Kevin Cooper’s THE PAINTER Makes NYC Premiere At UrbanWorld Film Festival

Amarok Productions is tackling the tough subject of how violence is robbing the innocence of our youth in its current short film entitled THE PAINTER. Written and directed by Kevin Cooper, THE PAINTER’s poignant anti-violence film can be seen at UrbanWorld Film Festival on September 20th 5 p.m. and September 21st at Noon at AMC 34th Street 14.

Cooper partnered with non-profit organizations (UCAN and Youth Guidance) to include children from high risk areas in the filmmaking process. “It was inspiring working with these children…a film about the violence with the help of victims,” says Cooper.

Ron Caldwell (“Flight”) stars in the film and will be in attendance at UrbanWorld.

A boy, barely 12-years-old, lives in a world where violence surrounds him. His sole means of survival is to escape the violence outside by creating art. He is alone – abandoned for as long as he can remember. He begins this day like every other: quietly sipping a cup of coffee in his run-down kitchen, walls covered with newspaper clippings that chronicle the epidemic death toll in the inner city. Amid wailing sirens and a squawking police scanner, he sits uncomfortably…cleaning a paintbrush. An interviewer’s voice, unsure of what he is witnessing, asks the boy to explain his existence…his art. Though the police instruct the boy to “return to work”, the interviewer holds them off until finally the boy agrees to show us his art. Step inside the line…his art – a world at war. Are you ready?

“Youth Guidance is honored to partner with Amarok Productions on “The Painter,” a short film that creatively and poignantly shines a spotlight on the devastating impact of youth violence,” said Youth Guidance CEO, Michelle Adler Morrison. “The opportunity to audition for roles in this important project provided [our youth] with a transforming, once-in-a-lifetime experience they aren’t soon to forget.”

Cooper produced the NYU short “Red,” written and directed by Gary Nadeau, which won many awards including the Gold Medal Student Academy Awards in 1994.

After moving to Chicago, he was moved to action last summer when violent deaths in the city reached alarming levels. Cooper says, “I feel a responsibility to stand up and add my voice to the choir of people trying to help the most innocent of the victims by bringing awareness to what is essentially a warzone.”

Amarok’s co-owner and producer DeAnna Cooper adds, “There are very few things as pressing as the violence that plagues Chicago. So many children in these areas are suffering and cannot escape…they need our help.”

Amarok will show the film in Chicago, at Montreal’s World Film Festival and LA Shorts Festival, in addition to UrbanWorld, making this their third Oscar qualifying festival in their run to date. THE PAINTER will head to Italy in November as part of the San Marino Film Festival.

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