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IFW: KICKING OFF “FIVE NIGHTS”

I will start by saying this: we are very lucky. Just a few weeks ago, we finished a remarkable Kickstarter campaign for my film, Five Nights In Maine. In 30 days, we raised $40,613 from 367 courageous and generous backers. The support from people we have known our whole lives and complete strangers humbled and inspired up. Our community proved that this is a film they want to see and be a part of. Now it’s time to take this energy to Independent Film Week!

We are thrilled to be participating in this year’s No Borders International Co-production Market. My producer, Nekisa Cooper (Pariah) and I have been busy preparing for meetings all week. I have been working on my look book, one-pager, washing clothes and printing business cards. I take a redeye tonight from California and Nekisa returns to NY tomorrow from Canada. And amidst the prep, we are ironing out our schedule of meetings, gatherings and festivities for the week. We are currently in development/fundraising of the film and so we are particularly excited to meet with financiers, granters and foreign sales agents. I am excited to watch how these few days can impact the course of our film.

Five Nights In Maine is my first feature. It tells the story of how unexpected tragedy brings Sherwin, an African-American widower, face-to-face with his estranged mother-in-law in rural Maine. The film begins with grief, with a sense of loss, but on a deeper level, the film is about the complicated relationships we all have with the people we love — about negotiating and learning from the process of coming home. Ultimately, it is a film about compassion and redemption. I am eagerly anticipating these next days of meetings, learning and pushing Five Nights forward. Let’s set it off!

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