The documentary Romeo Is Bleeding found an unlikely star in Donté Clark. Clark turned to spoken word poetry to transcend the wide-spread violence in his hometown of Richmond, California where knowing a victim of gun violence is a way of life, not the exception.
Director Jason Zeldes first learned of Clark from his cousin, teacher Molly Raynor, who updated him about her talented student. Zeldes’ interest grew. Upon hearing about Clark’s writing project, a play about life in Richmond based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, he asked if he could document the process.
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Russell Simmons signed on as executive producer after the film’s completion in another coup for the already-successful project.
Romeo Is Bleeding has already been recognized multiple film festival awards, with more surely on the way.
Take a look below for interviews with director Jason Zeldes, stars Donté Clark and Molly Raynor, co-editor Kevin Klauber and executive producer Russell Simmons:
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