VOODOO

Right after I finished the first draft of Voodoo, I had an amazing conversation with my good friend Karen Kaia Livers about the importance of making work that challenges the popular narrative about voodoo as a spiritual movement. Among the many things that stuck with me from that conversation, Kaia told me that Voodoo is about balance; It reflects the classic yin and yang dynamic of good and evil. You reap what you sow. However, so far in popular culture, voodoo has only been associated with satanism and riddled with stereotypes. This film is a part of a new, more nuanced narrative about the Voodoo.Voodoo is a neo-noir mystery thriller set in near-future New Orleans following a homicide detective, Chance Griffin, as he deciphers a riddle that unlocks answers to an occult crime investigation. Serving as a metaphor for cultural appropriation and weaponization, voodoo serves a juxtaposing role in the film. When harnessed in good hands, voodoo lights the detective’s path. However, it also is being exploited by a sadistic white perpetrator. We’re reclaiming the culture and narrative for New Orleans, black culture, and bringing it and our perception of the city into the 21st century. This is the guiding mission of the film.