In response to the knife crime crisis in London and her own experiences and loss, Letitia Wright’s directorial debut is a “love letter” to young Black men.
Emmy-nominated actress Letitia Wright is set to make her directorial debut with Highway to the Moon, a new coming-of-age fantasy drama. Wright was inspired to create the short film in response to the devastating impact of knife crime in London and has called the project a “love letter to young Black men all over the world”.
Wright wrote, directed and produced the short film which was inspired by the killing of her friend’s brother and the death of model Harry Uzoka. Actors Kenyah Sandy and Lamar Waves star in the fantasy film, which follows the experiences of young Black men after their lives are tragically cut short.
A group of other young men guide Micah, a young man who travels through the liminal space between life and death. Sandy portrays the character. Together, the men learn to accept empathy and self-worth as they confront what it means to be a Black boy in contemporary society.
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According to Wright, Highway to the Moon steers clear of stereotypes and acknowledges the individual struggles and strengths of young Black men in terms of emotional, social, and mental health.
She stated, “The movie is my way of exploring joy, love, and unity, and I want to show these boys in a way that doesn’t involve stereotypes, but instead explores their emotions, complexities, hopes, dreams, disappointments, and fears, and allows them to see themselves as worthy, with lives that have meaning. ”
The South London Film Festival will hold its world premiere on May 31 for the film. For her, Wright said that the setting for the movie’s premiere was particularly significant. She explained that holding the film at a festival that supports emerging filmmakers in our area was crucial. The audience I’m trying to reach with this movie, “always aligns with the young people I’m trying to reach,” I said. ”
In response to those who might criticise her for highlighting knife violence, Wright told The Guardian: “There is not a single knife that you see in this film. It’s just the actions of it. It’s just the aftermath.” She also noted that in many stabbing cases, gangs were not involved at all.
Through WePresent, WeTransfer’s arts platform, the short film was commissioned. Alex Mattinson and Damian Bradfield work for WeTransfer as executive producers, and Holly Fraser, VP of content, is one of them.
As reported by Variety, Fraser shared: “Being able to commission important stories and work with artists that are driven to use creativity as a tool for progress has always been the cornerstone of WePresent’s mission as a platform.
Source: Mirror
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