In theaters across Nigeria and Ghana from September 8, 2011.
- Nigerian Premiere coming on September 8th 2011.
- Venue: Genesis Deluxe Cinema (The Palms Shopping Mall, BIS Way, Lekki, Lagos)
- Date: September 8th 2011
- Time: 7:00pm
- Red Carpet: 6:00pm
The Story
An African medical student seeking better professional opportunity in the United States finds herself caught up in the American immigration war. With the political heat mounting on illegal immigrants, she's faced only with a dilemma: she either continues to live on the fringes of the society, where there's no hope for her career goal, or give up all hope on the American dream.
A young American puts her life on hold to restore the glory of her parents estranged marriage. After years of painful sacrifice, and amid the storm of her adolescent crises, she has to make a last shot for their reconciliation, or give up forever on her parents as she goes away to college.
What happens when the lives of these two young women cross? The result is a soul-touching friendship that tests the limits of political laws and redefines human dedication.
Synopsis
IN AMERICA is the story of the inspiring friendship between two young women, Sade and Sonya. Sade is an "illegal immigrant", a medical student from one of Nigerian universities, who abandoned her education in the sixth year and seized the scant opportunity to flee her birth land for the perceived opportunities of America. Sonya is an African-American young woman dealing with the pressure of cultural ambiguity, struggling with the separation of her loving parents, and seeking an identity that is articulate of her soul's yearning.
In America, Sade hopes to settle down and continue her education, but what life holds in stock for her is different. Through the lives of a lonely and sexually frustrated uncle, and the conflictual life of a young man trapped in the racial forces of the American society, Sade's journey reveals the various existential elements that, often innocently, combine to determine the experience of the individual anywhere in the world.
When Sonya meets Sade, they feel a connection that grows into a relationship that will lead them to individual and mutual self-discovery, and help define life for both of them. Empowered thus, Sade faces the present bane of her life: the American immigration policy.
Motivation
The primary motive behind this movie is to deal with the immigration issue, but from human perspective, showing the humanity of immigrants, and how they are like everyone else, with dreams, hopes, fears, and character complexity. At this time in the history of America, we think the climate is ripe for such a movie, and this is one of the reasons we are very passionate about getting it made. The movie does not intend to take a side or argue a point; it is an artistic venture to reveal the life of a typical immigrant, and provides the debaters additional information about the subjects of their arguments, symbolized in the character of Sade George.
The movie also attempts to bridge an unnecessary and internecine tension between many African immigrants and African-Americans in this country. In meetings with key individuals and groups here in Boston and around the country, including former Massachusetts State Representative Mel King, and New York House of Rep Major Owens, we have learned, disturbingly, about the pervasiveness of this misunderstanding. Hence, this movie tries to bring light into the areas of mutual reconciliation. As the first movie dealing with this smoldering crisis, it is the hope of the filmmakers to hold up a mirror and nudge the people to see themselves and find a solution to the problem.
Jimmy Jean-Louis
Mirlyne Dorvilus
Kandace Cummings
Roger Dillingham
Cristian De Jesus
Linda Starks
Rahman Oladigbolu
Rahman Oladigbolu dreamt to come to the United States with only one goal in mind: to make movies. For several years he has worked as a production assistant on movies and television shows around Boston, and has worked to direct and co-produce a few short movies. After publishing a memoir, On Holy Pilgrimage: A Long Journey For Freedom, detailing his experience toward achieving his dream of coming to America to make movies, he embarked on his first feature length project, IN AMERICA, as the writer/producer/director. Soul Sisters is his fictionalized version of actual events he has witnessed in the lives of African immigrants and African Americans across the United States.
Yvon Alteon
Yvon Alteon is the CEO of Tele Diaspora, Inc., the well-known, long established Haitian television station based in Boston. Born and raised in St-Raphael, he studied cinematography in Port–au-prince and migrated to the United States in 1985, where he attended the Connecticut School of Broadcasting to study radio and television.
After working as a volunteer in radio broadcast and later professionally at Radio Metropole and Radio Nouveaute, hosting educational programs and talk shows, he started his own production company Tele Diaspora in 1991, broadcasting with only 30 minutes of programming. Today, Tele Diaspora has 8 ½ hours of live weekend programming, and it functions both as a production and distribution company, producing and distributing between 40-55% of the annual Haitian movies worldwide. This has situated Mr. Alteon as the pioneer of the Haitian movie industry.
