Exclusive: Director Charles Officer & Saul Williams Talk “Akilla’s Escape”

Making its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Planet Africa 25 – Special Events lineup was director Charles Officer’s latest film, the crime-noir ‘Akilla’s Escape’ starring Saul Williams.

During what is supposed to be a simple, routine handoff, 40-year-old drug trader Akilla Brown is suddenly caught in the middle of a violent robbery. Narrowly making it out alive, he captures one of the thieves, a teenaged Jamaican boy named Sheppard. Under the pressure of the criminals who hired him, Akilla must set things right and retrieve the stolen goods over the course of one arduous night.

When Akilla discovers that Sheppard’s gang has ties to the Garrison Army, the same crime organization he fell into as a child, he has to confront his own traumatic origins and becomes compelled to help the boy survive — and possibly even make the escape that he never could. 

Written by Officer and Motion, the cast also incluedes Thamela Mpulmwana, Donisha Prendergast, Shomari Downer, Olunike Adeliyi, Ronnie Rowe Jr., featuring Colm Feore, with Bruce Ramsay and Vic Mensa.

For Officer, others have said the film is a return to his early works such as his first feature Nurse.Fighter.Boy and for Williams, it’s his first role in a long time in a leading position. Along with his musical group Massive Attack’s 3D, they contributed the score to the film.

Recently, both director and actor spoke with BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales about the making of the film and Williams adding his music to it.