"I want you to toughen up. Be a man. 'Cause I ain't raised any girls. You understand?"

Award-winning young filmmaker Matthew Jones returns with another powerful urban drama. In Be the Man, 17-year-old Damien never realized that the only man he's ever looked up to might not be the best example of what it means to be a man. Damien's verbally abusive father has taught him to be strong, but that tough shell means trouble when Damien starts to treat his girlfriend the same way he's seen his parents interact. Be the Man dramatically explores a young man's coming of age in a harsh, sometimes cruel world.

18-year-old writer/director Matthew Jones follows up his internationally-acclaimed short film Distracted with this impressive and bold drama. Be the Man boasts high production value due to the work of an incredibly talented crew led by producer Joshua Sikora, while cinematographer Peter Borrud provides striking images in the film's gritty, real-world environments.

The film's impressive cast is led by Deance Wyatt and Giovonnie Samuels—co-stars of Paramount Pictures upcoming Freedom Writers, with Hilary Swank. They are joined by short film veteran Morocco Omari, whose award-winning production, The Male Groupie, is currently playing on HBO.

Stills from Be the Man Select images from the film 20 Photos

Written & Directed by Matthew Jones Produced by Joshua Sikora Co-Producer Joel Nassan Executive Producers James Elliott Matthew Jones Cinematography by Peter Borrud Edited by Jacob Kindberg

Music by Charles Gregory Washington Production Designer Amanda Meyncke Costume Designer Keena Bowden Cast Deance Wyatt as Damien Giovonnie Samuels as Alisha Morocco Omari as Allen Janora McDuffie as Sylvia LeShay Tomlinson as Miriam Eddie Goines as James Elliot C. Hill as Gordon Malik Kirkwood as Carl Juanita Jones as Office Assistant

Release Date: June 11, 2006
Production Status: Completed

Genre: Drama
Runtime: 15 minutes, short
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color
Sound Mix: Stereo

Filming Locations:
Inglewood, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Montclair, CA

Production Dates:
April 2006

Camera: Panasonic AG-HVX200 (DVCPro HD)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Awards and Nominations: • Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards, 2006 Won: Best African-American Film — West Coast, Matthew Jones • Urban Media Makers Film Festival, 2006 Honorable Mention: Best Short Film • San Francisco Black Film Festival, 2006 Nominated: Best Student Film • Independent Black Film Festival Screening, 2007 Nominated: Best Short Film

Screenings and Competitions: • San Francisco Black Film Festival (June 2006) • Martha's Vineyard African-American Film Festival (August 2006) • Urban Mediamakers Film Festival, Georgia (October 2006) • International Student Film Festival, Hollywood (November 2006) • Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards (November 2006) • SE Manly Short Film Showcase, BHERC (December 2006) • Independent Black Film Festival Screening, Georgia (March 2007) • Del Rey Beach Film Festival, Florida (March 2007) • Urbanworld VIBE Film Festival, NYC (Summer 2007) • Roxbury Film Festival, Boston (Summer 2007) • Black Harvest International Film Festival, Chicago (Summer 2007)

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