Presents
MENTALTELEPATHYPICTURESANDOVERBROOKENTERTAINMENT’S
SPRINTER
WrittenandDirectedbyStormSaulter
Starring:
DaleElliott,ShantolJackson,KadeemWilson,DennisTitus,BryshereY.GraywithLorraineToussaintandDavidAlanGrier
FilmRise Publicity22036thSt,4thFloor JillGoldsteinBrooklyn,NY11232 JGoldsteinPR
718.369.9090 [email protected]@filmrise.com 646.449.961
www.filmrise.com
SPRINTER:
ShortSynopsisAJamaicanteen,burdenedbyanunstablefatherandanunrulyolderbrother,hopesameteoricriseintrack-and-fieldcanreunitehimwithhismother,whohaslivedillegallyintheU.S.foroveradecade.LongSynopsisSPRINTERtellsthestoryofAkeemSharp(DaleElliott),whoissettobeJamaica’snextbigtrack-and-fieldsensation.Akeemhopesariseinthetrack-and-fieldworldwilltakehimtotheU.S.toreunitehimwithhismother(LorraineToussaint,ORANGEISTHENEWBLACK),whohassupportedthefamilywhilelivingasanillegalresidentforoveradecade.ButAkeem’srisingstarisweigheddownbyturmoilathome:avolatilefatherandanunrulyolderbrotherwhoinsinuateshimselfintoAkeem’scareerasameansofescaping–orperhapsenhancing–hisscamartisthustle.NotonlydoesAkeemhavetoprovetohimselfandtoeveryonethathecansucceed,butalsoovercomethestrugglesthatmayultimatelybringhimdown.ThefilmalsostarsKadeemWilson(GHETT’ALIFE),DennisTitus(THEMIGHTYQUINN),ShantolJackson(YARDIE),BryshereY.Gray(EMPIRE)andDavidAlanGrier(INLIVINGCOLOR)withsongsbyGrammyAwardwinningartistNE-YOandJamaicandancehallperformerShenseea.ThefilmisExecutiveProducedbyJadaPinkettSmithandWillSmithalongwithNBAVeteranandNBAPersonalityRichardJefferson.DIRECTOR’SSTATEMENTIlostmymothersomewhatunexpectedly,andwayyoungerthanIthoughtIwouldhave.Whiletryingtoprocessthatloss,IgottothinkingaboutthethousandsofchildrengrowingupinJamaicaandacrosstheCaribbeanwithouttheirmothers(orfathers)notbecauseofdeath,butbecauseofthelackofeconomicopportunitieslocallyandtheneedforatleastoneparenttoheadnorthinsearchofwork,oftentimesoverstayingtheirvisasandneverbeingabletoreturnhomewithoutriskingthelivelihoodoftheirfamilies.InJamaicathesechildrenarecalled“BarrelPickney,”becauseofthebarrelsofclothes,food,andotheressentialsshippedtothemfromrelativeslivingoverseas.SprinteristhestoryofaBarrelPickneydeterminedtorunasfastashecantoreunitehisbrokenfamily.ABOUTTHEDIRECTORStormSaulterisafilmmakerandvisualartistfromNegril,Jamaica,onamissiontocreateuniversalstorieswrappedinthecomplexsocialandculturaldynamicsoftheCaribbean.Stormservedaswriter,directorandcinematographeronhisaward-winningfeaturefilmBETTERMUS’COME,hailedbycriticsassignalingafreshnewmovementofindependentfilmmakingthroughouttheCaribbean.
