A short film ‘In A Parallel Universe’ directed by Eslam Hozayen looks at an alternate reality of America. In the short drama the director creates an America where Black people have succeeded in creating their own nation in the North and have slaved the Whites. The film stars Thompson Jaah, Fatah Kouraan and Fatu Konneh Bryce Bohne.
The film is being called poised and nuanced in the way it has tackled the subject of parallel universe and slavery. The filmmaker says it should be understood from the lens of historical fiction and alternative history rather than evoking strong negative feelings inside one. He expects the film will startle the red states aligned crowd but adds it is a fantastic piece of art first and everything else later.
The director has woven different narratives together around one theme with the actors working on his command. Cinematography is rich with loads of interesting visuals to bring forth the story. The film depicts a world where Black people have won against all races in a race war. The film is said to be half art-house and half historical revisionism.
The age-old White-African American conflict takes a 360 degree turn in the film and a world is established where African Americans have succeeded in establishing their own free state with white people working as slaves. The filmmaker says the film is a reminder of what generations of African Americans have felt when they have been ravaged, tortured, maltreated and killed in the centuries of slavery that had persisted on the American continent and it’s after effects can still be seen.
It is a unique film bringing forth uncomfortable truths from an African American’s perspective. Hozayen’s film intends to help White Americans empathize more with the tremendous trauma that African Americans have gone through and still experience to this day. Shown in many film festivals across the U.K, the U.S, Canada, the film has been loved by many. It received backlash in Singapore and India.
The director has posted the film on his personal Instagram handle. The film has received 9k views. Here is the link to watch it https://www.instagram.com/tv/
