Aspire TV To Premiere Dramatic Short Film Della Mae December 12
Aspire TV To Premiere Dramatic Short Film Della Mae December 12
ATLANTA – Dec. 6, 2021 – AspireTV, the network that celebrates and reflects Black culture and urban lifestyle, announced today that Della Mae, the next short film in its partnership with Damn Write Originals, is set to premiere on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. ET. In Della Mae, a recently widowed woman takes a leap of faith after her granddaughter reminds her that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.
“We are thrilled to bring the AspireTV audience our seventh short film in our partnership with Damn Write Originals,” said Tina Rodriguez, Senior Director, Programming & Acquisitions, AspireTV. “One of our programming lifestyle verticals at the network is ‘Dream Big’, and this film fits that perfectly as it’s a story about how it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Della Mae shares the beautiful message of love and trust between a grandmother and granddaughter that is beautifully woven together as a reminder that no dream should ever be deferred, regardless of time or age.”
Seventy years ago, in 1951 Langston Hughes wrote the poem, A Dream Deferred, which asks the question, what happens to a dream deferred? Seventy years later, a beautiful answer to that question is Della Mae, produced by the talented millennial screenwriting collective, led by CEO and Founder Nakia Stephens, of Damn Write Originals, who are fulfilling dreams now.
“As a Black woman who cares about lineage and legacy, I would be remiss to not tell stories that include our ancestors and elders,” says Nakia Stephens, screenwriter and CEO of Damn Write Originals. “We stand on the shoulders of our grandparents who, unfortunately, didn’t have the same opportunities that we have today and my curiosity questions: ‘Who would our grandmothers have been if given the opportunity?’ This film, Della Mae, explores the way in which identity and the pursuit of self is expressed through the intergenerational relationships of Black Southern women.”
Della Mae is the seventh film AspireTV has partnered with screenwriter and filmmaker Nakia Stephens and her screenwriting label Damn Write Originals (“DWO”) on. Previous titles include Tre, The Ride, Dreaming of a Black Christmas, Arms and Legs Go Here, Endagered and HIStory. AspireTV previously announced that the network had commissioned short film content from Stephens and DWO as part of their commitment to be a platform for fresh faces and new voices.
Della Mae stars Juanita Jennings as Della Mae, Chayne Dunning as Paige, Angela Gibbs as Rosemary, LaShada Jackson as Georgia and Cammie Middleton as Louise/Porky. Nakia Stephens wrote and executive produced the film with Shanay J. Campbell as co-executive producer. Della Mae was directed by Kiana Woodson.
