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Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC Announces Social Justice Film "The System" to Spotlight Injustices in Family Court System
R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC launches its film 'The System' as part of a larger mission to challenge injustice through independent storytelling. United States, June 2, 2025 -- From Vision to Voice: The Birth of R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC Shaquana Douglas, CEO, director, and writer of the upcoming film The System and owner of R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC, leads the independent production company dedicated to telling stories often overlooked by mainstream media. Operating under the banner 'Rap-Arted-Flows — Where Voice Meets Vision,' the company blends film and music to illuminate injustices faced by marginalized communities. Douglas, who brings firsthand knowledge of the trauma caused by family separation and systemic bias, established R.A.F not simply to entertain but to catalyze reform. 'I didn't start R.A.F just to make movies. I started it to make a difference — to give voice to the stories the system tries to bury,' she said. Central to this mission is the support Douglas received from her mother, Irene Douglas, who was also wrongfully accused during the events that inspired the film. Throughout the entire ordeal, Irene remained a steadfast presence, standing by her daughter every step of the way. Her lived experience and strength not only informed the film's emotional depth but also served as a cornerstone in the formation of R.A.F's advocacy-driven vision. Spotlight on 'The System': A Film Rooted in Real-Life Injustice The System is R.A.F's most ambitious project to date. This emotionally charged courtroom drama is inspired by true events, focusing on the institutional failings of the foster care and family court systems. The film aims to portray the emotional and legal trauma endured by families unjustly torn apart, offering viewers a deeply personal yet broadly resonant narrative. According to Douglas, ' The System is not just a film. It's my truth, and it's the truth of thousands of families torn apart by bias and bureaucracy.' The story goes beyond dramatization — it's a call to recognize and confront a crisis that disproportionately affects underserved communities. The film also features Will Coleman, also known as Ghost Fresh, in a pivotal role. He portrays the character of Douglas' children's father, a role that further grounds the narrative in reality. His performance brings added authenticity and emotional complexity to the storyline, reflecting the broader familial impact of systemic injustice. Creative Collaboration Behind The System While Douglas serves as the writer, producer, and visionary behind The System, the film's success is also credited to a dedicated team of co-directors and production partners whose collective work drives the project's powerful message and cinematic impact. This collaboration includes: Each contributor brings their own unique vision and technical expertise to the table, enhancing the visual storytelling with authenticity and depth. Their work is a testament to the collective mission of R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC: using film as a vehicle for truth, community, and transformation. This diverse team approach not only broadens the creative lens but underscores the company's belief in shared authorship and local collaboration as central to justice-based storytelling. Blending Sound with Story: A Dual-Purpose Creative Engine R.A.F stands out for its dual approach — fusing independent filmmaking with original music production. The company integrates music into its storytelling not as an accessory, but as a fundamental narrative element. Each soundtrack is carefully composed to reflect the emotional tones and themes of the visual story. This multi-platform storytelling model gives musicians an equally prominent platform. Emerging artists across the Northeast and beyond have contributed to soundtrack compositions, allowing their voices to resonate within R.A.F's larger mission. 'We're creating films that heal, music that speaks, and a company that lifts the next generation of creators,' the company stated. Building From the Ground Up: A Black Woman-Owned, Community-Fueled Brand Douglas' leadership as a Black woman in a predominantly white and male-dominated industry is more than symbolic. It is structural to the way R.A.F operates. From hiring underrepresented talent to collaborating with local organizations, the company deliberately reinvests in communities that the industry often leaves behind. Her hands-on approach has enabled R.A.F to serve as a launchpad for numerous independent artists, filmmakers, and writers. These efforts have helped to create paid opportunities for creatives who otherwise lack access to mainstream production avenues. 'R.A.F is proudly Black woman-owned and independently operated,' Douglas notes. 