Stoop Chat with Maani & Mr. Sweat
Synopsis
“Stoop Chat with Maani and Mr. Sweat” brings you to the Brooklyn stoops of Mr. Sweat, a dapper neighborhood elder and Vietnam veteran with old school swagger, and Maani, a young aspiring entrepreneur. Against the vibrant cultural backdrop of Bedford-Stuyvesant, this documentary captures the power of mentorship and the enduring spirit of Black identity. Through the simple act of playing stoop ball, wisdom is passed down, dreams take shape, and the lessons of the past help to guide the future. Exploring faith and masculinity, the short film tells the heartwarming story of the strength found in community, the lessons shared between generations, and the amazing transformative power of love.
This short is the third in a series of short, intergenerational “Stoop Chat” docs designed to increase social connection between youth and elders, while preserving neighborhood narratives and celebrating cultural heritage. It builds on the Stoop Stories community project founded at the beginning of the COVID pandemic to connect, support, and celebrate our NYC neighbors. The goals of the project are to uplift and encourage more community connections in a time of significant loneliness and isolation, particularly for youth and elders. The pilot, “Stoop Chat with Jimmy & Shanaya” (2024) received 6 awards, including best documentary at The NYC Mental Health and Wellness Festival, the Audience Award at Better Cities Film Festival, and two Anthem Awards for community engagement.
Funded by Brooklyn Arts Council and the Stoop Stories community, this short was directed by Stoop Stories founder and Emmy-nominated producer Marj Kleinman, and award-winning documentary filmmaker Christine Thomas Yoon, in collaboration with the Stoop Stories Collective of storytellers and artists.
Film Screening & Ticket Information
When & Where to See this Film!
BLOC: True Stuff: 5 Docs on the marks we make, spaces we keep, & who we become
KAS Zukor Theatre
2:30pm Saturday, November 15th
Films in this Bloc:
Film Information
From the Director
Director Statement
As a proud native Brooklynite still living in my childhood brownstone, I am deeply committed to celebrating stoop culture, and using it to connect neighbors throughout Brooklyn and beyond. I founded the Stoop Stories community documentary series during the pandemic and launched our intergenerational series of films and workshops in 2023.
“Stoop Chat with Maani and Mr. Sweat” is the third in a series of short “Stoop Chat” docs designed to increase social connection and preserve neighborhood narratives through intergenerational storytelling and authentic conversation.
The film invites viewers into Maani and Mr. Sweat’s world as they wander through the rhythms, sounds and stories of their beloved neighborhood of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. The cinematography, music and sound design convey a rich, upbeat, and hopeful tone, while at times underscoring emotional moments. Stoop interviews are mixed with verite, B-roll, photographic portraits, and archival imagery to create a nostalgic, scrapbook style. As the two men grow closer and bond, they discover a common reverence for family and faith, and look at what it means to be 17. Mr. Herbert Jackson Sweat Jr. left the stoop on September 8, 2025 after a lifetime of decorated military, social and cultural service. His voice, joy, heart and stories will live on in this film. We are so honored to share his incredible stories.
— Marj Kleinman
Director Biography
Marj Kleinman is a producer, photographer, filmmaker, and the founder of the Stoop Stories documentary storytelling project. Since April 2020, Marj and the Stoop Stories Collective have profiled hundreds of families, essential workers, small business owners, activists, and artists throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Marj was recently awarded the Eisner Prize Fellowship to develop an intergenerational street games program in 2024/25.
Her first film, “Stoop Chat with Jimmy & Shanaya” is the recipient of 6 awards, including two Anthem Awards for community engagement, Best Documentary from NYC Mental Health and Wellness Festival and the Audience Award from Better Cities.
Marj has more than 20 years of experience as a children’s content producer and writer, creating award-winning educational media with PBS KIDS, Sesame Workshop, Scholastic, and Noggin. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Time Out New York, PBS Parents and Scary Mommy. Marj holds an M.A. in Educational Psychology from New York University and a B.S. in Theater Management from Emerson College. She has taught theater to kids and photography to grown-ups. Marj is mom to a very feisty black cat named Blackberry.
Christine Thomas Yoon is a documentary filmmaker and educator who believes in the transformative power of stories to heal, connect, and empower communities. Her work explores housing inequality, gentrification, intergenerational narratives, and environmental conservation. A Peace Corps alumna, Christine’s love for filmmaking first took root in West Africa and deepened during her MA at NYU in Documentary Film, Activism, & Education.
Her award-winning documentary Ralph & Bug highlights Black fatherhood and housing injustice in Brooklyn, leading her to share her work on filmmaker panels about visual anthropology and cinematic advocacy. As a teacher, she has developed youth activist filmmaking programs and collaborated with organizations like Bailey’s Café, Vermont Folklife, and NYU’s Urban Democracy Lab. Her current projects include Stoop Chat with Sweat & Maani, part of an intergenerational documentary series connecting Brooklyn youth and elders, As Quiet As It’s Kept, a community archive honoring Bed-Stuy artists, and a collaborative film with students in India and the U.S. exploring climate and cultural conservation in the Himalayas.
Credits
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Marj KleinmanDirectorStoop Chat with Jimmy & Shanaya
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Christine Thomas YoonDirectorRalph & Bug, Sanrakshan
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Marj KleinmanProducerStoop Chat with Jimmy & Shanaya
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Herbert SweatKey Cast
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Maani Clay-CrawfordKey Cast
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