Phillip Youmans

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Phillip Youmans (born February 18, 2000)[1] is an American filmmaker. He is the first African-American director to win the Founders Prize at Tribeca Film Festival, which he received for his 2019 directorial debut, Burning Cane.[2]

Early life and education[]

Youmans was born and raised in New Orleans.[3] He first became interested in film-making when he was 13. Youmans attended two high schools through a dual enrollment program: Benjamin Franklin High School and New Orleans Center for Creative Arts.[4]

He completed his freshman year at New York University in May 2019.[1] In October 2019 he stated he may drop out of the program to focus on his career.[4]

Career[]

Youmans wrote, shot, directed and edited his first feature-length film, Burning Cane, as a senior in high school, when he was 17.[5][3] The film grew from a short film that Youmans wrote called The Glory.[3] It tells the story of a woman (played by Karen Kaia Livers) in rural Louisiana and her relationships with her alcoholic son and a local preacher.[6] It also stars and was co-produced by Wendell Pierce.[1][7] Raised Baptist, Youmans stated that the goal of Burning Cane was to "touch on [] how rigid religious conviction can be within the rural South, especially under sort of rigid interpretation of Protestantism."[3] Youmans financed the film with $2500 in personal savings, an Indiegogo campaign, and donations from friends and family.[4]

Burning Cane won the Founders Prize and the prize for best cinematography in a U.S. narrative feature film at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. Youmans is the first African-American director to receive the Founders Prize; he is also the youngest director to have a film accepted to the Tribeca Film Festival.[5]

Youmans announced that he is currently developing his next feature film, which will focus on "the Black Panther chapter in New Orleans during 1978."[4]

Accolades[]

Burning Cane[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c McDonald, Soraya Nadia (May 7, 2019). "Phillip Youmans becomes first black director to win at Tribeca with his feature debut, 'Burning Cane'". The Undefeated. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  2. ^ Stidhum, Tonja Renée. "2019 Tribeca Film Festival: In Burning Cane, the Devil Is in the Details". The Grapevine. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Wilkinson, Alissa (November 11, 2019). "How Burning Cane's 19-year-old director made his haunting tale of religion in the South". Vox. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d Bramesco, Charles (October 30, 2019). "'I had to make this happen': how a 19-year-old director wowed Hollywood". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Fallon, Kevin (April 25, 2019). "The Youngest Director Ever at the Tribeca Film Festival". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  6. ^ "'Burning Cane': Film Review | Tribeca 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  7. ^ Writer, JAKE COYLE | AP Film. "Phillip Youmans, 19-year-old New Orleans native, wins top award at Tribeca Film Festival for Louisiana-shot 'Burning Cane'". The Advocate. Retrieved May 8, 2019.

External links[]

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