MR. TALENTED

a film by Rochée Jeffrey

TEASER

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SYNOPSIS

Mr. Talented is a one-take short film that follows a space-obsessed, struggling 27 year-old black photographer who is determined to reach the apex of the art world. He’s worked tirelessly and unsuccessfully to have his photography exhibited at the prestigious Baldner gallery. Mr. Talented believes that one man stands in the way of making his ambitious dream come true: Tom Sorenson, head curator of Baldner. Mr. Talented hosts a self-exhibit at a local gallery to get Tom's attention and stamp of approval. When Tom rejects Mr. Talented's work, there are dire consequences.

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THe director/Writer

ROCHÉE JEFFREY

Rochée is a writer/director who hails originally from Jamaica. While attending Howard University, she won the Paul Robeson Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Music Video Direction. She went on to direct the first scripted one-hour drama in Belize, Noh Matta Wat. She is a 2017 Film Independent Project Involve Screenwriting Fellow, FOX's 2017 HBCU Fellow and a 2018 Humanitas Prize Semi-Finalist. Rochée was a writer on VH1’s dramedy series Daytime Divas, the Step Up television spin-off series on YouTube Premium and Showtime's Golden Globe-nominated comedy series, SMILF. On the film side, Rochée sold a feature pitch to Lionsgate with Issa Rae serving as an executive producer on the project. Her short film “Suitable” has screened at festivals throughout the world, including Austin Film Festival and Palm Springs International Film Festival Shorts Fest. Suitable was a finalist in the 2018 American Black Film Festival HBO Short Film Competition and the film will appear on HBO in February 2019. Rochée also wrote and directed “Mr. Talented”, a short film that premiered as a part of the 2018 Project Involve Showcase at the Directors Guild of America and was nominated for the HBO Award at the 2018 Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival. She is represented by Bill Zotti, Anna Flickinger, Josh Hornstock and Alyssa Lanz at United Talent Agency (UTA) and Lucy Stutz at Rain Management Group.

THE CAST

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J. Mallory mccree

Mr. Talented

As a native of Detroit, MI, J. Mallory McCree has been paving his way towards stardom. After attending Rutgers University, earning a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts (Calista Flockhart, Sebastian Stan, Mike Coulter), J. Mallory moved to New York City. Right out of school he booked roles in New York's premiere off-broadway houses such as Signature Theatre and Playwright's Horizons. Soon after, McCree would make his Broadway debut in the all black revival of, A Streetcar Named Desire. Acquiring a strong background in theatre, J. has broken through to film and television. Some of McCree's prominent leading roles include the films, From Nowhere (SXSW 2016 Audience Award Winner), Cloned (Cannes Film Festival) and Fox Searchlight's, Black Nativity. Television credits include season 6 of Homeland (Sekou Bah); David Simon's, Show Me a Hero, directed by Paul Haggis; and recurring guest star on ABC's hit show, Quantico. Mr. McCree also stars in Marvel’s, The Defenders on Netflix.

www.jmallorymccree.com

TONYA PINKINS

VALERIE BROWN

Ms. Pinkins attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she studied theater, music, and dance. Leaving school, she moved to New York after landing a role in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, then went on to appear in An Ounce Of Prevention, Just Say No, Caucasian Chalk Circle, and Little Shop of Horrors on the New York stage. Pinkins' portrayal of Sweet Anita in the Broadway musical Jelly's Last Jam earned her a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and the Clarence Derwent Award.

Her additional Broadway credits include The Wild Party, House of Flowers, and the title role in Caroline or Change, for which she also received a Tony award nomination. She has several television and film credits, including Scandal, madame secretary, gotham and nurse jackie.

Cast from left to right: Phillipe Simon, Lisa Forte, Ricky Woznichak, J. Mallory McCree, Vayu O'Donnell, Amen Igbinosun, Jessika Van, Cullen Arbaugh, Ayinde Howell, Tonya Pinkins, Michael Pisani, Maria Morrisson Copolillo, Mary Ashley Burton.