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{{Short description|Biographical film by Kelley Kali}}
{{Short description|Biographical film by Kelley Kali}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| image =
| image = Kemba (film).jpg
| caption =
| caption =
| director = [[Kelley Kali]]
| director = [[Kelley Kali]]
| writer = Christine Swanson
| writer = [[Christine Swanson]]
| based_on =
| based_on =
| producer = {{Plainlist|
| producer = {{Plainlist|
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| editing = Kristina Kromer
| editing = Kristina Kromer
| music = Stanley A. Smith
| music = Stanley A. Smith
| production_companies = [[BET |BET Films]]<br>[[Moving Picture Institute]]
| production_companies = [[BET |BET Films]]<br>[[Moving Picture Institute]]
| distributor = [[BET+]]
| distributor = [[BET+]]
| released = {{Film date|2024|2|22}}
| released = {{Film date|2024|2|22}}
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}}
}}


'''''Kemba''''' is a 2024 American [[Biographical film|biographical]] [[Legal drama|legal]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] written by Christine Swanson and directed by [[Kelley Kali]]. The film stars [[Nesta Cooper]], [[Sean Patrick Thomas]] and [[Michelle Hurd]]. The film based on the true story of Kemba Smith, a college student charged as a co-conspirator to her college boyfriend's drug-trafficking crimes and in 1994 was sentenced to 24.5 years in federal prison. Her case drew national attention and support from various organizations including the [[NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund]] which ultimately prompted President [[Bill Clinton]] to grant her executive clemency after serving 6.5 years. She later become criminal justice advocate and public speaker.<ref>https://thegrio.com/2024/02/21/watch-new-film-tells-the-story-of-criminal-justice-advocate-kemba-smith/</ref> Kemba Smith serving as executive producer of the film.<ref>https://deadline.com/2022/09/nesta-cooper-to-star-in-drama-kemba-from-mpi-kelley-kali-directing-1235120320/</ref>
'''''Kemba''''' is a 2024 American [[Biographical film|biographical]] [[Legal drama|legal]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] written by [[Christine Swanson]] and directed by [[Kelley Kali]]. The film stars [[Nesta Cooper]], [[Sean Patrick Thomas]] and [[Michelle Hurd]]. The film based on the true story of Kemba Smith, a college student charged as a co-conspirator to her college boyfriend's drug-trafficking crimes and in 1994 was sentenced to 24.5 years in federal prison. Her case drew national attention and support from various organizations including the [[NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund]] which ultimately prompted President [[Bill Clinton]] to grant her executive clemency after serving 6.5 years. She later become criminal justice advocate and public speaker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thegrio.com/2024/02/21/watch-new-film-tells-the-story-of-criminal-justice-advocate-kemba-smith/|title=Watch: New film tells the story of criminal justice advocate Kemba Smith|first=TheGrio|last=Entertainment|date=February 21, 2024|website=TheGrio}}</ref> Kemba Smith served as executive producer of the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/nesta-cooper-to-star-in-drama-kemba-from-mpi-kelley-kali-directing-1235120320/|title=Nesta Cooper To Star In Drama ‘Kemba’ From MPI & BET; Kelley Kali Directing|first=Matt|last=Grobar|date=September 16, 2022}}</ref>


''Kemba'' premiered at the [[Pan African Film Festival]] on February 15, 2024.<ref>https://www.paff.org/files/2024_PAFF_Screening_Schedule.pdf</ref> The film was released by [[BET+]] on February 22, 2024.<ref>https://blavity.com/entertainment/kemba-bet-plus-trailer</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bossip.com/2588605/kemba-bet/|title='KEMBA': BET+ Film Follows The True Story Of An Innocent Student Sentenced To 24 1/2 Years Over Her Boyfriend's Drug Dealing|first=Danielle|last=Canada|date=January 30, 2024}}</ref>
''Kemba'' premiered at the [[Pan African Film Festival]] on February 15, 2024.<ref>https://www.paff.org/files/2024_PAFF_Screening_Schedule.pdf</ref> The film was released by [[BET+]] on February 22, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blavity.com/entertainment/kemba-bet-plus-trailer|title='Kemba' Trailer: Kelley Kali Directs BET+ Film Starring Nesta Cooper, Michelle Hurd, Sean Patrick Thomas And Siddiq Saunderson - Blavity|first=Trey|last=Mangum|website=Blavity News & Entertainment}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bossip.com/2588605/kemba-bet/|title='KEMBA': BET+ Film Follows The True Story Of An Innocent Student Sentenced To 24 1/2 Years Over Her Boyfriend's Drug Dealing|first=Danielle|last=Canada|date=January 30, 2024}}</ref>


==Cast==
==Cast==
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* Andrea Laing as Newscaster
* Andrea Laing as Newscaster
* [[June Carryl]] as Elaine Jones
* [[June Carryl]] as Elaine Jones
* Ethan McDowell as Matthew
* [[Ethan McDowell]] as Matthew
* Pat Dortch as George Kendall
* Pat Dortch as George Kendall
}}
}}


