#Sprinter Produced by Will & Jada Pinkett-Smith & featuring Usain Bolt Hits Screens UK Wide – Fri 6th Sept (Previews from 27th Aug)

08/23/2019

In Cinemas across the UK from 6th September

UK Trailer:
https://youtu.be/QieAjqERXa4

Special Previews Screenings & Q&A’s
from 27th Aug – See below!
www.sprinterthefilm.com
@SprinterTheFilm @ayadistribution @KushFilmsOnline

Award-Winning Festival Standout Film – SPRINTER
hits UK screens from 6th September

From the US, Jamaica and Canada the celebrated Jamaican director Storm Saulter’s feature, Sprinter, is set to arrive in the UK and carry on the Caribbean carnival spirit; sprinting into UK cinemas from 6 September.

Produced by Overbrook Entertainment with Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith Executive Producing, the film is a coming-of-age story about Akeem Sharp (Dale Elliott), nicknamed ‘The Rasta Rocket’ for his dreadlocks and amazing running speed. Akeem wants to be Jamaica’s next top track-and-field star and hopes his athletic talent will catapult him into the US collegiate athletics system and reunite with his mother, who left him as a child. Unfortunately, Akeem’s dream faces obstacles from his turbulent home life with a volatile father and an older, former athlete now scam-artist brother who works his way into Akeem’s career.

This is Storm Saulter’s second feature film; following the 2011 award-winning debut film Better Mus’ Come, which was hailed by critics as signalling a fresh new movement of independent filmmaking throughout the Caribbean.

It has an all-star Jamaican and American cast including Kadeem Wilson (Ghett’ A Life), Dennis Titus (The Mighty Quinn), Shantol Jackson (Yardie), Bryshere Y. Gray (Empire), with Lorraine Toussaint (Selma, Orange is The New Black), and David Alan Grier (In Living Color, Jumanji), as well as a cameo from the most iconic sprinter of all, Usain Bolt. The film also features original songs by Grammy Award winning artist NE-YO and dancehall artist Shenseea.

The film aims to move away from the stereotypical storylines of guns and gangsters typically told about Jamaica. It will bring a fresh and positive youthful energy to UK screens, with its inspirational coming-of-age story, energetic Jamaican dancehall music, and vibrant Caribbean cinematography all combining to produce a film that has the feel-good factor of 90’s hit film Cool Runnings and the cinematic appeal of classic The Harder They Come.

The UK release will run alongside special music events and draw on UK based/born Jamaican artists, with music performances from GAIKA, spoken word artists and Dancehall DJ nights. Director Storm Saulter and Producer and Writer Robert Maylor (Mental Telepathy Pictures) will be in attendance, taking part in Q&As for a select number of screenings across the county.

Executive Producer Jada Pinkett Smith states: ‘Sprinter showcases the unbreakable bond between parents and their children. The film is a testament to the powerful, personal, and universal stories that can be told when underrepresented voices are given access, inclusion, and opportunity. Will and I are so proud of this film, and are beyond excited to share it with families in the UK.

The release is supported by the BFI Audience Fund, awarding funds from the National Lottery. The film will be released in across the UK via Odeon, Picturehouse, Cineworld, Everyman cinemas as well as a number of art-house cinemas across the UK (other cinema’s are expected to come on board).

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Notes to editors:

Through the BFI Fund leading black film exhibition/marketing Company Kush Films who for the last 21 years has worked tirelessly to open doors to UK cinemas and create public access to black films will work for the first time in full distribution support with distributor Aya Distribution. It is hoped that through this more BAME film industry professionals will eventually move into the field of distribution and bring their expertise to better support the future release of other black films.
For more information about this press release please contact Justine Atkinson, Project Director for Aya Distribution by telephone on: 07971740678 or email: j.atkinson@ayadistribution.org

For information on Kush Films and their long history of opening doors to UK cinemas for black films please contact Marlon Palmer, Director on: 0203 070 3200 / 07961 977 749 or email: info@kushfilms.com

For information on Mental Telepathy Pictures or Overbrook Entertainment please contact Rob Maylor: 001 646 418 7860 or email: rob@mentaltelepathypictures.com

For the full screening schedule see: https://www.sprinterthefilm.com

ASSETS:

Sprinter UK EPK Kit
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fa_cDGmd8mDLu8y8zeODtiKBjRZnflrK/view?usp=sharing

Sprinter Assets (Dropbox):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a38pe0lv2mhhzph/AAASDyVi_L8pfLpovVFekluRa?dl=0

For Press Interviews and general information of the film please contact Marlon Palmer
07961 977 749 / 0203 070 3200

We have a number of Previews Screenings coming up the week of 26th August (if you would like to attend as press in relation to doing a feature, interview or review please let us know?)

Peckhamplex (Lon): 27th Aug (8.30pm)
Odeon, Broadway Plaza (Birmingham): 28th Aug
Mayfair Hotel (Lon): 29th Aug (tbc)
Ritzy, Brixton: 30th Aug (8.30pm)
Hyde Park Cinema (Leeds): 31st Aug (5.00pm)
The Gate, Notting Hill (Lon): 3rd Sept (8.30pm)
Genesis Cinema, Mile End (Lon): 4th Sept (8.30pm)
We look forward to hearing from you!

About the BFI

The BFI is the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image. It is a cultural charity that:

Curates and presents the greatest international public programme of world cinema for audiences; in cinemas, at festivals and online
Cares for the BFI National Archive – the most significant film and television archive in the world
Actively seeks out and supports the next generation of filmmakers investing National Lottery money into development, production, distribution, sales, export, film heritage and education

Works with Government and industry to make the UK the most creatively exciting and prosperous place to make film internationally

Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE.

– GAIKA a British artist and writer from South London – https://gaika.warp.net/

ABOUT OVERBROOK ENTERTAINMENT

OVERBROOK ENTERTAINMENT is a Film and Television company devoted to the creation of extraordinary entertainment art and its delivery to all people of the world – a vision shared and cultivated by Overbrook’s partners: James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Will Smith. Overbrook’s diverse slate of critically acclaimed and blockbuster feature films has grossed more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Some of Overbrook’s most notable projects include ALI, HITCH, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, I AM LEGEND, HANCOCK, the Tony-nominated FELA! musical, THE KARATE KID, Netflix’s TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE, and most recently, HALA, which world premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and sold to Apple.

ABOUT MENTAL TELEPATHY PICTURES

Bringing new narratives from the Caribbean and diaspora to life and a screen near you, MENTAL TELEPATHY PICTURES is an independent film production collective and sales agent. We create content without borders by amplifying the universal stories of underrepresented, visionary auteurs and advocating for their inclusion in content creation and distribution for audiences worldwide.

The company was founded by Jamaican-American attorney Robert A. Maylor, who has held industry positions at Magnolia Pictures, United Talent Agency (UTA), and Mark Burnett’s One Three Media Company. Maylor is a graduate of Princeton University, William & Mary Law School and USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program.

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Celebrating the 6th September release of #Sprinter we have a number of Special Previews Screenings & Q&A’s with director Storm Saulter, star Shantol Jackson & prod Rob Maylor coming up the week of 27th August.

Be first to see the film – Book Your Tickets Now!