Rap World Day
On January 11, 2025, film lifers Edward Frumkin, William George-Louis, and Jard Lerebours are hyped to see a movie at an NYC cinema. Their selection: Conner O’Malley and Danny Scharar’s Rap World on the day that the aforementioned film takes place. Featuring cameos from filmmakers Conner O'Malley and James. N Kienitz Wilkins and shot on a low-res camcorder like Edward's favorite movie of 2024, this diary film expresses filmgoing as an identity and lifestyle.
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Edward FrumkinDirectorThe American Frontier
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William George-LouisProducerPuss
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Jard LereboursKey CastCoconut
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Edward FrumkinKey CastThe Travel Companion
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William George-LouisKey CastLiquor/Wine/Beer
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Conner O'MalleyKey CastRap World
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Travis WoodKey CastKayla in 1A
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James N. Kienitz WilkinsKey CastNotes of an Appearance
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Brian AgamieKey CastPuss
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Jard LereboursCinematographerCoconut
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Edward FrumkinCinematographerThe American Frontier
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Brian AgamieCinematographerPuss
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William George-LouisCinematographerPuss
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Project Type:Documentary, Experimental, Short
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Runtime:13 minutes 23 seconds
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Completion Date:January 31, 2025
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Production Budget:200 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Chicago Underground Film FestivalChicago, IL
United States
September 18, 2025
World Premiere -
The Downtown FestivalNew York, NY
United States
October 17, 2025
NY Premiere -
Long Island Youth Film FestivalHuntington, NY
United States
November 9, 2025 -
Film Diary NYCNew York, NY
United States
March 23, 2026
Edward Frumkin is a neurodivergent critic and filmmaker. He has written for publications like BOMB, The Daily Beast, IndieWire, Interview Magazine, and Reverse Shot. He shown his films at festivals like Big Sky Documentary, Brooklyn, SCAD Savannah, and Sidewalk Film Festivals.
When filmmaker Andrew Norman Wilson curated a screening on January 11 that consists the following films: George Kuchar's Weather Diary #3, Bryan Ropar's 100 Plastic Chair Countdown, James N. Kienitz Wilkins' Tester, and Conner O'Malley and Danny Scharar's Rap World, I noticed that this screening and the movie Rap World both take place on January 11. Once I made the connection, I recruit my friends Jard Lerebours and William George-Louis to spend the day with me and document it on Jard's low res camcorder. I also ask Brian Agamie (who brought his miniDV camera) and Travis Wood to converse with me before and after the screening. I also want to thank James (a social acquaintance of mine) to spend 30 seconds with me before introducing his film, Tester, on Rap World Day. While I am one of the few to recognize January 11 as Rap World Day, this film had a non-scripted outline and I made it as a documentary. We were reliving, not reenacting our past recollections of Rap World. Everything that is uttered and performed on camera is a truthful observation. For example, filmmaker Travis Wood has never seen Rap World before its 1/11/2025 screening and he shares his review of the film with me, Jard, Will, and Brian after the screening.
Me, William, and Jard shot Rap World Day on Jard's Sony Handycam to embody a homemade aesthetic that is channeled in Rap World's use of Mini DV camcorders. I deliberately approached shooting Rap World as a novice who didn't identify as a filmmaker, as seen in my violation of the 180-degree rule in the post-screening conversation of the film. The Sony Handycam's specifications elicit nostalgia and its washed out traits devoid commercial and narrative filmmaking.
This 24 hour long celebration joins Star Wars (May 4) and Mean Girls (October 3) as the only other films to have a notable dedicated day. Rap World Day is not only a tribute to my favorite film of 2024, it is also a testament of filmgoing, hustling in NYC, fandom, and friendship between three people of different walks of life (a white neurodivergent man, a Latinx man, and a Black/Latinx non-binary artist). This film captures a melting pot of NYC and the intersectionality of different subcultures of the NYC film scene.