== Reception==
== Reception==
Film critic Josh Bell from ''Crooked Marquee'' gave it grade "C" writing: "Prison reform activist Kemba Smith is the kind of person whose life story gets adapted into prime Oscar bait, and this BET original production doesn’t have the resources to do her justice."<ref>https://crookedmarquee.com/vodepths-what-to-see-and-avoid-on-demand-this-week-82/</ref> Amari Allah from ''Wherever I Look'' gave it mixed review writing: "I feel very torn about “Kemba.” On the one hand, it highlights a modern victory for the Legal Defense Fund and why the NAACP still matters beyond a talking head commenting on the latest news headline. But at the same time, it overstays its welcome, doesn’t really have moving performances, and it overall feels like a story that deserves to be told, just better than this."<ref>https://wherever-i-look.com/movies/kemba-movie-review-and-summary</ref>
Film critic Josh Bell from ''Crooked Marquee'' gave it grade "C" writing: "Prison reform activist Kemba Smith is the kind of person whose life story gets adapted into prime Oscar bait, and this BET original production doesn’t have the resources to do her justice."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crookedmarquee.com/vodepths-what-to-see-and-avoid-on-demand-this-week-82/|title=VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) on Demand This Week|first=Josh|last=Bell|date=February 20, 2024}}</ref> Amari Allah from ''Wherever I Look'' gave it mixed review writing: "I feel very torn about “Kemba.” On the one hand, it highlights a modern victory for the Legal Defense Fund and why the NAACP still matters beyond a talking head commenting on the latest news headline. But at the same time, it overstays its welcome, doesn't really have moving performances, and it overall feels like a story that deserves to be told, just better than this."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wherever-i-look.com/movies/kemba-movie-review-and-summary|title=Kemba – Movie Review And Summary|first=Amari|last=Allah|date=February 22, 2024|website=wherever-i-look.com}}</ref>

==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|12717640}}
* {{IMDb title|12717640}}

{{BET+}}


[[Category:2020s English-language films]]
[[Category:2020s English-language films]]
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[[Category:2024 biographical drama films]]
[[Category:2024 biographical drama films]]
[[Category:American films based on actual events]]
[[Category:American films based on actual events]]
[[Category:English-language biographical drama films]]

Revision as of 22:32, 28 October 2024

Kemba
Directed byKelley Kali
Written byChristine Swanson
Produced by
  • Rob Pfaltzgraff
  • Stacey Parks
  • Lana Link
Starring
CinematographyRasa Partin
Edited byKristina Kromer
Music byStanley A. Smith
Production
companies
Distributed byBET+
Release date
  • February 22, 2024 (2024-02-22)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Kemba is a 2024 American biographical legal drama film written by Christine Swanson and directed by Kelley Kali. The film stars Nesta Cooper, Sean Patrick Thomas and Michelle Hurd. The film based on the true story of Kemba Smith, a college student charged as a co-conspirator to her college boyfriend's drug-trafficking crimes and in 1994 was sentenced to 24.5 years in federal prison. Her case drew national attention and support from various organizations including the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund which ultimately prompted President Bill Clinton to grant her executive clemency after serving 6.5 years. She later become criminal justice advocate and public speaker.[1] Kemba Smith served as executive producer of the film.[2]

Kemba premiered at the Pan African Film Festival on February 15, 2024.[3] The film was released by BET+ on February 22, 2024.[4][5]

Cast

Reception

Film critic Josh Bell from Crooked Marquee gave it grade "C" writing: "Prison reform activist Kemba Smith is the kind of person whose life story gets adapted into prime Oscar bait, and this BET original production doesn’t have the resources to do her justice."[6] Amari Allah from Wherever I Look gave it mixed review writing: "I feel very torn about “Kemba.” On the one hand, it highlights a modern victory for the Legal Defense Fund and why the NAACP still matters beyond a talking head commenting on the latest news headline. But at the same time, it overstays its welcome, doesn't really have moving performances, and it overall feels like a story that deserves to be told, just better than this."[7]

References

  1. ^ Entertainment, TheGrio (February 21, 2024). "Watch: New film tells the story of criminal justice advocate Kemba Smith". TheGrio.
  2. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 16, 2022). "Nesta Cooper To Star In Drama 'Kemba' From MPI & BET; Kelley Kali Directing".
  3. ^ https://www.paff.org/files/2024_PAFF_Screening_Schedule.pdf
  4. ^ Mangum, Trey. "'Kemba' Trailer: Kelley Kali Directs BET+ Film Starring Nesta Cooper, Michelle Hurd, Sean Patrick Thomas And Siddiq Saunderson - Blavity". Blavity News & Entertainment.
  5. ^ Canada, Danielle (January 30, 2024). "'KEMBA': BET+ Film Follows The True Story Of An Innocent Student Sentenced To 24 1/2 Years Over Her Boyfriend's Drug Dealing".
  6. ^ Bell, Josh (February 20, 2024). "VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) on Demand This Week".
  7. ^ Allah, Amari (February 22, 2024). "Kemba – Movie Review And Summary". wherever-i-look.com.
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