'Our stories matter — and we won't wait for Hollywood to tell them. We're telling them ourselves.' Grassroots Reach, National Aspiration While R.A.F's foundation is deeply local, its ambitions are national. With The System nearing completion, the company is preparing for red carpet screenings and entries into major film festivals. Talks are already underway regarding distribution on major streaming platforms, aligning with R.A.F's goal to ensure these critical stories reach a broader audience. Plans for a nationwide impact campaign to accompany The System 's release are also in development. These efforts will include panel discussions, community screenings, and strategic partnerships with advocacy organizations to amplify the film's social justice message. Empowerment Through Storytelling: Changing the Narrative The success of R.A.F lies in its unwavering focus on impact. Each project begins with a question: 'Whose story isn't being told — and why?' The answer becomes a blueprint for not just a production, but a platform. Through film, music, and advocacy, R.A.F is building a storytelling ecosystem where art informs, inspires, and drives change. Douglas summarized her mission with clarity: 'Our stories matter, our pain matters, and through film, we can break cycles and rebuild truth.' About R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC (Rap-Arted-Flows) is an independent, Black woman-owned film and music production company founded by CEO Shaquana Douglas. Based on truth-telling and community collaboration, the company focuses on producing original films, documentaries, and music-based visuals that elevate marginalized voices and challenge systemic injustice. Its hybrid creative approach merges storytelling with social advocacy, creating opportunities for underrepresented talent and engaging audiences across platforms. Media Contact Shaquana Douglas Contact Info: Name: Shaquana Douglas Email: Send Email Organization: R.A.F Prod ENT Group LLC Website: Release ID: 89161166 If there are any deficiencies, problems, or concerns regarding the information presented in this press release that require attention or if you need assistance with a press release takedown, we encourage you to notify us without delay at [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our diligent team is committed to promptly addressing your concerns within 8 hours and taking necessary actions to rectify any identified issues or facilitate the removal process. Providing accurate and trustworthy information is of utmost importance.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
BBC Film celebrates four Jury awards at Cannes Film Festival 2025
Four films backed by BBC Film premiered in Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, with all four receiving Jury recognition, including three debut features from UK-based filmmakers. The awards were as follows: The Grand Prix was awarded to SENTIMENTAL VALUE, Joachim Trier's poignant, poetic portrait of family dynamics starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning Akinola Davies Jnr's heartfelt father-son tale and directorial debut MY FATHER'S SHADOW, starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, received the Caméra d'Or Special Mention Harry Lighton's debut feature, the provocative romance PILLION starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, received the Un Certain Regard Best Screenplay award Frank Dillane received the Un Certain Regard Best Actor award for his magnetic performance in Harris Dickinson's feature directorial debut, URCHIN In addition to the official juries' awards, URCHIN also received the FIPRESCI prize, voted for by international film critics. Eva Yates, Director of BBC Film says of the Cannes awards: 'It has been a privilege to develop and collaborate on four exceptional films selected to screen in Cannes and we are ecstatic that all four have all been recognised by the Cannes juries this past weekend. We're thrilled to see three wildly different and highly original independent debut features from UK-based writer-directors and UK producers - MY FATHER'S SHADOW, PILLION and URCHIN - receive this recognition. And we wholeheartedly congratulate the Grand Prix winning Joachim Trier and the whole SENTIMENTAL VALUE team for this poignant, poetic portrait of family dynamics which will resonate with BBC audiences and cinemagoers worldwide and for many years to come.' About the films: Akinola Davies' MY FATHER'S SHADOW - Un Certain Regard Akinola Davies Jr's feature directorial debut stars Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (His House, Gangs of London) and is based on a script by Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr, whose previous collaboration on BBC Film-backed short Lizard won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2021 and was nominated for a BAFTA. MY FATHER'S SHADOW tells the story of two kid brothers, Remi and Akin who get to spend a gift of a day with their estranged father Folarin. They go on a voyage into Lagos observing the colossal city for the first time and the hoops their father must deal with to provide. All this is happening in the backdrop of a huge 1993 presidential election result which calls into question his ability to get them home. MY FATHER'S SHADOW is produced by Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions, who also serviced production on the ground. Executive Producers are Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, Eva Yates for BBC Film and Ama Amapadu for the BFI. