Rivers Wash Over Me
Encyclopedia
Rivers Wash Over Me is a 2009 drama film
directed by John G. Young
. Young shares the screenplay with Darien Sills-Evans. The film was produced by Sills-Evans, with Dexter Davis as executive producer.
, drugs, and growing up gay in the American South. A recent New York City
transplant, Sequan Greene (Derrick L. Middleton) has been sent to live in Alabama
after the recent death of his mother. He is brutally raped by his cousin Michael Wilis (Cameron Mitchell Mason). It becomes clear that Michael also is gay - a victim as well as a victimizer. He says, "I can’t be a faggot ...You’re the faggot. You’re my faggot." Sequan is also bullied and beaten up at school.
Sequan soon finds a friend in Lori Anderson (Elizabeth Dennis), the girlfriend of drug dealer/basketball player Ahmed Robins (Duane McLaughlin). Lori is the town's "bad girl" who has a heart of gold. Although she freebases, snorts coke throughout the school day, steals guns and sleeps with the town basketball star, she is immediately taken by admiration of Sequan and his brazen nonconformity. Despite Sequan’s unwillingness, Lori manages to befriend him, bringing him out of his shell and eventually introducing him to both moonshine and her gay brother, Jake (Aidan Schultz-Meyer).
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by John G. Young
John G. Young
John G. Young is an American director, producer and writer. He graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase .His works include Parallel Sons in 1995, The Reception in 2005 and Rivers Wash Over Me in 2009. He has also produced Garden in 2004. Most of his materials are related to gay...
. Young shares the screenplay with Darien Sills-Evans. The film was produced by Sills-Evans, with Dexter Davis as executive producer.
Plot
The film touches on race relations, incestIncest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, drugs, and growing up gay in the American South. A recent New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
transplant, Sequan Greene (Derrick L. Middleton) has been sent to live in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
after the recent death of his mother. He is brutally raped by his cousin Michael Wilis (Cameron Mitchell Mason). It becomes clear that Michael also is gay - a victim as well as a victimizer. He says, "I can’t be a faggot ...You’re the faggot. You’re my faggot." Sequan is also bullied and beaten up at school.
Sequan soon finds a friend in Lori Anderson (Elizabeth Dennis), the girlfriend of drug dealer/basketball player Ahmed Robins (Duane McLaughlin). Lori is the town's "bad girl" who has a heart of gold. Although she freebases, snorts coke throughout the school day, steals guns and sleeps with the town basketball star, she is immediately taken by admiration of Sequan and his brazen nonconformity. Despite Sequan’s unwillingness, Lori manages to befriend him, bringing him out of his shell and eventually introducing him to both moonshine and her gay brother, Jake (Aidan Schultz-Meyer).
Cast
- Derrick L. Middleton as Sequan Greene
- Aidan Schultz-Meyer as Jake Anderson
- Elizabeth Dennis as Lori Anderson
- Darien Sills-Evans as Charles King
- Cameron Mitchell Mason as Michael Willis
- Duane McLaughlin as Ahmed Robins
- Pamela Holden Stewart as Alice
- Julia Carothers Hughes as Celeste Anderson
- Terrance Epps as Coach Williams
- Tina Jetter as Charity
- Leslie Jones as LuEllen
- Paul Kelly as Mr. Hack
- Alain Lauture as Skinny Tim Buchanan
- Sonequa Martin as Shawna King
- Conor Romero as Billy
- Xosha Roquemore as Racine Buchanan
- Chester A. Sims II as Mayor Rickets
- Don Striano as Tom Lemmings
- Damian Washington as Dwayne
- Eric Watson Williams as Deputy Lewis Ratch