DIRECTOR’SQ&AWhat’sSprinterabout?SPRINTERfollowsAkeem,a17-year-oldRastafarianteenageronatrackteam.HisgoalistoqualifyforthenationalyouthteamandgototheWorldYouthChampionshipsinPhiladelphiaandreunitewithhismother,who’sbeenlivingthereillegallyfor10years.Hehasadreamofreunitingthefamilyandifhecanrunfastenoughhecanmakethathappen.Whenhegetsthereherealizesthatdreamisn’tnecessarilyshared.Whataresomeofthethemesbehindthestorythatinterestyou?It’saboutlivingoutyourdreams,butthisboyhastorealizelifeisn’tquiteasstraightforwardasthat.Buttimetestspeopleandtimetestsfamilies.I’minterestedinexploringthat.Familiesareseparatedbecauseofeconomicopportunitieselsewhere:it’snotjustpeoplerunningacrossbordersbutleavingforprofessionalreasons.Theycan’tleave[theirnewcountry]andtheystay.ThisissocommonandhasaffectedbothactorswhoplayAkeemandhisolderbrother...Theygrewupwithouttheirmothers,whogrewupintheUSworking.Iwasinterestedinexploringhowthataffectsfamily.Thisalltouchesonared-hottopicalityI’minterestedinissuesofimmigration–whichisontopofpeople’smindsrightnow–andhowthataffectsfamiliesandtheindividuals,ultimately.Isthereapersonalconnectionforyoutothisstory?Mypersonalreason…IlostmymumalotearlierthanIthoughtwouldhappen.ItwasroughtodealwithandIwonderediftherewasanythingIcoulddotogetbacktoseeher.Itgotmethinkingaboutthis.AsaCaribbeanstorytellerwhatistheopportunityhere?IntheCaribbean,we’resoculturallystrongandinJamaicawe’vealwayspunchedaboveourweight.ButtherearecertainstereotypesassociatedwiththatandI’mveryinterestedinbreakingthosestereotypes.Idon’twanttotellastoryaboutaworking-classboyfromtheghetto:thisisamiddle-classfamilydealingwiththerealworld.ThoseimagesofRastassmokingganjaonthebeachorthegunmanfromKingston–itisn’twhoweare.I’minterestedinopeningupthescopeofCaribbeantales.TrackandfieldisanimportantpartofJamaicanprideI’malsointerestedinexploringtheJamaicantrackandfieldworld.Thiscountryconsistentlyturnsoutthefastestpeopleintheworldwithwaylessresourcesthanothers.Icomefromcinematography.Iamreallyinterestedinthevisualsandatmospherics.IwanttodofortherunningfilmwhatRAGINGBULLdidfortheboxingfilm.
TellusaboutBETTERMUS’COMEIt’ssetinthelate1970sandinspiredbythetruestoryofagangleader/activistwhoseideologyisfailinghim.Therewereagroupofguyswhoweretryingtogetjobsonaconstructionsiteontheothersideofthetracks.Theycouldn’tgetwork[becauseofwheretheycamefrom]sotheyattackedthesiteandshotitdown.TheywereluredtoamilitarybaseonthepretenseofgettinggunsandmoneyandJamaicaDefenseForcesoldierswerewaitingandtheyweremassacred.ThiswastheGreenBayMassacrein1978.SoIwantedtomakeastoryaboutthetypeofpersonwhoendedupthere.InJamaicawehavethisimageofthefacelessgunmanwhokillsandthat’showwerationalizeourpoliceforcegoingintocertainareasandtakingpeopleoutandIwantedtoshowthefaceofoneofthesepeople.Itriedtomakeamovieaboutanindividualwhowasinthattimeandwhowasinvolved.Whatweretherepercussionsofthemassacre?TheGreenBayMassacrewasamassivescandalwhichthegovernmentwasblamedfor.Theylostthefollowingelection.Nobodyeverwenttojail,nobodygotintotrouble,butitwasapropermilitaryintelligenceoperationandIwantedtoexplorethat.Inschooltheydon’tteachaboutthat.IonlyknewaboutGreenBaythroughadubrecord.Myparentstoldmethe70swaswildinJamaica.
