home

Sometimes losing everything is how you find yourself. Be part of the story that brings her home.

A woman coming
back to herself

Brilliant attorney and classically trained cellist Diana Washington has spent her life building the kind of success that makes people stay. When a panic attack brings her to her knees in her perfectly curated loft, everything she's been outrunning finally catches up.

She returns home to the Georgia town she left behind — and finds a mother who loves her fiercely but has never loved her freely, and a version of herself she abandoned decades ago.

Through music, family, and the painful grace of truth, Diana must choose between the life she built to be loved and the woman she abandoned to build it.

"Not a breakdown — a breakthrough. Not a woman falling apart, but a woman finally coming home to herself."
— Director's Statement, Tamala Baldwin
Genre
Feature Drama
Location
Atlanta, GA · Local Hires
Production
9 Shoot Days · July 2026
Union Status
Nonunion · Nonprofit Production

Meet the
people

Every character in this film is someone you know. Someone you've loved. Someone you've been.

Lead · Ages 35–42
Diana
Brilliant, accomplished, and quietly unraveling.

A high-powered attorney who returns home after years of living a life built on achievement, expectation, and survival. Beneath her polished exterior is a woman disconnected from herself, hungry for joy, truth, and breath. Must carry intelligence, vulnerability, dry wit, emotional repression, and a powerful late-blooming awakening. Strong dramatic range required. Musical ability or willingness to train with cello strongly preferred.

Lead · Ages 58–66
Beverly
Deeply loving, and emotionally controlling in ways she does not fully understand.

Diana's mother. Sharp, proud, fiercely devoted, and impossible to ignore. A woman who survived instability and vowed her daughter never would. Her love often arrives as pressure, standards, and fear disguised as protection. Needs an actor who can play humor, authority, vulnerability, and a devastating emotional unraveling.

Supporting · Ages 33–39
Candy
The kind of woman who can roast you, rescue you, and read your soul in the same sentence.

Diana's best friend from home. Funny, loud, perceptive, loving, stylish, and impossible to fake around. Brings humor, truth, and heart. Needs strong comedic timing with real emotional depth underneath.

Supporting · Ages 33–40
Gabriel
Magnetic but grounded. Masculine but emotionally mature.

Diana's hometown friend and unexpected mirror. Handsome, steady, charismatic, emotionally available. Rooted in real life and comfortable in his own skin. He represents possibility without trying to rescue anyone. Strong chemistry with Diana is essential.

Supporting · Ages 33–42
James
A good man built inside the same performance culture Diana is escaping.

A powerful attorney and Diana's long-term undefined partner in New York. Smart, accomplished, composed, deeply caring, and emotionally more invested than he lets on. He is not the villain. Needs intelligence, emotional restraint, pride, and heartbreak.

Supporting · Ages 60–68
Joe
Speaks less, sees more.

Diana's father. Quiet, observant, grounded, and emotionally intelligent. The calm center of the household. Loves both his wife and daughter deeply and often bridges the distance between them. Needs subtle authority, warmth, and the ability to land simple lines with depth.

Supporting · Ages 18–20
Zora
More emotionally aware than the older generation realizes.

Diana's younger sister. Sharp, online-savvy, funny, observant. Records moments, clocks hypocrisy, and sees Diana clearly. Represents younger Black womanhood unafraid of truth.

Supporting · Ages 60–75
Francine · Lorraine · Claudette
A living chorus of wisdom, gossip, humor, and accountability.

The salon women. Longtime friends who know Beverly too well to let her hide. Black, Hispanic, and mixed ethnicity. Great opportunities for memorable character actors with impeccable comedic instincts and truth-telling authority.

We are
now casting

We are looking for authentic, emotionally grounded performers who bring truth to every moment. This is a story about real people — we want real performances.

Submit By
May 22, 2026

Headshot, resume, and reel required with all submissions.

Callbacks
May 31 or June 1

In-person callbacks in Atlanta, GA. Final casting by June 5th.

Compensation
Diana & Beverly Paid

Some roles are paid. All other roles are currently nonpaid at this stage. This is a passion-driven, emotionally grounded project being created with care, collaboration, and respect for everyone involved.

Requirements
Local Hires · Nonunion

Atlanta, GA area. Nonunion production. All backgrounds and experience levels welcome to submit.

