Set among the cane fields of rural Louisiana, BURNING CANE follows a deeply religious, God fearing mother struggling to reconcile her tightly-held convictions of faith with the love she has for her troubled, self-destructive son while also witnessing her dejected pastor’s decline. The intimate drama captures the complexity and complacency of family life and religion in rural Louisiana. With his spare, almost documentary filmmaking style, Phillip Youmans, who wrote, directed, photographed and edited BURNING CANE as his debut feature film, captures the daily lives of the characters and the natural beauty of the town of Laurel Valley and manages to humanize the flawed characters.

BURNING CANE is a 2019 Tribeca Film Festival Founders Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature, Best Cinematography, Best Actor (Wendell Pierce), and 2019 Venice Film Festival Official Selection.

Written, Directed, Shot, and Edited by Philllip Youmans. Produced by Wendell Pierce, Mose Mayer, Ojo Akinlana, Karen Kaia Livers, Cassandra Youmans, Phillip Youmans. Executive Produced by Benh Zeitlin, Cassandra Youmans, Phillip Youmans.

Starring Wendell Pierce, Karen Kaia Livers, Dominique McClellan, Braelyn Kelly, and Emyri Crutchfield.

Smino - “90 Proof” ft. J. Cole

Directed + Edited by Phillip Youmans

Executive Producer: Bridget Botchway B

Executive Producer: Henny Yegezu

Label: Motown

Produced by Johnny Hernandez & Joseph Barbalaco of Cult Classic

Cinematography by Cory Fraiman Lott

Production Design by Charlie Keeling & Keely Beal

Starring Smino, J. Cole, Natalia Leckey, Sonyae Blu & Bridget Botchway

Extras Casting: Bobby James

Motown Video Commissioner, SVP - Emmanuelle Cuny 1st AD & Raleigh Producer: Robert Opperman 1st AC: Austin Smoak 2nd AC: Summer Sierra Steadicam: Ryan Murphy Gaffer: Robert Bodrogi Key Grip: Kent Willard Smino Stylist: Taylar Hawkins J Cole Barber: Wil The Barber J Cole Stylist: Raeana Anaïs Cast HMU: Eddie Segoviano Production Assistant: Robbie Lewis Production Assistant: Jeri Hiwott Production Assistant: Bobby James

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.

Michael Kiwanuka “Beautiful Life”

We follow teenagers playing Russian roulette with a parent’s revolver. As each player holds the gun up to their temple, their lives flash before their eyes. When we die, our bodies release DMT; as the chemical fills our bloodstream, it’s said that a person experiences their life flashing before their eyes. So close to their possible death, I wanted to explore these characters through their memories. With each pull of the trigger, the chance of death rises and each player deals with varying levels of fear. Overconfidence and recklessness underline the core themes of this film: life is beautiful and precious, and conformity and exhibitionism can be deadly. Though they’re fearful, they pull the trigger anyway, bowing to the pressure of the moment.