Genre
Synopsis
StudioBE is a safe haven for New Orleans’ artist who seek community and solidarity, and a global tourist draw. Since opening, the profiles of StudioBE and its founder BMike have risen with his murals spanning from New York to Palestine and StudioBE hosting celebrities and brands like Stephen Spielberg and Jordan.
Now, StudioBE’s future hangs in the balance. It’s landlord is taking advantage of the art led gentrification that StudioBE ushered in, selling it for an exorbitant price. The once close relationship between BMike and the landlord has soured, leaving BMike with only months to purchase or shudder.
BMike’s journey started ten years ago when he broke into the unoccupied Florida Housing Development that sat idle following Hurricane Katrina and painted murals of Black Revolutionaries as its new tenants. The local developer and future landlord noticed his work and offered him access to his abandoned warehouse. There, StudioBE was born.
Decades of footage will be interspersed throughout as we follow BMike’s race against time. The StudioBE Crew who work with him and the youth artist BMike mentors are also featured. StudioBE’s landlord has recently granted us interview access.
At the conclusion, BMike claims victory, successfully acquiring the building.
Bio
Nailah Jefferson is a New Orleans born and bred filmmaker whose work reflects the community that raised her. Nailah’s first film, Vanishing Pearls, told the story of a little known African American oyster fishing community and their fight for justice after the BP oil spill. After acquisition by ARRAY/AFFRM, Vanishing Pearls streams on The Urban Movie Channel. In 2017, Nailah was nominated for a National Magazine Ellie award for Essence Magazine’s Black Girl Magic Episode 4. Nailah’s first narrative, Plaquemines, was awarded the inaugural Create Louisiana $50k Short Film grant. Upon completion, it was chosen as an American Black Film Festival HBO Shorts finalist and after an early 2018 run on HBO it is now available on Cinemax.
