(AllHipHop News) Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Benny Boom teamed up with students to create a movie that is already garnering critical acclaim.
His new film, co-executively produced with Philadelphia’s own Benny Boom, has been selected to have a screening at this year’s American Black Film Festival (ABFF), slated to take place from August 21st thru August 30th.
The film, titled “Tazmanian Devil,” is certainly not low hanging fruit about the hood and will push fans to see the Cash Money head honcho in a different light.
“Tazmanian Devil,” it is a coming of age story about a 19-year-old young man, who finds himself not only dealing with the cross-cultural dynamics of being a native Nigerian who has been plucked up to live with his father in the city for his college years.
The character balances pledging a Black Greek Letter fraternity against his dad’s own strict Christian values and vocation to find his own definition of manhood.
He also deals with issues of abandonment and loyalty as the film has the young man reconcile his father leaving him and his mother in Africa to come to the States to make his own way.
A fascinating project, the duo — Baby and Boom — agreed to work with The Nate Parker Film and Theatre conservatory department at Wiley College, one of Texas’ nine Historically Black College and Universities.
Students worked on the production, thanks to the partnership, affording them hands-on film experience and academic credit.
The film was directed and written, Solomon Onita, Jr.
And while Onita is impressive, his cast also is powerful: Independent Spirit Award-winning actor Abraham Attah (“Beasts of No Nation” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming”), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (“The Chi,” “Queen of Katwe” and “Treme”), Adepero Oduye (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Central Park Five,” “12 Years a Slave” and “Pariah”) and Kwesi Boakye (“Claws,” “Flight and The Amazing World of Gumball”).
