Kemba Smith biopic to premiere at 2023 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Making its World Premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival on November 8, 2023 is Kemba, directed by Kelley Kali and starring Nesta Cooper, Siddiq Saunderson, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Michelle Hurd.
Written by Christine Swanson and based on the true story of Kemba Smith, Kemba follows the journey of a sheltered college student who falls in love with a man, only to find out he isn’t who he seems. When Kemba learns of her boyfriend Khalif’s true identity as a drug kingpin, he turns abusive—grooming straight-laced Kemba to overlook his illicit dealings. Though she never dealt or handled drugs, in a tragic turn of events, Kemba receives an outrageous sentence for her boyfriend’s crimes—placing her in the middle of the government’s “war on drugs.” Never losing hope, her parents along with an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund launch a campaign for appeal and later clemency, harnessing the power of Black civic organizations, sororities, celebrities, and lawmakers to help free Kemba.
The film was produced by Rob Pfaltzgraff, Lana Link and Stacey Parks. Executive producers include Nick Reid, Kemba Smith, Constance Orlando, and Maureen Guthman
