REVOLT Announces the Winners of Short & Fresh: Hip Hop Halloween

Halloween is upon us, and REVOLT is ready to celebrate! On Friday, October 18th, REVOLT, the Hip Hop culture-oriented cable television network founded by Sean “Diddy” Combs, is set to premiere “Hip Hop Halloween”, a special episode of its popular series “Short & Fresh”. REVOLT launched “Short & Fresh” earlier this year as a monthly anthology of dope short films made by rising filmmakers.

To curate this special episode, REVOLT teamed up with Audience Awards to launch the inaugural “Hip Hop Halloween” short film contest. From the overwhelming number of submissions, REVOLT chose seven winning short films, based on their unique takes on horror, supernatural, suspense, thriller, or sci-fi themes, all told through the lens of Hip Hop culture. The winning films will air in a special 2-hour episode of “Short & Fresh” on the REVOLT network and its On Demand platform.

The program will debut on REVOLT on Friday, October 18^th at 10p ET, with select re-airs throughout the month.

Find the snapshot of the winning films and quotes from the winners below. 

We’d love to offer the opportunity to interview one of the winners.

00:11:45 (dir. Etta East, 2018) (13 mins) 

• Months after the zombie apocalypse hits, a father and daughter are forced to use unexpected skills to survive. 
• “We are extremely honored to win an award for a Horror category. This is a category and genre that black people don’t normally get recognition for so it’s extremely meaningful to us and it sends a message to the world that black people and people of color have stories to tell, beyond the limits placed on us. Thank you!!” – Nakia Stephens (writer / executive producer) 

 Dark Therapy (dir. Chad Eric Smith, 2014) (9 mins) 

• A vampire seeks psychiatric treatment for a phobia that impacts his way of life. 
• “I thank Sean Combs and REVOLT TV for providing content creators a platform to shine! What an awesome honor!” – Chad Eric Smith (director)

A Night at the Table (dir. Tamara S. Hall, 2019) (11 mins) 

• A mother prepares food for a seemingly normal family night dinner, but as the conversation between her and her kids grows more peculiar, tension mounts among the three, unveiling a lurking threat at the table. 
• “I was so depleted after producing A Night at the Table. I had worked so hard that I was afraid the rewards wouldn’t match my labor and my well-thought out vision wouldn’t come across. After winning this opportunity, however, I can now say that the rewards have far exceeded any expectations I had for the success of this project. Now, audiences all over the world will get to see the story inspired by so many black women in this country. Thank you!” –Tamara S. Hall (director) 

The Raven (dir. Julian Alexander, 2019) (7 mins)  

• Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” reimagined. 
• “Being a finalist was truly a surprise and a gave breath to our artistic mission. We are keen on building a bridge between the arts and believed this project could do it. This opportunity allows us to expand our outreach and blend Hip Hop with classic literature. When I think of the legacy of language arts, I think of Hip Hop. That’s what this film is all about.” – Julian Alexander (director) 

Ronald (dir. Britt Banks, 2019) (13 mins) 

• A routine ride-share takes a sharp turn for the worse after the driver is reminded of a troubled past. 
• “Winning this contest meant everything to me. It proved that my dreams are valid and the first and most important step is to try. In the words of P. Diddy, “Take that, take that!” Thank you REVOLT TV! I’ll never forget this amazing opportunity!” – Britt Banks (director)   

Runnin’ (dir. Jonathan Rowan, 2017) (11 mins) 

• A group of friends set out to explore an abandoned building where they encounter a psychopath plotting their demise.
• “I am a director, writer and producer who believes that film is a highly unique art of expression. As a filmmaker, I welcome the opportunity to get my work seen and recognized by the great individuals at REVOLT TV. I am extremely excited and grateful to have my film selected as one of the winners, and look forward to all the great things to come from this platform of visibility.” –Jonathan Rowan (director)

Wrong House (dir. Alan M. Brooks, 2019) (21 mins)

• Four friends desperate to make it in the Hip Hop industry undergo a fateful night with a mysterious benefactor that will change their lives forever
• “I am EXCITED and HONORED to have the opportunity to showcase my film “Wrong House” on REVOLT TV’s prestigious network. It’s always been a DREAM to have my films showcased on National Television; and to find out that I won the opportunity to do that was honestly an emotional moment for me. I worked so hard on this film and I am forever thankful for the platform that REVOLT has given me.” – Alan M. Brooks (director)

….find the full program information HERE. 

We’d love to work together on a story and/or launch on this. Looking forward to your thoughts.