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr also act as executive producers. MY FATHER'S SHADOW was developed by BBC Film and was co-financed by BBC Film and the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding). The Match Factory is handling worldwide sales. MUBI pre-bought all rights in North America, UK, Ireland, and Turkey. Harry Lighton's PILLION - Un Certain Regard PILLION is the debut feature of BAFTA-nominated writer/director Harry Lighton (Wren Boys) and stars Harry Melling (The Pale Blue Eye, The Queen's Gambit) and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies, Succession, The Northman). In PILLION a timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive. PILLION is an Element Pictures production financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Picturehouse Entertainment and September Film who will handle distribution in the UK and Benelux respectively. The screenplay was developed with BBC Film and is based on Adam Mars-Jones' 'Box Hill' which was the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Nobel Prize winner. Producers are Element Pictures' Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe together with Lee Groombridge. BBC Film's Eva Yates, Louise Ortega for the BFI, Claire Binns for Picturehouse, September Film's Pim Hermeling, Cornerstone's Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder and Alexander Skarsgård are Executive Producers. A24 have USD rights. Harris Dickinson's URCHIN - Un Certain Regard The feature debut of writer, director and acclaimed actor, Harris Dickinson who also previously made his short film 2003 with BBC Film. Written by Dickinson, the story follows Mike, a rough sleeper in London, trapped in a cycle of self-destruction as he attempts to turn his life around. URCHIN stars Frank Dillane (Harvest, The Walking Dead) as 'Mike', alongside Megan Northam, Amr Waked, Karyna Khymchuk and Shonagh Marie. The film is produced by Archie Pearch for Devisio Pictures and Scott O'Donnell for Somesuch. Developed by BBC Film, URCHIN is financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding) and Tricky Knot. Executive Producers are Eva Yates, Ama Ampadu, Alexandra Tynion and Olivia Tyson. Charades is handling international sales, Gersh and UTA Independent Film Group are co-repping the film in the US. Joachim Trier's SENTIMENTAL VALUE - In Competition Trier's sixth feature film stars Renate Reinsve who previously collaborated with Trier for The Worst Person in the World (Academy Award nominee for Best Screenplay and Best International Feature) alongside Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning. SENTIMENTAL VALUE follows actress Nora (Reinsve) and her sister Agnes (Lilleaas) as their eccentric and charismatic father, Gustav, suddenly reappears in their lives after a long absence. Once a renowned film director, Gustav now offers Nora the lead role in his new film, but working with her father is the last thing she wants. The film is produced by Maria Ekerhovd for Mer Film and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar for Eye Eye Pictures in Norway. A Norwegian, French, German, Danish, and Swedish co-production, the co-producers are MK Productions, Nathanael Karmitz and Lumen Production, Juliette Schrameck for France; Komplizen Film, Jonas Dornbach and Janine Jackowski for Germany; Zentropa, Sisse Graum and Lizette Jonjic for Denmark and Sweden; Film I Väst, Kristina Åkeson; and BBC Film, Eva Yates for the UK and Ireland. Additional support comes from Arte Grand Accord, Oslo Filmfond, and Storyline. Mk2 Films are handling international sales and NEON is handling US distribution. SENTIMENTAL VALUE is financed with partners including the Norwegian Film Institute, the Swedish Film Institute, The Danish Film Institute, Arte, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, FFA, and Eurimages. CG
Geek Vibes Nation
5 days ago
- Business
- Geek Vibes Nation
Director Michael Matteo Rossi Launches Talent Management Division Under Italian Cowboy Banner (EXCLUSIVE)
Independent filmmaker Michael Matteo Rossi is expanding his brand. Known for directing and producing a range of feature films, Rossi has officially launched a new talent management division under his original production label. The new branch, Italian Cowboy Productions Management, will represent both actors and influencers across the artistic spectrum. This move builds upon the foundation of Italian Cowboy Productions, Rossi's already established production company responsible for numerous independent thrillers and dramas. His filmography includes standout titles such as Censor Addiction, The Charisma Killers, Murder Syndicate, and more – many that which we've covered in the past. 'This has been something I've been thinking about the last few years, and I feel it's the right time to explore this new exciting venture and see what happens!' Rossi shared. With Italian Cowboy Productions Management, Rossi aims to provide a unique platform for emerging and established talent alike—offering representation, guidance, and direct access to creative opportunities within the industry. Stay tuned for more from Rossi! Before we let you go, we have officially launched our merch store! Check out all of our amazing apparel when you click here and type in GVN15 at checkout for a 15% discount! Make sure to check out our podcasts each week including Geek Vibes Live, Top 10 with Tia, Wrestling Geeks Alliance and more! For major deals and money off on Amazon, make sure to use our affiliate link!
