Sunday, December 13, 2020

Tune in 12/14/20 at 9:00am pst - Janeane speaks with Hasan Oswald, Director of HIGHER LOVE, an award-winning film including the 2020 SLAMDANCE GRAND JURY WINNER - AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL ON NOVEMBER 3.



Daryl Gant is a Camden native, father of eight, and printing press operator. He was raised by a single mother and strives to be a better father than his own, who abandoned him at birth. His girlfriend, Nani, is the love of his life but struggles to cope with a crippling crack and heroin addiction, and the nefarious lifestyle to support it. More troubling is that Nani is pregnant with their new baby boy, Darnez. It becomes Daryl's new-found purpose to forge a better future for the both of them.

Nani is also a Camden native, whose mother died with a needle in her arm. Now she struggles with the responsibilities of motherhood in the face of her own addiction.

Darnez was born healthy but needs particular care growing up in an environment rife with safety and well-being concerns.

Their friend, Iman, was once a drug dealing kingpin in Camden in the 1990s. He was also a father and a mechanical engineer until he caught a dealer's habit selling dope. He embodies the spirit of many disaffected residents of Camden, taking the viewer on a tour of post-industrial American decay.


His own quest to sobriety will eventually force the hand of Nani to make a change, as they forge parallel paths to recovery.


HIGHER LOVE was directed by first time filmmaker Hasan Oswald, executive produced by Stephen Nemeth (Rhino Records) and produced by Oswald, Alexander Spiess, & Derek Rubin. Oswald used a Robert Rodriguez inspired zero-budget strategy to make the film, selling his blood-plasma, racking up no interest credit card bills, and learning all things films on youtube tutorials in lieu of film school.

Gravitas Ventures will release HIGHER LOVE on VOD and Digital platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango Now and all major cable/satellite platforms on Tuesday, November 3. The film has a running time of 78 minutes and will not be rated by the MPAA.

Slamdance Film Festival (Grand Jury Award, Best Documentary Feature)


Brooklyn Film Festival (Winner Spirit Award & Winner Best New Director)


Krakow International Film Festival (European Premiere)


Doku Fest


Melbourne Documentary Film Festival


Rhode Island International Film Festival (Winner Best Documentary & Best Editing)


Harlem Film Festival


Stony Brook Film Festival


Cinema of NYC Film Festival


San Antonio Film Festival


American Fringe Festival

Coming up! UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts - Joel Veenstra, current Chair of the Drama Department at the University of California, Irvine, specializes in stage management, improvisation, and collaborative production

Joel Veenstra Chair, Department of Drama Head of Stage Management LISTEN Joel Veenstra is a professional stage manager, production manager, ...