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Logline

On the eastside of Detroit in the summer of 2003, a Grandfather tries to hide his daughter’s incarceration from his young grandson in the midst of a city-wide blackout caused by an alien invasion.

Synopsis

SKHF is a sci-fi, family drama set in Detroit during the historic blackout of 2003 in which a Grandfather is tasked with taking care of his Grandson when his daughter is incarcerated. Grandad may be the most dependable person in the household, but he has no idea how to meet his grandson Eric’s emotional needs–starting with telling him the truth of his mother’s disappearance. Grandad’s situation is further complicated when he sees his grandson levitating under a street light succumbing to what he will soon find out is an alien possession. As the extra-terrestrial presence becomes unavoidable, so does the truth surrounding Eric’s mother.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Eric Riley – Director/Writer
Eric Riley is a writer, director, and urban planner proudly born and raised on the West side of Detroit. His first feature script, DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK, a Detroit-based heist film, advanced to the third round of the 2021 Sundance Development Track. In his urban planning work, Eric’s projects often involve seven figure contracts and interdisciplinary teams. He holds a B.A. in Public Policy from the University of Michigan and a Masters from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design.

Jasmin Joseph – Producer
Jasmin Joseph is a writer, researcher, and strategist. A graduate of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, she has extensive experience in financial services, entrepreneurship, and strategic communications. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, The Republic Journal, and Yes! Magazine. She is currently the Membership Manager at the Producers Guild of America..

Gabriel Freeman and Clark Bishop – Producers
Gabriel Freeman and Clark Bishop are the co-owners of Go Take Media, a creative film production company specializing in visual storytelling based in Detroit. They have produced an award-winning short film and a host of music videos & content for brands including ESPN, Quicken Loans, Ash & Erie, and more.

Kate Levy – Director of Photography
Kate Levy is a Detroit and NYC-based filmmaker. She has produced short and feature length documentaries, in collaboration with legal advocacy organizations, scholars, community organizers, investigative journalists, and more. She was a 2018 MacDowell Fellow and from 2019-2021, was the Co-Director of Youth Documentary Workshop at the Educational Video Center.

Jeremy Brooks – VFX Producer
Jeremy Brooks is the owner of Jerbear Films, a production company that specializes in virtual production based in Los Angeles. They are currently partnered with XR Stage in Pacoima, CA, a state-of-the-art facility for virtual production. Brooks’ credits include THE LION KING (2019), JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (2019), MOON KNIGHT (2022), and more.

Michele Mansoor – Casting Director
Michele Mansoor is a casting scout at JV8inc. Mansoor has casting credits on EUPHORIA (Sn 1 and 2), UNCUT GEMS (2019), HONEY BOY (2019) and others. In addition to this project, she is directing a feature documentary in collaboration with the Safdie Brothers’, Elara Pictures.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.