UMC Acquires ‘The Available Wife’; Dawn Richard Joins Dove Cameron In ‘Issac’; AAFCA Sets Date For 12th Annual AAFCA Awards – Film Briefs

Amanda N'Duka
·3 min read

UMC, the first-to-market, Black-targeted streaming subscription service launched in 2014, picked up The Available Wife out of the recently wrapped American Black Film Festival. The romance pic, which will hit the streamer on December 17, was directed by Jamal Hill and stars KJ Smith, who currently stars on the Tyler Perry BET series, Sistas. Written by Tressa Azarel Smallwood, Hill, and Kyjuan Cleveland, the drama follows Nicole Wright (Smith), a beautiful and successful music CEO whose life is about to crumble in front of her. While having an affair with the sexy artist on the rise who promises her everything (Terayle Hill), Nicole learns the hard way that looks can be deceiving and his motives are as dark as the secrets she keeps. Clifton Powell and Roger Guenveur Smith round out the cast. Smallwood produced through via her MegaMind Productions along with Audrea Topps Harjo. “Early last year, UMC premiered Tressa’s film Secrets to a great response from our passionate subscribers. Our audience has shown that it thoroughly enjoys the twists and turns Tressa’s writing displays and we’re excited for fans to indulge in the jaw-dropping storylines she showcases in her latest film The Available Wife,” said Brett Dismuke, UMC’s Chief Content Officer.

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Recording artist Dawn Richard has been added to the cast of Issac, and indie starring Dove Cameron and RJ Mitte. Josh Webber directed the film from a screenplay co-wrote with Christopher Neil. It’s about Issac (Mitte), who meets a friendly waitress Cassi (Cameron) one night at a diner. The pair set out to commit a revenge murder together in the name of love. Richard will play Agent Riley in a supporting role. Producers are Webber, Mitte, Mailene Webber, Robert Robinson, and Mike Blevins. Mario Azevedo, Hans Gerst, and Mike Muntaser serve as exec producers. Richard, former member of popular girl group Danity Kane, is repped by Shakir Entertainment Management.

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The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has set April 7, 2021 for its 12th Annual AAFCA Awards honoring outstanding achievement in film. AAFCA Award winners will be announced along with AAFCA’s annual Top 10 list highlighting the top 10 films of the year and the top 10 television programs of the year on March 8, 2021. As it’s been done in past years, additional honorary awards that will be presented at annual gala, including AAFCA Stanley Kramer Award and the AAFCA Cinema Vanguard Award. AAFCA recently held its 2nd Annual AAFCA TV Honors recognizing outstanding achievement in television with great success as a virtual ceremony. Said AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson IV, “It is anticipated that in light of the pandemic, the AAFCA Awards will also be held as a virtual event, but we’re monitoring the situation closely and can adapt to an in-person or hybrid event if the situation improves. There have already been so many worthy films and performances in 2020 — We’re eager to recognize the incredible achievements of the film community during this unprecedented time.”

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