New movie with PNW connections hopes to benefit HBCUs
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Posted By: S. Moore on February 06, 2023 PACIFIC NORTHWEST- We all know there are plenty of Hollywood blockbusters for you to go and see at the movie theater, but there's a new movie that just came out this weekend with a hometown connection. Movie goers have a chance to see a truly unique and special film starting this weekend. Set during the civil war, the film tells the story of a union soldier who runs away from battle and is rescued by a free black man and his friends who run a portion of the underground rail road. Brett Smith is the writer, director and producer of 'Freedom's Path'. "This is not a film about slavery this is not a film about the Civil War, this is a story about humanity," Smith said. "Really becomes a story of this free man and this soldier overcoming pre-conceived notions about each other learning to become friends and brothers and ultimately family." Smith has a deep love of history and says he was inspired to write the film about the more unknown figures of this time period, like the more than 250 thousand free African Americans who were living in the South at the time. "There's never been a narrative film centering around these individuals and so freedom's path was also this amazing opportunity to bring about and shed light on an aspect of American history that has not been portrayed at least in cinema," he said. It's a project that's taken more than a decade to come to life, for Smith who is an independent film maker from the Pacific Northwest. "It means a lot because it's where we grow up it's where we make the majority of our films and we're so excited to be able to bring this story back and let pacific northwest audiences know this is from this is as independent as a film you're gonna get from local filmmakers," he said. On top of the team who worked during filming, Smith got some help from some Bushnell University students to advertise the movie in their home community. Filming took place in rural northwest Arkansas in the fall of 2019 over 27 days now, nearly 3 years later, the debut is finally here. The film will open in more than 200 AMC and Regal Theaters across the country, including the theater right here in Eugene. But the film has a bigger purpose than to just see a box office return. "We didn't wanna just tell a story that entertains we didn't wanna just have a story with a good message...we wanted to actually affect real change," Smith said. "We've selected 8 undeserved or underrepresented historically black colleges and universities for a give back, so opening weekend this weekend 100 percent of the films profits are going to these 8 schools and then 10 % thereafter throughout the theatrical run of the film, and all with kind of an emphasis on the arts." Smith said he wants people to enjoy the movie, but hopes they walk out of the theater with a new perspective. "I hope people walk away from this film with an added sense of being able to look at those individuals that they may not at the surface think that they connect with and learn to see each and every one of us as unique individuals with an incredible story to tell," he said. SOURCE KEZI.COM If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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