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Logline

An anthology feature film that uses the Pan-African flag as its thematic reference point, featuring three chapters correlated to the colors of the flag: In RED, collegiate football star Ahmari Rose scrambles to save his career after a devastating injury fractures his sense of self worth. In BLACK, a Ghanaian single mother, Joana Mensa, faces deportation after being fired from her job, prompting an unlikely group of heroes to rally around her. In GREEN, Jontavious “John” Rodgers, the up-and-coming star of a struggling Black sitcom, questions his role as the network forces the show into an unexpected direction to boost ratings.

Synopsis

Three Colors: Pan-African is an anthology feature film that uses the Pan-African flag as its thematic reference point

Three Black children play freely at their grandmother’s home until a hypnotic TV rerun depicting a Black family with racist caricature catches their attention. Their grandmother scolds them for watching and begins to tell them three stories of the strength, community, and character that should make them proud of the way they look. The children’s vivid imaginations bring these stories to life.

First, Ahmari Rose, a 9-year-old raised by a single mother, is conditioned by his uncle to believe football is the only way to retire his mom so they can spend time together. Thirteen years later, on the verge of the draft, a knee injury shatters that plan. Convinced football is his only path forward, Ahmari spirals out of control until he finally breaks down in his Uncle’s arms as he makes the decision to retire, now determined to find another path to self-fulfillment.

Then, Joana Mensa, an undocumented immigrant new to Los Angeles, is fired after a disastrous accident with her elderly patient. On the brink of financial distress and at risk of deportation, Joanna is alone as she has isolated herself from the surrounding African American community due to her outward negative stereotyping. When she begins to receive mysterious care packages, later revealed to be from her neighbors, these stereotypes are broken down, leading to her embracing those around her.

Finally, Jontavious Rodgers, an actor striving to support his family, faces a crossroads when the network begins to drive the Black sitcom he stars in towards racist caricature to boost ratings. As the show falls deeper into a negative representation of the black family, Jontavious is forced to choose between financial prosperity for his family and better on-screen representation. Jonatavious endures the devolution of the show but is slowly driven to madness by guilt until he reaches his tipping point and finally decides to walk away.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Elijah Davis — Director (“Red”)/Executive Producer/Creator
Elijah Davis is an independent film director, producer, and writer focused on telling stories about Black masculinity in the form of interpersonal dramas. Trained in Cinema and Media Studies by USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Elijah seeks to tell dynamic and progressive stories that engage wide audiences while simultaneously paying reverence to the vast breadth of cinematic history that precedes him.

His films have been recognized at festivals such as the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Blow-Up Arthouse Film Fest in Chicago.

His writing has been recognized by his acceptance into USC’s Cannes Classics Program, as well as his admittance into the African American Film Critics Association.

Allison A. Waite — Director (“Black”)
Allison A. Waite is an award-winning director and cinematographer. She obtained her MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in Film & Television Production with a cinematography concentration as a George Lucas Foundation Scholar. Allison studied cinematography at AFI’s inaugural Women in Cinematography Intensive. She also obtained a B.A. from Hampshire College and maintained an interdisciplinary major in Film/Video production and Africana Studies. Allison has received recognition, including the DGA Directorial Achievement Award and a Student Academy Award for her film “The Dope Years.”

Her most recent work for Delta Airlines is a selection for the Tribeca X Awards in 2024.
Filmmaking is her activism tool of choice; she aims to give unresolved stories a voice and spark connections within her community.

Tyler Ocasio Holmes — Director (“Green”)
Tyler Ocasio Holmes is a Black American and Puerto Rican filmmaker from southern Virginia and a Columbia University graduate. After transitioning from a demanding Wall Street career to the arts, he built a thriving career capturing stories through photography and videography. Now based in Los Angeles, Tyler is in his final semester at USC’s MFA Film program.

Tyler has created and collaborated on projects across genres, including drama, thriller, comedy, and documentary. Beyond narrative filmmaking, he directed a music video for Motown under Universal Music Group and was awarded a $40,000 grant to collaborate with Johns Hopkins University on a seven-episode animated series.

He was awarded the Annenberg Fellowship at USC for his commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and was selected for the NAACP Editing Fellowship in partnership with Adobe in the summer of 2024. Through this fellowship, he received mentorship from Emmy-winning editor Stephanie Filo. Tyler further honed his craft at Parallax Post Production, working alongside Oscar-winning editor Paul Rodgers and Kahlil Joseph, a renowned film director and visual artist.

Set to graduate in spring 2025, Tyler is dedicated to creating impactful stories and building a transformative career as a writer and director.

Peyton Alex Smith — Actor (“Red”)
Peyton Alex Smith is an American actor, best known for his role as Damon Sims in the TV series All American: Homecoming as well as Rafael Waithe in The CW series Legacies and Cedric Hobbs in the TV series The Quad.

Stephen Bishop — Actor (“Red”)
Stephen Bishop is an American actor and former baseball player best known for his portrayal of David Justice in Moneyball. He was a regular cast member in the television series The Equalizer, Being Mary Jane, Imposters, and Run the World. Bishop also appeared in the films Friday Night Lights and The Rundown.

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Contact

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