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Cocoa in the Dark

The captain of the debate team makes high school and fatherhood look easy until his life is forever changed after pleading guilty to a crime he didn’t commit.

  • Ryan Hope Travis
    Director
    Pupae, In Between, Charlie, Short for Charlotte
  • Ryan Hope Travis
    Writer
    Pupae, In Between, Charlie, Short for Charlotte
  • Kiki Rice
    Producer
  • Sheldon Lance McCullough
    Producer
  • S. Sally Travis
    Producer
  • Ryan Hope Travis
    Producer
  • LaTia Gaskin
    Producer
  • Sheldon Lance McCullough
    Key Cast
    "Rashad Leonard"
    Fatal Attraction, Black Millennials
  • Tahj A. Vaughans
    Key Cast
    "Leak"
    P-Valley, The Playwright
  • Ja'El The Great
    Key Cast
    "Eva Sharlene Leonard"
    Ernie & Cerbie, The Love We Had
  • Johnell J. Easter
    Key Cast
    "Christopher 'General' O'Neil "
    The Family That Preys, Mommy Uncensored, House of Payne
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 31 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 18, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ryan Hope Travis

Ryan Hope Travis is a director, filmmaker, theatre-maker, writer and actor, and professor. His work as a multi-hyphenate filmmaker (i.e., writer/director/cinematographer) has received Best Narrative Feature, Debut Film Award, Best Indie Feature Film, the Bronze Award for Best Micro Movie, and a Grand Jury Prize, among other awards and recognition, with world premieres at film festivals throughout the US and UK. His debut feature film, Cocoa in the Dark, recently received distribution from Porter+Craig in Beverly Hills. Ryan guest-starred in HBO’s 11-time Emmy Award-winning series Watchmen, AppleTV+ series Manhunt, and numerous other theatre, film, and commercial projects. Ryan is the Founder and Lead Maker of Arcable, a film and theatre production company dedicated to producing works of art rooted in social commentary.

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Director Statement

Cocoa in the Dark is my debut feature film. Beyond that, it means so much more.

Our film shines a light on the U.S. criminal justice system and how it grossly fails people of color and the working poor. It is about a strained relationship between a father and a son, about a teenager who attempts to navigate fatherhood and youth. It is about the social systems that affect our lives, and demonstrates how systemic racism affects the most vulnerable. The film presents the reality of these sometimes opaque topics. This project is dedicated to the people who are impacted by these subjects.

We are deeply grateful to the numerous artists and community partners that gave to this project. Their commitment made it possible. Thank you for watching.

In solidarity.