Private Project

YOUNG KING

As Diondre Howell re-adjusts to civilian life and struggles to cope with the scars of the Iraq war, he increasingly becomes a threat to those he cares about the most – his family.

  • Bryant T Griffin
    Director
  • Bryant T Griffin
    Writer
  • Selena Leoni
    Producer
    All I Ever Wanted, Eid Mubarak, JEROME, Bienvenidos a Los Angeles, Smile or Hug
  • Vincent Washington
    Key Cast
    "Diondre Howell"
    Bad Times at the El Royale
  • Vaughn Wilkinson
    Key Cast
    "Isaiah Howell"
    Straight Outta Compton
  • Tarra Riggs
    Key Cast
    "Zoe Howell"
    Ballast, The Help
  • James Arthur Sims
    Key Cast
    "James Howell"
    Instant Family
  • Kirby Griffin
    Key Cast
    "Fatimah Danel"
    Perfects
  • Vittoria Campaner
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, Family
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 32 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    April 30, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • American Black Film Festival

    Best Actor
Director Biography - Bryant T Griffin

Bryant Griffin is an Emmy Award-winning writer and director based in Los Angeles, known for his compelling, character-driven stories that shine a light on marginalized communities. Holding an MFA in Directing from UCLA, Bryant’s work resonates with depth and authenticity. His feature documentary L.A. REBELLION: A CINEMATIC MOVEMENT, produced for PBS SoCal’s Artbound series, won the 2024 LA Emmy. His debut narrative feature film, YOUNG KING, premiered at the 2024 American Black Film Festival, where it won Best Actor. It was subsequently nominated for Best Feature at the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival and is an official selection of the 2024 Austin Film Festival. YOUNG KING follows an African American Iraq War veteran grappling with PTSD and a denial of health benefits, exploring the struggles of those who serve and the communities they return to.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Three years into my undergraduate degree, I dropped out and moved back home to live with family. For several years, I dealt with minor depression as I struggled to find a path for myself. I did what many African Americans do, instead of getting medical help, I went to church. My grandfather, the pastor, would often tell me stories of being a young man in the military, and how his service in the Korean War turned his life around. He insisted that a career in the military would help me too. Advice that many young black men, desperate for direction in their youth, receive. One of these individuals is the basis for the character of Diondre Howell.

As I went back to finish my degree at North Carolina State University, my friend enlisted in the National Guard. Three weeks after my first day of class, the September 11th attacks happened. Shortly after, my friend was deployed to Iraq. He was never the same. I often wonder if this could have been me.

"Young King" deals with the consequences of an American culture of toxic masculinity, guns and God. It is important to know that the consequences of wars that men and women of the armed forces fight never stay confined to a foreign battlefield; the effects of war always come home. The psychological effects of war on the men and women that serve often go under-reported, untreated, and it is the families of soldiers who are the least prepared to deal with these challenging problems.