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Scarlett Johansson: It Would Have Been ‘Easier' to Finance a ‘Subpar' Genre Film Than Indie ‘Eleanor the Great'
Scarlett Johansson didn't have a great time finding financing for her feature directorial debut 'Eleanor the Great.' The indie drama, which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, stars June Squibb as a grieving 94-year-old who relocates from Florida to New York City, where she befriends a young journalism student (Erin Kellyman). MCU alum and 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' star Johansson told THR that the film took 'forever to get made' in part because indies are so difficult to fund. 'It would be easier to make something that was the sequel of a $180 million movie or a genre movie that was subpar,' Johansson said. 'To get much, much, much less money for an independent film with an original story that has a lead actor who was 94 was very, very, very challenging.' More from IndieWire You Can Only See George Romero's Final Work Here - and No, It's Not a Film Mikey Madison Has Found Her First Role After 'Anora' Oscar Win with 'Reptilia' Johansson added that there was a 'humongous scramble' to even film in New York. 'Every day the movie fell apart in 400 different ways,' she said. 'It once looked like we were going to be able to get the majority of our money from an independent financing company and then right down to the wire, in order for them to make it, we would've had to completely dismantle the entire plot device that was driving the narrative engine of the film. It was crazy. At that point, everything just fell apart.' It wasn't until Sony Pictures Classics got on board that 'Eleanor the Great' had enough cash to actually, well, be great. 'They really got ['Eleanor'], and they came in and saved the day so that we could make our start date,' Johansson said of the studio. 'I am so grateful that there are companies out there that are still making original ideas and putting faith in first time directors.' Johansson will next act in Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme,' which also is debuting at Cannes. 'Whatever I work on next, regardless of the size or the genre, I would be looking for those same kinds of deep characters and it would be important for me to try to find performance-driven stories,' she said. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
New York Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Michael Roemer, Maker of Acclaimed but Little-Seen Films, Dies at 97
Michael Roemer, an independent filmmaker who earned critical praise for his keen understanding of character and his sensitive exploration of relationships in a slender portfolio that included 'Nothing but a Man' and 'The Plot Against Harry,' died on Tuesday at his home in Townshend, Vt. He was 97. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Ruth Sanzari. Mr. Roemer's interest in moviemaking began at Harvard in the late 1940s. In 1939, when he was 11 and living in Berlin, he and his sister had been among thousands of Jewish children rescued from Nazi Germany and sent to England. There he would stay — writing plays to improve his English, he said — until he came to the United States in 1945, at the end of World War II. His career as a director began when NBC gave him the opportunity to make 'Cortile Cascino,' a 46-minute documentary about slum life in Palermo, Sicily, that he made with Robert M. Young. It was also the start of a pattern in which his films would all but disappear for decades at a time. 'Cortile Cascino' depicted a Sicilian life so grim that NBC executives balked at putting it on the air. It did not reappear until it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 1993. Long delay also befell 'Nothing but a Man,' directed by Mr. Roemer and written by him and a frequent collaborator, Robert M. Young. With Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln in central roles, it tells the story of a Black railroad worker married to a preacher's daughter who struggles to maintain his dignity in the segregated Alabama of the early 1960s. Mr. Roemer and Mr. Young traveled through the South interviewing dozens of Black people about segregation's impact. For the actual shooting, however, they used locations in New Jersey, fearing hostility from the Alabama authorities. The movie had a