It's Not About the Hat

It's Not About the Hat is an indie feature film directed and written by MC Harvey. The feature is a not-so-romantic-comedy based on Harvey's short film, which won the King Screenwriting Award, premiered at the Nashville Film Festival, and was part of Rooftop Films. The feature script recently won the Black Family Feature Prize at NYU and was selected for Piccolo America Foundation's inaugural La Residenza. When Cleo, a burgeoning filmmaker, makes a personal film about attempting to get her Yankees hat back from her ex, she believes she's making a principled point about returning what's hers. Yet, after her friends and new boyfriend watch the film, it spurs real-life consequences. Not only are they irked by their fictional representations, but it becomes clear to everyone but her that she may not be over her ex. Forced to confront the consequences of autofiction, Cleo must reckon with how her need to control the narrative has blurred the lines between art and life, desire and self-sabotage, and decide if she'll let herself write a new one. Filming in New York City, November 16 through December 18, 2026.