'Let's speak for the voiceless': York natives want award-winning film to inspire others
Jasmine Vaughn-HallAn uncontrollable instinct to avenge a loved one, the challenges of post-prison life, and a cliffhanger ending that'll leave you begging for a sequel.
It's a narrative told through a short film that two brothers crafted after they left their hometown, the small city of York, for the big screen.
Combined, Elijah and Josiah DonMartin, wrote, co-wrote, produced and partially starred in their short film "God Bless You." It's a Play Lotto Studios production, a company Josiah started with a name and logo that reflect his stance on taking chances and leaps of faith.
The short film won "Best Screenplay" at the Hip Hop Film Festival in New York this past summer.
"God Bless You" follows a young black man, Malik, who recently got out of prison after serving time for selling drugs. As the man of the house, he sold drugs to support his two sisters.
Malik has no intention of going back to that life, but when he returns home after four years, he's faced with an even bigger obstacle. His younger sister, Destiney, shares an abusive secret about their older sister's boyfriend, Lonzo.
He has been raping Destiney ever since Malik went away. Malik is fueled by anger and has every intention to set things right. But, his irrational decisions with longtime friend Tick-Tock, played by Josiah, could land him right back in prison.
The film has a decorated cast including actor Julito McCullum, who plays Malik. McCullum also co-wrote and produced "God Bless You" and has had past roles in "The Wire" and "Law & Order".
Destiney, Malik's younger sister, is played by actress Andrea-Rachel Parker who starred in "Power," a popular show on Starz, and Hulu's "Wu-Tang: An American Saga".
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Authentic storytelling
Winning an award that focuses on the writing in the film reveals an important truth to Elijah and Josiah DonMartin, who now live in Philadelphia.
"A lot of ours stories we don't get to tell...[we] were writing something that mattered. Let's speak for the voiceless," Josiah said.
As creators, 33-year-old Elijah and 31-year-old Josiah look forward to using film as a platform to continue to tell stories that accurately depict black narratives. They believe those stories can often get diluted by "pre-made" perceptions in the mainstream.
"Our film speaks to [black realities] whether it's good or bad...," Elijah said.
Both brothers say people have reached out to them and shared personal stories similar to the one conveyed in the film. The choice to include a sexually abusive situation comes at a time when "women are regaining their voice."
Josiah says the theme in the film poses the question, "Where do we stand when it comes to protecting [women]?"
York city isn't in the past
Elijah and Josiah no longer live in York, but their recent success could never deter them from acknowledging where they were born and raised.
"[Our] connection to [York] city is too strong...it can't go away," Elijah said.
While the film wasn't shot in York, people from the city were still involved with production. Z Rich, a hip-hop artist and entrepreneur from York, produced all of the music for the film. The makeup artist for the cast, Loreen Rosa, is also from York.
Elijah and Josiah want this accomplishment to resonate with folks back home, especially other creators with big dreams.
"If you're from somewhere small, you might feel like you can't [do it]...the lesson is in the failure," Josiah said.
Elijah, a 2004 York High grad, agrees and stands by the idea that "York creators should be helping [other] York creators."
What's next?
Josiah says another film is on tap for production, and there could someday be a sequel to "God Bless You." And, Elijah wants to explore some documentary-style projects soon.
Eventually, they want to host a free, pop-up actors workshop in York, so that people can come and fine tune their skills. They want to make sure that they are doing their part by providing opportunities.
It's a gesture that could influence aspiring creators to "keep your foot on the gas and keep pumping with your art form and craft."
Contact Jasmine at 717-495-1789 or follow her on Twitter @jvaughn411.
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Check out this photo gallery of another York creator, Nakuu:
