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"Underground" - Hear the sound of Freedom
(18 awards at 20 festivals)
Synopsis: In a story told through song, Bali plans to escape from slavery after learning that his master is going to sell his young daughter, Emala. With house slave Dembi, they strike out in the dead of night, singing Negro spirituals that they hope will protect them on their perilous journey to freedom.
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"Underground" Awards as of 05/2012:
-Student Emmy Award Winner, “Best Use of Music”
-Student Emmy Award Winner, “Bricker Humanitarian Award”
-Student Emmy Award Nominee, “Best Composition”
-Audience Award, Beijing Film Academy ISFV Festival - Beijing, China (1 of 7 films to represent the USA)
-Invited by the US Department of the Interior for a special screening at President Abraham Lincoln's home
-1st Place (out of 109 films) Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival - 2010 Florida
-Best Short Film, Twin Cities Black Film Festival (HBO Sponsored) - 2011 Minnesota
-Best Director - Short (out of 321 films), Action On Film International Film Festival - 2011 Los Angeles, CA
-Best Short Film, International Black Film Festival of Nashville - 2011, Tennessee
-Best of Brouhaha, Florida Film Festival, Orlando, FL-2011
-Best Short Film, San Diego Black Film Festival - 2011 California
-1st Place (out of 287 films) Palm Beach International Film Festival - 2011 Florida
-Award, Honorable Mention, Hollywood Black Film Festival - 2011, Hollywood, CA
-Best Young Actress, Action On Film International Film Festival - 2011 Los Angeles, CA
-Best Short Film, Texas Black Film Festival – 2011 Dallas
-Best Student Short, Tallahassee Film Festival – 2011 Florida
-Best Drama Short Nominee, Action On Film International Film Festival - 2011 Los Angeles, CA
-Best Student Short, Independents Film Festival - 2012 Tampa, FL
-Founder's Award, International Black Film Festival of Nashville - 2011, Tennessee
-Best Graduate Film (out of 250 films), Ivy Film Festival 2012 - Providence, Rhode Island
-Audience Award, Gasparilla International Film Festival - 2012 Tampa, FL
-Official Selection, Urbanworld Film Festival (HBO, BET Sponsored) - 2011 New York City
-Official Selection, Newport Beach Film Festival, California ‐ 2011
-Official Selection, San Francisco Black Film Festival ‐ 2011
-Official Selection, Big Bear Lake International Film Festival - 2011 California
-Official Selection (non-competitive), Black Hollywood Resource Center's 18th Annual African-American Film Marketplace and S.E. Manly Short Film Showcase - 2011, Hollywood, CA
-Official Selection, Jacksonville Film Festival - 2011
-Official Selection, Stony Brook Film Festival (HBO sponsored) - 2011 New York
-Official Selection, BronzeLens Film Festival - 2011, Atlanta, GA
-Official Selection, Treasure Coast Film Festival - 2012
-Official Selection, Fort Myers Beach Film Festival - 2012
-Official Selection, Love Your Shorts Film Festival, Sanford, FL
-Official Selection, Tolosa Tourne Film Festival - Toulouse, France
"Underground" has played in 44 countries, including: Great Britain, Australia, France, Russia, South Africa, China, Canada, Philippines, Brazil, Ghana, Taiwan, Germany, Mexico, Japan, S. Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Slovak Republic, India, Czech Republic, Pakistan, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria, Spain, Peru, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Turkey, Bahamas and the USA
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Our goal is to expand "Underground" into a theatrically released feature-length film. If you would like to be a part of that experience, please contact the Director & Co-Writer, Akil DuPont, at AkiDee@Comcast.net, dupontproductions.com or on facebook.com/Akil.DuPont Higher image quality DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs are also available.
Director & Co-writer: Akil DuPont
Producer: Allison Leger
Co-Writer: Ariya Watty
Director of Photography: Praheme
Composed By: Nate Tanner, Andre Forbes and Akil DuPont
Original Recordings: FAMU Gospel Choir
Editor: Stephen Griffin
Starring: Ken Wester, Tomi Townsend, Nike Eaton, Carrie Butler and Joshua Brandt