Atlanta, GA – Divine Entertainment Intl, Sky+Orange Productions, Armstrong and Associates in collaboration with BobbCat Films present the critically acclaimed “Providence”, a film about the ex-slaves return to Africa after the abolishment of slavery in the American Colonization Society’s pursuit of repatriating the slaves by establishing Liberia, a small America, land of the free.
The producers pulled out all stops to ensure that this production was a huge success.
This included, but was not limited to, months of preparation, costume design, flying in Hollywood, Nollywood, and Ghollywood actors and actresses, conducting a Providence 2 Day Film Workshop.
The innovative workshop was aimed at educating independent filmmakers and film students, uniting filmmakers, as well as celebrating creativity.
It was facilitated by industry experts from Hollywood, Nollywood, Ghollywood, and Lollywood with a collective 20 plus years of experience. Participants were afforded opportunities to learn and develop practical filmmaking skills from industry greats from all walks of life.
The final crew was selected from the pool of participants.
Shot in Liberia, West Africa and Atlanta, “Providence” tells the story of two sisters, two families, two lives that collide in a heart-wrenching tale of love and the pursuit of happiness.
Built upon the backdrop of the ex-slaves (African-Americans) first trip to Liberia and the relationships formed with the indigenous people, Providence explores the history of Liberia and the very fabric of its existence.
Richlou Dunbar, an accomplished business man returns to Liberia for the reading of his grandmother’s will and hopes of rekindling a long lost love. While at grandma’s house, he and Yassah discover his grandma’s diary, opens up and begins to read. Through instant flashbacks (1822), they journey into an unknown world, a place known as Providence Island, the birth place of the Americo-Liberians.
Through stories in the diary, a beautiful tale of love, trust, betrayal, forgiveness, begin to unravel. Issues of race, discrimination, oppression unfold as the history of the woes between the ex-slaves and indigenous people that they met there begin to unfold.
Here, we meet Richlou Dunbar, an African-American politician who married into the Smith family to sustain a lucrative position in the government. He later fraternizes with one of the house maids who subsequently begins a heated affair with her. Mary’s sister Louisa, who is promiscuous and adventurous has a thing for local guys.
She falls in love with an indigenous man named Flomo, who would later become her husband. She becomes pregnant for him and is disowned by her family. Left to suffer with the indigenous people, she assists Flomo in becoming a powerful figure in the community.
However, the discourse between the 2 families will come to last as long as the disharmony between the indigenous and Americo-Liberians that has plagued Liberia since her existence. Can the feud between these 2 families cease in time to give Richlou and Yassah a second chance at love? Please join us on this magical journey of love and historical preservation.
The movie stars ace Hollywood actress Vivica A. Fox (Generations, Soul Food, Independence Day), award-winning international phenomenon Van Vicker (When One Door Closes, Skinned), Demetria McKinney (Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, The Quad), Lisa Wu (Atlanta House Wives, Hollywood Divas), Siaka Massaquoi (Consinsual), Juliet Ibrahim, Jose Tolbert, Eddie Watson, Shoana Cachelle, and a host of other international actors and actresses. Providence was directed by the exceptional director/producer Roger Bobb (producer of numerous Tyler Perry movies/tv shows including Daddy’s Little Girl, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, House of Payne, etc.).
Christabel Peters was flown in from the UK to serve as Director of Photography and Gerald Barclay, a reknown US-based editor/filmmaker served as editor.
The film was produced by Dr. Clarice Ford-Kulah, Van Vicker, Roger Bobb, Lisa Wu, Okeke Browne, Elizabeth Armstrong, and Sheela Logan and associate produced by Hesta Baker, Dr. Dawn Cooper-Barnes, Mai Urey, Carnley Norman, Aries Dean, Gerald Barclay, and Christabel Peters.
The Executive Producers of “Providence” are Dr. Clarice Ford-Kulah, Van Vicker, Okeke Browne, and Elizabeth Armstrong.