Kanye West Inspired Film ‘Through The Wire’ Premieres Today At Urbanworld Film Festival
The Gates Preserve (TGP) announces the premiere of its third short film, Through the Wire, will take place at The UrbanWorld Film Festival this Wednesday, September 23rd. The film which follows the moments after a young music producer receives the best news of his life and becomes fearful that the industry might take advantage of him. Following the success of their previous shorts, “L-O-V-E," a retrospective for the 20th Anniversary of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and "Young Schomburg," a story about a young archivist's journey to document hip hop culture, TGP continues to use moving images and archives to tell new stories about hip hop culture.
Set in 2005, Through the Wire is a film about a young music producer and college dropout who receives a call that could change his life forever. As the possibility sinks in, cautionary tales of the industry dampen his excitement, and as family and friends respond to the news, he goes on an emotional rollercoaster. “In New York City, where the main character calls home, the stories of just missed stardom and almost-woulda-made-its are common. There are plenty of never released albums, stored works of art, and highlight reels of the undrafted. Those stories are powerful, chock full of lessons for us all,” states Sallomé Hralima, writer and executive producer.
Almost-famous stories, Kanye West, and first generation woes, and are major themes in Through the Wire. “Beyond the coincidence of Ye actually running for office during this film’s release,” Hralima observes, “the world is coming to embrace an African aesthetic. Chief, the main character (played by Tokunbo Joshua Olumide), like many other first generation young people, wrestle with parents’ expectations and a desire to steer their own path.” His story mirrors that of many other entertainers and influencers - Yvonne Orji (actress), Luvvie Ajayi (writer), Bozoma Saint John (marketing executive), and Tobe Nwigwe (rapper) - who have openly discussed the challenges that come when raised in a West African home while pursuing a career in a creative industry.
A new Horowitz research study says that multicultural viewers are looking to find diverse images that shoot down lingering and hurtful stereotypes. Audiences are even more impressed to know that there is diversity behind the camera as well. The entire film takes place in a one location, with production design led by multi-medium artist Ashley Mui , beautifully shot by cinematographer Herman L. Jean-Noël, hailing from Haiti and directed by umi from Tuskegee, Alabama. With a cast and crew that represent the South, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Belize, Nigeria and Liberia, the filmmakers were intentional about maintaining a pan-African perspective. “The 12-minute film is a proof of concept,” Hralima adds, “for a series that tells the story of first generation youth in college, committed to making it in the music industry by any means. It’s time to show the world just how diverse Blackness really is.”
Through the Wire, will premiere on Wednesday, September 23 for at 10am, and will be available for 24 hours.