It’s not easy to get your feature film debut out in the world, and sometimes you have take a lot of the work on your shoulders. That didn’t stop Amman Abbasi, who wrote, directed, edited, produced, and composed music for “Dayveon,” which earned the support of David Gordon Green, who signed up as an executive producer. Not too bad at all. Now, after a debut at the Sundance Film Festival, the drama is getting ready to open in cinemas.
Devin Blackmon, Kordell “KD” Johnson, Dontrell Bright, Chasity Moore, Lachion Buckingham, and Marquell Manning star in the coming-of-age story, set in rural Arkansas, which follows the titular Dayveon who is drawn toward bad decisions by the promise of familial connection. Here’s the official synopsis:
Struggling with his older brother’s death, 13-year-old Dayveon (newcomer Devin Blackmon) spends the sweltering summer days roaming around his rural Arkansan town. With no parents and few role models, he soon falls in with the local gang. Though his sister’s boyfriend tries to provide stability and comfort as a reluctant father figure, Dayveon becomes increasingly drawn into the camaraderie and violence of his new world.
A film that “acts as a calling card for strong directorial talents that are first displayed here, but are sure flourish even more powerfully in future efforts,” you can see “Dayveon” when it starts to roll out in limited release on September 13th.