How to Submit
Actors Access
Search: The Way Back Home
Backstage
The Way Back Home
View Listing →
Direct Email
casting@becomingloveproject.org
Direct submissions to
casting@becomingloveproject.org

This is an independent film opportunity produced through the Becoming Love Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit storytelling initiative. Some roles are paid. The Way Back Home was inspired by emotional themes and personal truths that emerged through our storytelling cohort. This is a passion-driven, emotionally grounded project being created with care, collaboration, and respect for everyone involved.

We're building
the team

We are looking for passionate, skilled crew members who want to be part of something meaningful. If you are Atlanta-based and believe in this story, we want to hear from you.

Production Design
Art Director / Set Decorator

Help bring the Washington family home, Diana's NYC loft, the beauty salon, and the town square to life. This film lives in its spaces.

Wardrobe
Costume Designer

Diana's arc from armor to authenticity is told through what she wears. Beverly's fierceness. Candy's boldness. Zora's Gen Z energy. Every look tells a story.

Hair & Makeup
Hair & Makeup Artists

Including a pivotal natural hair moment central to Diana's emotional journey. Cultural fluency and care are essential.

Camera
Camera Operators / AC

Working alongside Telly Award–winning DP Brian Bradley to capture intimate, emotionally grounded performances across 9 shoot days.

Lighting & Grip
Gaffer & Grip

A film built on warm Southern light and intimate interior spaces. We need skilled lighting and grip team members who understand mood and nuance.

Script & Documentation
Script Supervisor & BTS Photographer

Keep the story consistent on set and document the making of this film for festivals, social media, and the archive. Both roles are essential to every shoot day.

Don't see your department? Reach out anyway. We are building this team with care and we want the right people in every role.

Express Interest

More than
a film

The Way Back Home is presented by The Becoming Love Project — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to use storytelling, wellness, and workforce readiness to transform lives in vulnerable communities.

This film is our first major production and the beginning of our commitment to stories that heal. Every ticket sold, every festival screening, every streaming view carries this mission forward.

When you join this production — as an actor, a crew member, or a supporter — you are not just making a film. You are part of a movement.

501
(c)(3) Verified Nonprofit

The Becoming Love Project received 501(c)(3) status in October 2025.

2
Years Building This Vision

Founded March 2025. Growing a community of storytellers and healers.

Our Programs

Storytelling · Wellness · Workforce Readiness — serving vulnerable adult populations through rotating cohort-based programming in the Atlanta metro area.

Be part of
the movement

You don't have to be on set to be part of this story. Here are three ways to help bring The Way Back Home to life.

01
Donate

Our crowdfunding campaign launches May 19 and runs for 35 days. We are raising $10,000 to go directly into production — cast, crew, locations, and post-production. Every dollar matters.

Give at givebutter.com/twbh
02
Share

Share the casting call with every actor you know. Share this page with anyone who loves film, loves storytelling, or loves a story about a woman finding her way back to herself.

Share this page
03
Follow Along

Follow @becomingloveproject on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for behind-the-scenes updates, cast announcements, and the full journey from pre-production to premiere.

@becomingloveproject

The team
behind it

Award-winning creatives and experienced producers committed to bringing this story to life with care, craft, and intention.

TB
Writer · Director
Tamala Baldwin

Award-winning writer-director and producer. Blended Christmas on Paramount+. Creator of Bubbly Brown Sugar on Tubi. Founder of The Becoming Love Project.

PM
Executive Producer
Penni Malloy-Harper, RN

Producer and media consultant with dual expertise in nursing leadership and film. Former VP of Nursing. Supports projects through development and on-set execution.

BB
Director of Photography
Brian Bradley

Telly Award–winning DP with work featured on HBO and Amazon. Senior Colorist on The Devil Is Busy, earning a 2026 Oscar nomination. Brand collaborations include Walmart, Wells Fargo, and LA County.

BG
Producer
Brittany Gooden

Producer and production manager with extensive experience in documentary TV, film, and branded content. Creator of Strange Bird, a viral sizzle that led to discussions with major networks and streamers.

Every great story needs
the right people

Whether you're an actor, a crew member, or someone who just believes in this story — we'd love to hear from you.

Executive Producer
Penni Malloy-Harper, RN
Casting
Submit Your Materials
casting@becomingloveproject.org
Headshot · Resume · Reel
Brand Partnership Opportunities
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View Partner Site