brief theatrical run when it was released in 1964. Many distributors, Mr. Roemer said in a 2024 interview for this obituary, refused to book it in theaters with principally Black audiences. Soon enough, 'Nothing but a Man' was gone. It wasn't until 1993 that it was rereleased, this time to wide acclaim. A year later it was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. In 1969, Mr. Roemer wrote and directed 'The Plot Against Harry,' a comedy about a small-time numbers racketeer (played by Martin Priest) who goes to prison and eventually decides to change his ways and become an upstanding fellow. The only problem was that audiences at private screenings did not laugh. Two decades later, Mr. Roemer decided to make videotape copies of the film for his children. This time, a technician working on the transfer to tape kept laughing as he watched, and the director decided that maybe he had something after all. 'The Plot Against Harry' enjoyed a new life, a theater run and praise. It was nominated for six Independent Spirit Awards. Janet Maslin called it 'a funny, sharply drawn and appealingly modest film' in a 1990 New York Times review. The film critic J. Hoberman described Mr. Roemer in a 2024 interview as 'an empathetic director of actors and an unsentimental humanist, one of the few American filmmakers who shares those qualities with Jean Renoir.' Other works by Mr. Roemer included 'Faces of Israel, 'a short 1967 documentary; 'Dying,' a 1976 documentary about people near the end of life; and 'Vengeance Is Mine' (1984), a scripted film about mothers and daughters, originally titled 'Haunted,' starring Brooke Adams and Trish Van Devere. In 2022, Wesley Morris of The Times called 'Vengeance Is Mine' 'a masterpiece of direction, nothing too flashy but everything true.' Despite being routinely praised by film critics and scholars, Mr. Roemer was well aware that appreciation by a much broader audience eluded him. 'I spent the last 40 years of my life writing scripts not made into movies,' he said in 2024, with a laugh. 'After a while, you kind of take a certain pride in not having been a success. I'm simply not a commercial filmmaker.' Indeed, he said, his most successful work in terms of dollars was 'A Touch of the Times,' an hourlong silent film he made at Harvard. A fantasy about kite-flying, it ran at a movie house in Cambridge, Mass., and earned well more in ticket sales than the $2,300 he had spent making it. 'If I could have made popular films, I would have,' Mr. Roemer told the British newspaper The Guardian in 2023. 'But I believe in something. If I betray it, then I destroy myself.' Michael Roemer was born in Berlin on Jan. 1, 1928, into a family whose shoe business provided a comfortable life. His parents, Gerhardt and Paula (Ettinger) Roemer, divorced when he was an infant, leaving him to be reared mostly by a governess (whom he said he found terrifying). Early on, he said, he came to appreciate life's 'unpredictability.' After moving to England with his younger sister, Marion, in the rescue effort known in German as the Kindertransport, he attended a school whose students were mainly Jewish refugees like him. Once in the United States, he went to Harvard on a scholarship, graduating in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in English. Six years after coming to America, he was reunited with his mother, and a few years after that he met his father, who had begun a new life in England. In 1953, the young filmmaker married Barbara Balze, a schoolteacher. She died in 2007. He is survived by his children, Dr. David Roemer, Ruth Sanzari and Jonathan Roemer, and two grandsons. Soon after college, Mr. Roemer began an eight-year turn as a film editor and production manager for various companies. He then wrote and directed dozens of educational films for the Ford Foundation. Starting in 1966 he taught film theory and practice at Yale, a professorship that lasted until he retired in 2017. 'I was 89 then,' he said. 'I don't think they realized how old I was.' In a sense, he said in 2024, 'nothing happened in my life the way it was supposed to.' His films, though praised, were not slam-bang successes. But failure, he said, reveals character. 'The truth is, failure can be a very honorable thing,' he told The Washington Post in 1990. 'It's not that you have a failure. It's what you do with it.'
