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AUGUST THE FIRST

Directed by Lanre Olabisi
AUGUST THE FIRST DVD & Online Streaming
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Synopsis

It is the morning of Tunde's graduation party and things have already begun to unravel. Tunde has managed to alienate his sister, Simisola. His older brother, Ade, persistently plagues him with criticism, and their mother has started drinking again. Unbeknownst to most, Tunde has orchestrated the return of his long estranged father, resurrecting unresolved family anguish against the backdrop of Tunde's celebration. As the day turns to night, old wounds are re-opened and bad habits are revived. Layer by layer, deception and half-truths are peeled away as secrets are uncovered in what will be become the most unforgettable day the family has ever experienced.

MANITO
Directed by Eric Eason
YEAR 1 FILM 6
Junior Moreno, an ex-convict struggling to get his life back, is a product of that legacy. His brother Manny, the salutatorian of his high school class, embodies hope in the neighborhood. On the night of his graduation party, Manny faces an ill-fated decision that could change his life forever, while Junior tries to prevent his little brother from becoming another casualty. With gritty, luminescent cinematography and unflinching portrayals of characters that embody the heart and soul of the neighborhood, writer/director Eric Eason brings us an electrifying feature debut in the finest tradition of independent filmmaking.
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OT: OUR TOWN
Directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy
YEAR 1 FILM 8
Against all odds, the first theatrical production in over 20 years at Dominguez High School is going to be Thorton Wilder's American classic Our Town. The kids at this Compton school are about to experience more than a culture clash, as they embark on a rich journey and discover the educational and social value of theater. OT: Our Town tells the story of human spirit and its strength against the stereotypes holding them down. Where Thorton Wilder wrote about about little Grover's Corners, this documentary exemplifies how Our Town is every town. Our Town is Compton.
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CHOKING MAN
Directed by Steve Barron
YEAR 6 FILM 6
Jorge is a morbidly shy Ecuadorian dishwasher toiling away in a shabby diner in Queens, New York. From his solitary kitchen corner, Jorge quietly attempts to forge a bond with Amy, the newly hired Chinese waitress. Even though she tries to reciprocate, the gulf that separates them may be too large. On the job he is continually tormented by a coworker, and at home in his Harlem apartment, under the psychological control of his domineering "roommate," he battles his inner demons. Choking Man captures the feeling of claustrophobia, and almost literal asphyxiation, newcomers to America experience as they struggle to find a place and purpose in this strange land.
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LAKE TAHOE
Directed by Fernando Eimbcke
YEAR 7 FILM 3
Teenage Juan crashes his family's car into a telegraph pole on the outskirts of town, and then scours the streets searching for someone to help him fix it. His quest will bring him to Don Heber, an old paranoid mechanic whose only companion is Sica, his almost human boxer dog; to Luc�a, a young mother who is convinced that her real place in life is as a lead singer in a punk band, and to "The One who Knows", a teenage mechanic obsessed with martial arts and Kung Fu philosophy.  The absurd and bewildering worlds of these characters drag Juan into a one day journey in which he will come to accept what he was escaping from in the first place--an event both as natural and inexplicable as a loved one's death.
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Editorial Reviews

By Eddie Cockrell

Olabisi exhibits a sure hand crosscutting among story threads and has a fine rapport with his ensemble cast. Standouts include newcomer Alsup as the well-meaning Tunde, Green's two-faced Dipo and Merriweather's volatile Rhonda.

 

--Eddie Cockrell/ Variety - Review

A smart and engaging debut, Olabisi's film is notable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it portrays black middle-class Americans in a normal domestic crisis situation sans guns, drugs, dealers or pregnant teens....Olabisi is most definitely a talent to watch and his film shows an adept camera eye and feeling for his subject matter

--IndieWire - Review

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Customer Reviews


Randy Buck - Customer Review
AUGUST THE FIRST is a real pleasure -- sharp writing, sure direction, and compelling acting. The dramatic territory -- a suburban clan's regrets and recriminations over a long day's celebration -- may be familiar, but freshness of observation and intelligence of execution make this picture a winner. Think of it as the perfect antidote to the Tyler Perry infestation at your local multiplex. I'll be eagerly awaiting more from writer/director Lanre Olabisi.


Jeff in Seattle - Customer Review
A nicely executed film with excellent performances and effort by all involved! This film shows the graduation party of one young man who invited his estranged Nigerian father without informing his friends and family of his decision. Apparently, this stirred some negative feelings in all involved. As the film progresses, you'll notice that the decisions were not at all altruistic. See this film and find out for yourself!


Funmi Tofowomo - Customer Review
"Olabisi is a true storyteller....August the First is a delightful film."

Photos

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Dipo (D. Rubin Green) and Tunde (Ian Alsup)
Tunde (Ian Alsup) and Elsa (A. Toni Sterrett)
Rhonda (Joy Merriweather) and Dipo (D. Rubin Green) talking
Director Lanre Olabisi
August the First (hi res)