On Sunday August 5th in Atlanta, GA, film maker/ producer Kellon Akeem hosted a private screening for his short film “A Father’s Love”.
The founder of Atlanta-based Mansa Productions premiered “A Fathers Love”, at The Gathering Spot in Downtown Atlanta. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with the film’s stars both in front of and behind the cameras.
A Father’s Love tells a teenage love story with several unusual twists. The film’s cast includes Terayle Hill (SuperFly; Blue Bloods; Love, Simon), Adriyan Rae (Atlanta, Star, SuperFly), Tichina Arnold (Martin, Everybody Hates Chris), and E. Roger Mitchell (Hunger Games, Sully, Selma). The 19-minute film made its public debut in June at the 2018 American Black Film Festival (ABFF).
Jessie Usher, the film’s co-producer and co-writer, has starred in projects such as Survivors Remorse, Independence Day 2, and Son of Shaft. Allen Maldonado, the film’s other co-writer, currently stars in Blackish and the new hit comedy series, The Last OG. Making his directorial debut is RonReaco Lee, who also stars on Survivors Remorse.
Mansa Productions’ Founder, President and CEO Kellon Akeem said, “This is an exciting time for Mansa Productions. It was an honor for our first film to be included in the Emerging Director’s Showcase at ABFF. However, it’s going to be personally gratifying to screen A Father’s Love in my adopted hometown of Atlanta. We are just beginning our journey to becoming an influential player in the industry and look forward to sharing our upcoming slate of projects with the world.”
Mack Wilbourn, a successful Atlanta businessman, and Dwight Howard, the NBA All-Star, lead the investment team behind Mansa Productions. The company’s next project will be its first full-length film, Cross of Redemption. Actor Omar Epps wrote the script and will co-produce the project along with Mansa. The film will star rapper and actor Tip “T.I.” Harris as the lead character. Also in pre-development, is an unscripted daytime talk show starring Usher and a reality show featuring Howard.
The son of a pastor, Akeem was raised to be an active participant in the “family business” of outreach and mission work. This sparked an innate desire to build and uplift the communities around him, something that has now become the cornerstone of his filmmaking. The company’s name is a Mandinkan word meaning “king,” which is why the logo includes a crown.
Following the screening, Terrell Thomas spoke with Kellon Akeem on the short film “A Father’s Love”, his journey as a film makers and film producer, how he selected the cast of the film and more. As Kellon prepares to take his film to a few upcoming film festivals, Kellon broke down his plans for the remainder of 2018 and plans for a few of his upcoming films.
The interview was conducted by Terrell Thomas. The interview was shot by Danny Digital.
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