Having being happily married, with two children, to Janique Alteon in the last 26 years, he has turned half of the business to his children to run. Twenty-six-year-old Vontsky oversees the business, 24-year-old Yveline manages it, and 19year-old Yvens is the technological genius. Mr. Alteon being involved in so many activities has gained the knowledge and experienced which makes him the backbone of his Diaspora Haitian Community.
Jimmy Jean-Louis
Born in Petionville, Haiti, Jimmy led a simple life in a remote village until the age of twelve, when he moved to Paris. Jimmy finished school with a degree in Business, but without a permanent home it was the night clubs of Paris which kept him off the streets. He was spotted dancing in the club which landed him his first job- a Coca-Cola commercial.
Jean-Louis, came to America just ten years ago to pursue his acting career. To his credit, thus far he has appeared opposite Mo'Nique in "Phat Girlz", Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez in "Monster-in-law", Harrison Ford in "Hollywood Homicide", Bruce Willis in "Tears of the sun", and "Derailed" with Jean-Claude Van Damme. Jimmy also portrays soccer champion Joe Gaetjens, in "The game of their lives" with Gerard Butler, and he is the famous Haitian Hero in the world acclaimed TV series “Heroes”.
Jimmy says, "from a young boy browing up in Haiti with no electricity or running water, my journey to Hollywood has been rich with experience. I take little for granted and appreciate the beauty of life, knowing that there is so much more to learn."
For further information, please go to www.jimmyjeanlouis.com.
Vatasha Granberry
Vatasha C. Granberry co-produced and acted in the film Soul Sisters. A graduate of Quincy College, with a degree in Computer Science, she continues the pursuit of her academic goal in Business Management and Communications at Boston's Simmons College.
Ken Willinger - Director of Photography
Ken Willinger has been a professional Cameraman, Cinematographer and Director of Photography for more than 25 years. In that time he has worked as a network television cameraman covering news stories around the world, is a local and national EMMY award winning documentary cameraman making moving documentaries on a variety of subjects from natural history to medical science, is a DP for national PSA spots for clients like Alcohol Annonymous and Girls and Boystown National Hotline, works on PBS television shows including the new series Design Squad, contributes regularly to network magazine shows including Dateline, 60 Minutes and 20/20 and also does corporate projects. This is his first full length feature.
He also plays jazz and funk guitar in several small combos and a 17 piece big band, loves antique cars and collected stamps as a child. Gemini. Sorry ladies...he's married.
Robert Freeman - Sound
Robert Freeman started his interest in media as a teenager, mixing for film and video in school projects. In high school he had the opportunity to pursue a journalistic path. His wide-ranging activities prepared him for a life in the arts, including yearbook editor/photographer. In college, Robert obtained a degree in Broadcast Journalism, with a minor in Particle Physics. Living in Los Angeles, Robert was introduced to feature film work in sound. After a few years working in movies, he moved to Boston. He has since worked on many satisfying, and Emmy award-winning documentaries, often with Ken Willinger the D.P. of Soul Sisters.
Michael Byrd - Second Camera
Michael Byrd is a Boston-based filmmaker who has been shooting and directing corporate video, music videos, commercials, shorts, and features for 15 years. He was brought on board Soul Sister to shoot additional scenes and B-roll or second camera, whatever the need. In addition, he has helped with the post-production process. In between directing and shooting assignments, he spends his spare time with his wife and cleaning up after his kids.
Courtney Babin
Courtney Lyn Babin was born and raised in Melrose, Massachusetts. At Melrose High School she was involved with the production of the schools cable access news program. After graduating from high school she continued to study film and video production at Massachusetts College of Art. There she was introduced to 8-mm and 16-mm film production and editing. She learned film theory and how to edit with and Avid system and became proficient with After Effect, Combustion, and Flint compositing systems. Completing her studies at Mass Art, Courtney has gone on to edit television shows, such as “Be a Bruin” and “Sox Appeal”, both broadcast on NESN. Courtney currently works for Boston Nationals.
Brian Patriacca
Brian Patriacca was classically trained in traditional cel animation and film making techniques. His works have appeared in several film festivals across the United States as well as part of a collective multi media art show in San Francisco. His traditional film training has not with held him from the digital world, as he now combines film animation with Flash (digital) animation. He believes that a brush stoke by hand carries more emotion and distinction than it’s computer counter part, but united with the digital world those strokes can now tell a story with a newfound deftness. His current projects include “Delicate Erotica” a sumi ink and watercolor paper traditional animation, “It’s The Life”, a video documentary in San Francisco, as cameraman, editor, producer.
- Oracle Films International, LLC
- 141 Memorial Parkway,
- P.M.B. 122
- Randoph, MA 02368
- U.S.A.
- oraclefilms@yahoo.com
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