Overbrook Entertainment and Mental Telepathy’s indie film Sprinter was the big winner at the 2018 American Black Film Festival Awards in Miami taking home three awards. The film, which was directed by Storm Saulter, was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature, the Audience Award in the category Best Film and Storm took home an award for Best Director. 

The stars of the film are newcomer Dale Elliott, Kadeem Wilson, Shantol Jackson, Bryshere Y. Gray, Lorraine Toussaint, and David Alan Grier.

Overbrook Entertainment co-founder Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Ne-Yo serve as producers for the film, and Ne-Yo also has original music featured on the film’s soundtrack

Sprinter story follows Akeem, a 17-year-old Jamaican track athlete. His goal is to qualify for the national youth team and go to the World Youth Championships in Los Angeles. There, Akeem hopes to reunite with his mother, who immigrated to the United States 10 years ago, with aspirations to provide a better life for her family. As Akeem continues to chase after his dreams, he learns family can be complicated, dreams deferred, but you must continue to run your race.

In addition to its ABFF Awards, SPRINTER also made its debut at ABFF in a screening which was followed by a Q&A with some of the cast, hosted by social media influencer Khadeen Ellis. 

On Friday, June 15, Sprinter followed its world debut screening with an afterparty which was attended by celebrities including Angela Rye, Norega, Ja Rule, Director X and Devale and Khadeen Ellis, Major Lazer’s Jillionaire, Amara La Negra and Denver Nuggets’ Richard Jefferson.Sprinters afterparty included signature drinks, Jamaican cuisine and lots of dancehall music played by DJ R-Tistic. The party was brought to the festival by sponsors Puma, Courvoisier, Red Stripe and Flow.

ABOUT SPRINTER:

Release Date: TBD

Studio: Overbrook Entertainment

Official MPAA Rating: TBD

Director: Storm Saulter

Producers: Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Shaffer “Ne-Yo” Chimere Smith

Writer: Storm Saulter

Cast: Dale Elliott, David Alan Grier, Lorraine Toussaint, Bryshere Y. Gray, Shantol Jackson, Usain Bolt

Synopsis: Sprinter story follows Akeem, a 17-year-old Jamaican track athlete. His goal is to qualify for the national youth team and go to the World Youth Championships in Los Angeles. There, Akeem hopes to reunite with his mother, who immigrated to the United States 10 years ago, with aspirations to provide a better life for her family. As Akeem continues to chase after his dreams, he learns family can be complicated, dreams deferred, but you must continue to run your race.

ABOUT OVERBROOK ENTERTAINMENT: 
Overbrook Entertainment is a production company started by actor Will Smith and business partner James Lassiter in 1997, about the same time production started for the Wild Wild West remake, which stars Smith. The name “Overbrook” is derived from Will Smith’s childhood neighborhood in West Philadelphia. The company produces music, films and television shows.