Wildflower
In a dystopian future where racist white fear is weaponized, a young warrior must find the courage to lead her community.
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Jumai YusufDirectorLucid, Pearl Rain, Play Date, lili[s]
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Jumai YusufWriterLucid, Pearl Rain, Play Date, lili[s]
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Alexander AtienzaProducerAmphibians, ETC., Mercury Retrograde
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Alexander AtienzaEditorAmphibians, ETC., Mercury Retrograde
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De'Onna "Tree" Young-StephensDirector Of PhotographyJanelle Monae: Dirty Computer, Saints & Sinners, Chasing Waterfalls
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De'Onna "Tree" Young-StephensProduction DesignJanelle Monae: Dirty Computer, Saints & Sinners, Chasing Waterfalls
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Tony SnegoffStunt CoordinatorThe Amityville Murders, Commando, Reno 911, Robocop 3
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Jaimie PanganComposersThe Art of Flawsome, Fruit of May, Alter
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Mathias CoppensComposersLast Diwali, Frank and Frankie, My Blue Room
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Federico TorriComposersThe Profiler, Disquietude
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Bria WadeKey Cast"Zainab"Where the Water Runs, GIRL FIGHT!
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Russell AndrewsKey Cast"Rafael"Insecure, Straight Outta Compton, NCIS: New Orleans, Runaway Island
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Garland ScottKey Cast"Black Man"The Ghost Who Walks, Almost Amazing, Pops
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Daria BallingKey Cast"Blonde Lady"Issues 101, Moments, Game Night
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Arianna JonaeKey Cast"Angela"20 Something, Where Is My Romeo?, Destined to Ride
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Trevor RogersKey Cast"Officer 1"The Wasteland, The Sleep, Iron Curtain Night
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Kevin HuotKey Cast"Officer 2"Fires in December, Couples Night, Moretones
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Alexander Jones IIIKey Cast"Student"Shifter, Date With Destiny
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Missira RossKey Cast"Student"Nina's Love, Luau, Nightingale
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Sterling ArdreyKey Cast"Student"Jericho, ER, Criminal Minds
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Taahira MuhammadKey Cast"Student"Cheetah in August, Wrongful Termination, Wonders Of Love
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Laura Rose KennonKey Cast"Clean Streets App Voice "Ted Bundy: Serial Monster, Escalate, Dub Step
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Project Type:Short, Student
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Genres:Sci-Fi, Action, Martial Arts, Afrofuturist
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Runtime:6 minutes
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Completion Date:May 5, 2019
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Production Budget:1,500 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, Korean
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:Yes
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Fighting Spirit Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
September 7, 2019
World Premiere
Official Selection -
MECCAcon International Film FestivalDetroit, Michigan
United States
September 19, 2019
North American Premiere
Official Selection -
National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY)Seattle, Washington
United States
October 25, 2019
West Coast Premiere
Official Selection -
Rockport Film FestivalRockport, Texas
United States
November 1, 2019
Texas Premiere
Official Selection -
Anti-Hero Production Genre FestBurbank, California
United States
February 23, 2020
Official Selection
Jumai Yusuf is an MFA Film & TV Production student at the USC School Of Cinematic Arts. She graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology in 2016, before changing her career ambition. During her undergraduate years, she directed the sci-fi web series "Absent" along with the sci-fi short film "lili[s]" which premiered at Wizard World Comic Con - Sacramento and played at festivals around the country. Her afrofuturistic film "Pearl Rain" premiered at Comicpalooza in Houston and played in Montreal and Toronto as part of the Black Speculative Arts Movement convention, where she was also a panelist. Her horror film "Lucid", the first film she directed at USC, screened at the MECCACon International Film Festival in Detroit. Her work has been featured multiple times by the "Plan A Female Filmmaker Showcase" held by MPACT Events & Richard Lawson Studios. She also has directed theater productions and worked with the American Repertory Theater on shows such as "Witness Uganda". Her portfolio is available at www.jumaiyusuf.com.
The core of “Wildflower” is the father-daughter like relationship between Zainab and her teacher Rafael. This is largely based off of my own personal experience. I am a black belt (cho-dan) in Soo Bahk Do, a Korean martial art similar to Taekwondo. For years I studied Soo Bahk Do with my sisters in our local community center taught by our Sabonim, Paulo Amaral. Although I lived in a largely white suburb, in Soo Bahk Do I learned a Korean art from a Brazilian teacher, alongside mostly LatinX students. Soo Bahk Do was my rock; amongst changing interests and hobbies, it still is the longest lasting commitment I have had in my life. This film is in many ways a love letter to the art and to my Sabonim, who became like a second father to me. When I was accepted into film school he was filled with pride and excitement, so much so that his reaction overshadowed my own parents! With this film, I want to bring light upon this mostly unknown martial art and share the values and sense of community that comes with being a martial artist.
This film is set in an alternate dystopian reality that is very close to our own. In this world, the CLEAN STREETS PROGRAM delivers an app to all white people that allows them to torture black people with the push of a button. Although this uses futuristic “melanin-targeting” technology, the idea for this app comes straight from the headlines. Stories abound of white women calling the police on black people who are simply living their lives; whether it's having a BBQ, selling lemonade, or playing with their child in the park. There is a real, racially-motivated, irrational fear of black people in this country; and those who think they need to punish or arrest us in order to feel safe. So, I simply imagined what would happen if these people had the power to get rid of their “scary” black neighbors for good, in an efficient, government-sanctioned way. This way I hope to highlight the absurd challenges that many black people in America have to face on a daily basis.
My specialty is making films of the speculative genres (specifically science fiction, fantasy, and horror). I love genre films because they give filmmakers the freedom to push the boundaries of human imagination and filmmaking technology, while also grappling with political and social issues. As a director, I want to harness the power of storytelling to tackle the poisonous ideologies that cause so much division and strife in the world today. I believe our future is limited only by what we can imagine, and artists express the imagination of humanity.