Tag Archives: Mooz-lum

Mary Mary shares gospel truth with host Marc Lamont Hill. (Photo courtesy Columbia Records)

Preview Our World: Gospel Stars Mary Mary

Also: the state of independent film and Black filmmakers

Host Marc Lamont Hill sits down with Mary Mary, then discusses the state of Black…

By BlackEnterprise.com

Posted: December 23, 2011 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Facebook, Kickstarter, Demand It and other social media platforms have created a viral movie-loving audience, making 2011 an explosive year for the independent Black filmmaker. Online options are proving fruitful for movie producers with their backs against the wall and no distribution deals on the table. PR icon, Ava DuVernay used $50,000 of her own money to produce and release her film, I Will Follow, independently through AMC Independent after a social campaign couldn’t contain the demand for more Black films. First-time filmmaker, Qasim Basir, wrote and independently produced Mooz-lum, which he released domestically last February and beat out films like Justin Bieber: Never Say Never in per screen earnings. With the International Black Film Festival of Nashville declaring October Black Movie Month, BlackEnterprise.com highlights 10 of the top-grossing independent Black films. —Darralynn Hutson

10 Most Profitable Independent Black Films

As part of Black Movie Month, we highlight indie projects that earned major box office bank

Independent films may not have big budgets but their quality can sometimes attract mainstream audiences,…

By Darralynn Hutson

Posted: October 7, 2011 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Mooz-Lum director Qasim Basir steps from behind the camera and into the spotlight (Press) A lot goes into making an independent movie. Beyond securing budgets (or the lack thereof), talent and equipment, it takes a lot of patience and perseverance to actually see a screenplay go from just words on a page to a finished reel. Still, the best most indie filmmakers can hope for are a few screenings on the film fest circuit and critical acclaim, but that wasn’t enough for writer/director Qasim “Q” Basir. Not only did Basir get to complete his first feature film, Mooz-Lum, but the 30-year-old Michigan native secured an all-star cast—including Nia Long, Danny Glover, Evan Ross, Roger Guenveur Smith and Dorian Missick—and a direct distribution deal with AMC Theatres for his independent picture. Promoted primarily through social media and word of mouth, Mooz-Lum, which took home Best Narrative Feature honors at last year’s Urbanworld Film Festival, garnered so much public support that Eventful reached out to Basir about distributing the film along with AMC, which is virtually unheard of for a non-mainstream project and a first-time feature director. “Eventful has worked with films that have been part of a studio and AMC has too,” Basir explains. “But there hasn’t been an independent film that’s had Eventful.com as a primary marketing partner and literally we open in the top 10 cities that demand the film.” Thanks to this groundbreaking distribution deal, Mooz-Lum, which tells the coming of age story of a young Muslim American man trying to find a balance between his faith and the secular world, opens today (February 11) in limited release. In the midst of drumming up moviegoer turnout for opening weekend, Basir sat down with BLACKENTERPRISE.COM to share tips for aspiring filmmakers looking to get their film on the silver screen. —Anslem Samuel

5 Keys to Success for Independent Filmmakers

Writer/director behind the critically acclaimed film Mooz-Lum tells you how to make movies by any means necessary

<em>Mooz-Lum director Qasim Basir steps from behind the camera and into the spotlight (Press)</em> <ul>…

By Anslem Samuel

Posted: February 11, 2011 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Long and Basir between takes (Press)

Nia Long Reshapes Image of Muslim Women in Indie Film

The veteran actress shows her dramatic range and aims to break down stereotypes in the process

The veteran actress shows her dramatic range and aims to break down stereotypes in the…

By Anslem Samuel

Posted: February 9, 2011 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mooz-lum to Address Muslim-American Identity Post-9/11

Actors Nia Long and Evan Ross tackle anti-Islam sentiments in award-winning project

Nia's long overdue return to the silver screen
Although it’s been more than nine years…

By Anslem Samuel

Posted: December 15, 2010 Tags: , , , , , , , ,