Trailer To ‘Curtis,’ ABFF Festival Winner About Mental Health Starring Dwight Henry
1091 Pictures has released a new official trailer for CURTIS, a poignant drama starring DWIGHT HENRY (Beasts of the Southern Wild). The feature-length directorial debut of Chris Bailey follows the title character as he fights the demons of his past to unravel a present-day mystery. The film will be available to purchase or rent starting on November 2, 2021.
The film won the Jury Award for Best U.S. Narrative at the 2020 American Black Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Atlanta Film Festival.
Set in Detroit, Curtis follows a former star basketball player whose battle with mental illness keeps him trapped between reality and the cobwebs of his own memory. That battle is only exacerbated when he discovers that his high school championship ring is missing. As he tries to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of his memorabilia, Curtis befriends a neighborhood boy who helps him along the way. But even with the anchoring effect of his newfound friend keeping him in the present, the search plunges Curtis deeper into the murky space between reality and his adapted version of it.
Dwight Henry delivers a tour de force performance as the film’s protagonist, embodying the many nuances of a troubled soul whose brilliance cannot be dimmed by the circumstances of his life. Alex Henderson shines just as bright in his portrayal of Dre, serving as the perfect foil to Curtis while still telling a story of his own. Together, the two actors capture exactly what writer/director Chris Bailey aimed to do in making this film.
“CURTIS is about regret, mental illness, and ultimately believing in yourself. My whole mantra for the film is: Everybody has a story. So I’m very grateful to the entire team at 1091 Pictures for seeing the importance of sharing a story like Curtis with the world,” said writer-director Chris Bailey.
CURTIS producers include Chelsea Davenport, Kimberly Hwang, and Desi Bee Richardson.