Black Moon

Slim Knox makes a living collecting debt from desperate people and business owners. Slim doesn’t steer away from violence, in fact, it’s his first choice for problem-solving. While out collecting money, he encounters an escort in trouble they happened to have a common past. Later on, while collecting money from a pimp, he encounters the same woman and rescues her again from her unfortunate circumstances. After these events, Slim decides to turn over a new leaf by abandoning his debt collecting ways.

  • Van Dinh
    Director
  • Kendal Spence
    Writer
  • Miles Archie
    Writer
  • Van Dinh
    Writer
  • Van Dinh
    Producer
  • Isabella Medina
    Producer
  • Miles Archie
    Producer
  • Kendal Spence
    Producer
  • Jahi Minkah Trotter
    Key Cast
    "Slim"
  • Lirelle Gardere
    Key Cast
    "Nawja"
  • Eduardo Rosario
    Key Cast
    "Hugo"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Thriller, action, narrative
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 7 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 2, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Savannah College of Art and Design
Director Biography - Van Dinh

Born in Buffalo, NY, Van Dinh is the son of two Vietnamese refugee boat people escaping communist Vietnam.

Growing up, he was the entertainer for his family and friends. Seeing how movies bring people together, he wanted to do that for a living. Currently, Van’s resume includes working on productions such as Marvel, Stranger Things, Hennessy, and the US government. Van's experience spans almost a decade of filmmaking, from production assistant to producing high-end commercials.

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Director Statement

“You have one life, you better live how you want.” This quote comes from my best friend who passed away suddenly at the age of 28. We were discussing how frustrating life can be. I’ve always wanted to tell stories and entertain people since I was a kid. To pursue this passion, I attended a liberal arts high school, enrolled in a college intensive program that only accepts fifteen students a year, and worked at several production companies. While I’ve been blessed to work on amazing productions, I eventually began to feel like a replaceable cog in a massive machine. The question of "what now?" didn't arise until several productions later, when my dream became a job. I lost my way for a bit and just needed to be reminded of what I actually wanted.

In a way, Black Moon follows the same themes. It tells the story of a jaded lost soul who just lives day-to-day and lets others do the thinking for him. When Miles Archie came to me with the idea, we both shared a frustration with the fact that every black film seemed to highlight black people as victims of racism. Why couldn’t we make a movie about a Black samurai?

We wanted to focus on keeping this film as diverse as possible, not just featuring African American actors, but also actors from Asian, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern backgrounds. However, we didn’t expect the low pool of options for minority actors. As an Asian filmmaker in a predominantly white industry, I want to be a force for change. I was once on an Asian show where I was the only Asian crew member in production. This needs to change. I believe it’s a supply and demand issue, as there isn’t a large enough demand for minority actors. Therefore, I hope that Black Moon pushes the industry in a better direction and allows more opportunities for all races to try their hand at filmmaking. After all, you only have one life.