Film Press Release: Baby of the Family

By Azad May 23, 2001 3:10 PM

Film Press Release:

Downsouth Filmworks
P.O. Box 2069
Macon, Georgia 31203
(478) 751-7359

BABY OF THE FAMILY

DownSouth Filmworks Inc. to Start Production of Feature Film Summer 2001

St. Simons Island, GA -- May 21, 2001. Novelist Tina McElroy Ansa and her husband director/director of photography Jon?e Ansa (AFI) will begin production in July of their first feature film "Baby of the Family" in Macon, Ga. with a stellar cast that includes Alfre Woodard, Cylk Cozart, Loretta Devine, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Salli Richardson, Vanessa Williams and Pam Grier. The supernatural dramatic-comedy is the film adaptation of Ms. Ansa's best-selling novel "Baby of the Family (Harcourt Brace). DownSouth Filmworks, Inc., the couple's company, is producing the film.

Jon?e Ansa is the director/ Ms. Ansa is the executive producer. The African-American husband-wife team is collaborating on the script. Patrice Rushen is the composer and with the couple's daughter, Afrika J. P. Ansa, is producing the soundtrack for the film.

The film also stars Todd Bridges, Vanessa Williams, Tonea Stewart, Ofemo Omilami and Elizabeth Omilami.

"Baby of the Family," set in mythical Mulberry, Ga., is the supernatural comic/dramatic story of an extraordinary child born with a caul or "veil" over her face, enabling her to see ancestral spirits and predict the future. Pre-production begins June 2001 in Macon, Ga., Ms. Ansa's hometown.

"Baby of the Family" will star Emmy Award-winning actress Alfre Woodard ("Miss Ever's Boys," "Down in the Delta," "Crooklyn," "Hill Street Blues," "LA Law"); Sheryl Lee Ralph (Tony Award-winning musical "Dream Girls," hit TV show "Moesha," "To Sleep With Anger," "The Flintstones"); Loretta Devine ("Dream Girls," "The Preacher's Wife," "Waiting to Exhale"); Cylk Cozart, Salli Richardson, Pam Grier, Todd Bridges, Vanessa Williams ("ER," "Chicago Hope," "The Cosby Show," "Melrose Place"); Ofemo Omilami ("In the Heat of the Night," "Drop Squad"); Elizabeth Omilami ("In the Heat of the Night"), and Tonea Stewart ("A Time to Kill," "In the Heat of the Night," "ER"). Author William Diehl ("Sharky's Machine and "Primal Fear") serves as script consultant. Casting is ongoing.

JonJe Ansa is an award-winning filmmaker and Director/Director of Photography who broke new ground as a Director of Photography 2nd Year Fellow at the American Film Institute (AFI). He has also worked with the Women's Directors Program at AFI and with such legendary cinematographers as Vilmos Zsigmond and Theo Van de Sande.

Tina McElroy Ansa is also the author of the best-selling novels "Ugly Ways" (Harcourt Brace), which was named best fiction by the African-American Blackboard List, and "The Hand I Fan With" (Doubleday), which received the Georgia Authors Series Award. She received the same award for "Baby of the Family," which was named a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times Book Review. Her fourth novel "You Know Better," which addresses the issues facing our children in the 21st Century will be published by William Morrow. Ms. Ansa also contributes the essays "Postcards from Georgia" to CBS News Sunday Morning.

| comments: 9

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RE: Film Press Release: Baby of the Family   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on May 23, 2001 3:59 PM

I think I'll miss this one. Fred Hater will have to tell me about it.

RE: RE: Film Press Release: Baby of the Family   reply

Posted by peacefrog (oneprimal@hotmail.com) on May 24, 2001 4:33 AM

i have to agree with you on this one

RE: Film Press Release: Baby of the Family   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on May 24, 2001 6:46 AM

Wow, this movie looks like a steaming piece of sh*t. I couldn't even finish reading the damn article describing this lame ass movie. TODD BRIDGES???? are you freaking kidding me? Is Gary Coleman going to play the baby?

I'll watch it for you 100% if you kiss TWANS beanbag.

RE: Fred Haters boy friend   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on May 24, 2001 7:07 AM

nah.

RE: RE: Fred Haters boy friend   reply

Posted by The walking dead (robertdowneyjr@jail.com) on May 24, 2001 10:42 AM

Boring! Damn, what a friggin' cast. This is truly going to be a piece of crap, which will be cleaned up with 100% a--hole's face. Have a nice day

RE: RE: RE: Fred Haters boy friend   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on May 24, 2001 11:01 AM

Keep it up flag burner.

RE: RE: RE: Fred Haters boy friend   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on May 24, 2001 1:27 PM

flag burner? what the hell are you talking about?

I bet you're pretty pissed about Jeffords.

RE: Fred Haters boy friend   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 23, 2001 4:57 PM

The cast is stellar. Thsi is going to be a powerful movie for the African-American commmunity. And that si what needed in Hollywood. More diverse movies (as opposed to the all white men movies.) You should comment on an area that you believe in instead of putting up stupid comments. If you like "The Color Purple" then you should feel fre to comment on this area.

Silly Salli   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on July 20, 2002 11:51 PM

Has anyone noticed what a one-note harridan of an "actress" Salli Richardson is on Family Law? Sheesh. I wonder if tehre's any hope of something more from her in this movie.