SSFILM announced their 2022 Rainin Grant Foundation finalists, including MFA candidates Hasan Hadi, Tebogo Malebogo and alumni Abbesi Akhamie, Raven Johnson, and Yuan Yuan.
Here are their projects:
In My Father’s House — Abbesi Akhamie, Writer/Director: In My Father’s House is a millennial coming-of-age drama that follows Anike, a grief-stricken woman who travels to Lagos, Nigeria after the death of her mother seeking closure from her estranged father who abandoned her over 10 years ago.
Late Spring — Yuan Yuan, Writer/Director: A Chinese factory worker travels to New York for her daughter’s eagerly anticipated college graduation, only to be thrust into a desperate search in unfamiliar territory when she learns the girl is missing.
Ruby: Portrait of a Black Teen in an American Suburb — Raven Johnson, Writer/Director/Producer: A coming-of-age tale set during the height of Covid-19 and racial justice protests after the murder of George Floyd. Ruby: Portrait of a Black Teen in an American Suburb follows the story of Ruby, a fifteen-year-old, Liberian American teenager and a wannabe TikTok star, as she deals with the sudden breakup of her closest friendship after her best friend, Kiki, begins dating a much older man.
The President’s Cake — Hasan Hadi, Writer/Director: While people struggle daily to survive under sanctions in Saddam’s Iraq, nine-year-old Saeed must use his wits to gather ingredients for the mandatory cake to celebrate President Saddam Hussein’s birthday or face the consequences – prison or death.
Where is the Healer? — Tebogo Malebogo, Writer/Director/Producer: A tenacious director attempts to remake a forgotten B-movie in his own image, and Ayanda is tasked with scouting the perfect cast. She quickly gets taken on an odyssey through modern-day South Africa as she gets caught up in the tangle of people’s lives.
Find the full selection here.