As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child and as such, it took a whole community of talented people to bring Beasts of the Southern Wild into this world. And as our little film grows bigger and shines brighter, the people who helped make it and the community that Beasts was born from are seizing the moment and doing more with their exceptional gifts. We wanted to shout out members of the Beasts community, friends, neighbors, and like-minded individuals who are up to new things and doin' us proud.
Quvenzhané Wallis has already locked in her next role in Steve McQueen's 12 Years and a Slave. The story centers around a man living in New York during the mid-1800s who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the deep south. Even better, Dwight Henry also plays a role in the film, reuniting our Hushpuppy and Wink. It's slated for release in 2013.
Can't Stop the Water is a documentary being made by our friend Rebecca Ferris at Cottage Films. It's about Isle De Jean Charles, a real place in Terrebone Parish, Louisiana that served as our topographic inspiration for the Bathtub.
Tchoupitoulas is a grantee of Cinereach (Beasts is a Cinereach production), also was produced by Court 13's Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, and Josh Penn! It was shot in New Orleans, taking place over one dreamy evening in the French Quarter.
Meanwhile, Dwight Henry is making things happen all over the map. Aside from his part in 12 Years and a Slave, the Hollywood Reporter writes that Dwight's expanding his Buttermilk Drop Bakery to a second outpost on Malcolm X Blvd in Harlem. He's also announced plans to join forces with Wendell Pierce to open Sterling Farms, a chain of markets in New Orleans food deserts, selling local produce and catering to the needs of low-income shoppers. Go Dwight!