CHARACTERBIOS:AkeemSharpAkeemSharpisbrimmingwithrawtalentbutnofocus.Hegoesfrombeingarelativenobodytomaybethenextbigsprintingsensation.Buthislackofdirection,raginghormonesandunstablehomelifethreatentoknockhimofftrack.PlayedbyDaleElliott.GermaineSharpAcharismaticyetdiminishedformerathlete,Germaineisnowinvolvedintheshadyworldofscamming.HeseesAkeem’sriseasagreatbusinessopportunity,ormaybeevenachanceatredemption.PlayedbyKadeemWilson.GarfieldSharpSufferingfromanunknownpain,Garfieldtriestobethebestfatherhecan.Buthisdemonsmaygetthebestofhim.PlayedbyDennisTitus.DonnaSharpShewenttoAmericatoworkasanurse,andnowlivesthereillegallywhilesupportingherfamilybackhome.Shelongstore-unitewithAkeem,theyoungsonsheleftbehind.DonnaencourageshimtomakeittotheWorldYouthGamesinLosAngelesbyanymeansnecessary.PlayedbyLorraineToussaint.KerryHallAgoalorientedcountrygirlwhorecentlytransferredtoAkeem’shighschoolonatrackscholarship.UnlikehernewfriendandteammateAkeem,sheislaser-focusedonachievingherfullpotentialonandoffthetrack.PlayedbyShantolJackson.MarcusBrickThebrashAmericantrackchampionandthecurrentWorldYouthrecordholder.Heclaimstobe“unbeatable,”butAkeemisgunningforhisspot.PlayedbyBryshereY.Gray.
SPRINTERFINALCASTCREDITS
AkeemSharp DaleElliott
GermaineSharp KadeemWilson
KerryHall ShantolJackson
GarfieldSharp DennisTitus
CoachMiller DavidAlanGrier
Mira QueraSouth
DonnaSharp LorraineToussaint
KemarSharp(Germaine'sSon) AidenMoodie
Strings DavidCrossgill
MarcusBrick BryshereY.Gray
Rocky DwaynePusey
Creeper RicardoOrgill(Flames)
Mira'sFather RodneyCampbell
SisterPam SannetaMyrie
Bulbus CalvinIngram
Mira'sMother DahliaHarris
Precious SakinaDeer
YoungAkeemSharp RogeeifBignall
BIGMAN/UsainBolt Himself
YoungGermaineSharp CollinDudley
MaasJoe CalvinMitchell
DetectiveCharles GlenCampbell
WindowWasherboy SekaiSmart-Macaulay
WinfordWilliams Himself
NeshaCamilleDavis
CliffyAdamCummings
PaulaStewart NadeanRawlins
SpeakerGuy(RaceCommentator)GarthWilliams
ByronWilliams(TrackTeamCaptain) HowardGordon
ElderRasta AnthonyWilmot
Bossy CollinEdwards
Ruku K'VonneLegore
Mira'sFriend1IsobelWhittaker
Deacon DanarRoyal
Asst.Coach1Brian-RayMoore
MiraFriend2 SherrainePhillips
YoungScammer Q-WayneLawrence
Scammer1. KemarieGarrison
DetectiveStevens StephenGibson
Principal AstonCooke
BikiniGirl1 SoleilWatts
Akeem'sBODYDOUBLE DamonicAlvaranga
AirportSecurity1 DarielleCummings(TripppleX)
ChiChingChing HIMSELF
StadiumSecurityDwightWebley
ArrestingOfficer JeffCrossley
WomaninPoliticalCrowd. SuzetteFolkes
ScammerGirlfriend(GermaineSexScene) KacionCollins
Cindy(OldAmericanLady) BethHyde
Scammer2 OdainClarke
Scammer3 MickelMatthews
Scammer4 KeanuGordon
Kerry'sBODYDOUBLE AndrenetteKnight
Akeem'sSWIMMINGDOUBLE FontainJones
GermaineDrivingDouble ChrisMcFarlane
200mRunnerWhoFalls AllanThompson
PrecisionDriver ChrisMcFarlane
JamaicaRaceAnnouncer1 GarthWilliams
ChampsRaceAnnouncerSeanGrant
USRaceAnnouncerJANewscaster ChrisMcGeeDorraineSamuels
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