‘Chest Candy’: Award-winning short film featured at veterans mental health conference

Sometimes the hardest journey begins when you return. 

What happens when the wounds of war follow a soldier home?

To help understand the struggles, multi-award-winning actor and filmmaker Robert X. Golphin brings “Chest Candy,” his award-winning short drama to Huntsville for a special screening Thursday. 

The screening is featured at a conference titled “The Road Home: Navigating Veterans Mental Health, Trauma and Reintegration” at Calhoun Community College’s Huntsville campus. 

While the film is rooted in the military family experience, its exploration of PTSD, emotional well-being, and the ripple effects of trauma speaks to a much wider audience. 

Mental health is a part of everyone’s life, and understanding how people navigate trauma, seek support, and work toward healing is relevant far beyond the veteran community.

“The conference is an event for everyone,” Golphin said. “I would encourage anyone to attend to learn to be more empathetic and care about their fellow human beings.

“Mental health illness doesn’t separate from our regular lives.”

Golphin portrays a Black Army vet who, haunted by trauma, spirals into a psychological collapse, forcing the women in his life (mother, wife and daughter) to confront their shared grief and fractured bonds before it destroys their family.

The title “Chest Candy” refers to the medals awarded to the military and, Golphin said, “It’s a play on words. His family is his chest candy.”

“This (project) all started with me about six or seven years ago when I wrote a 30-second clip for my acting reel,” he said. “It had an immediate response from military and general audiences.

“‘You have to expand this’ they said.”

Golphin said the project was financed through crowdfunding and he “was pleasantly surprised.”

“The cast and crew all worked for substantially less than what they should have gotten,” he said. “They believed in the project and the mission.”

Exploring the devastating intersection of trauma, grief, and family bonds, “Chest Candy” confronts the emotional battles that continue long after military service ends.

Golphin said his research for the film included time with mental health and military consultants.

“I spent a year completely immersed with watching war documentaries and with military families,” he said. “It was very unhealthy viewing for me.”

The film was shown at festivals last year and received several awards. Golphin said the awards were appreciated but the reaction to the film was what made it all worthwhile. 

“The most important feedback has been from the veterans community and their families,” he said. “‘You got it right.’ ‘You were in my head,’ they said.

“That means more to me than any award.”

Golphin, who portrayed Dunbar Reed in “The Great Debaters” alongside Denzel Washington and Nate Parker, has also appeared in HBO’s “The Wire,” “John Adams,” and “The Underground Kings.” 

In “Chest Candy,” he stars alongside Lauren Michelle Morgan (“Freshman Friday”), child actor Arianna Pratt, Antoinette Greene (“God With Us,” HBO’s “We Own This City”), and Broadway and television veteran Joey Collins (“There Is a Monster”). 

“I have a beautiful cast,” he said. “They make me look better.”

His work extends beyond acting into independent filmmaking, where he writes, directs, and produces stories that bring human experiences and consequential social issues to the screen, such as “Chest Candy” and the issue of how veterans can be poorly treated and homeless.

“My goal is to foster empathy and understanding,” Golphin said. “I’ve always wanted to do something for that lack of respect.

“It’s always been a head-scratcher how they are treated this way.”

There is a Huntsville connection to the film, as well.

The award-winning original score was composed by international recording and touring artist Brian McKnight Jr., the son of former Oakwood University students and singers Brian McKnight and Julie McKnight.

Through film, dialogue, and shared learning, the Road Home aims to deepen understanding of veterans’ experiences and highlight compassionate, practical approaches to supporting their well-being.

The forum is hosted by Leadership Empowerment Enterprise, led by Executive Director Kenny Anderson, host of “2nd Chance” on Praise 90.1 FM WJOU, in partnership with Robert X. Golphin Entertainment; Q.U.E. Wellness & Training Consulting; and NextOp Veterans. 

The free event is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and open to the public, with registration required. 

To register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-road-home-navigating-veterans-mental-health-trauma-and-reintegration-tickets-1999505895960. 

Veterans, military families, mental health professionals, students, community organizations, and members of the general public are encouraged to attend.