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The 23rd PsalmA film by Christopher C. Odom

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    • Run time: 89 minutes
    • Country of origin: United States
  • Genre:
    Drama/Mystery - Thriller
  • Synopsis:

    Set amongst the urban decay and unfettered angst of Los Angeles, Police Detective John Smith battles alcoholism and cynicism. Going about his daily routine, initially John remains complacent over a seemingly ordinary prostitute murder. But when John’s intuition awakens, he experiences revealing visions about the victim and her murder. John must conquer his vices and overcome his skepticism to embrace intuition, question the unusual suspects,
    and allow his visions to illuminate the truth. A smartly written, modern day, metaphysical tale with a “surprise” ending, THE 23RD PSALM ushers in a new generation of urban transcendental cinema. Blending the structure and character relationships of Akira Kurosawa’s RASHOMON and Orson Welles CITIZEN KANE, THE 23RD PSALM is an evolved exegesis of the human psyche and the nature of man.
         (more)

  • Audio blog:
    • Director:
      Christopher C. Odom
    • Writer(s):
      Christopher C. Odom
    • Executive Producer(s):
      Helena Shimizu and Edward J. Odom IV
    • Producer(s):
      Cornelius Booker III
    • Director of Photography:
      Christopher C. Odom
    • Cast and Credits:

      Cast:
      Markhum Stansbury, Jr. as “Detective John Smith”
      Mister Jones as “Pastor Dennis Luther”
      Arnita Champion as “Jessie”
      Derrick Collins as “William ‘Wil’ Freeman”
      Niambi Sims as “Dr. Najuma Johnson”
      Selma Pinkard as “Claudia The Lame”
      Fredrick Burns as “Silas The Blind”
      Maeika Saint-Albin as “Anna The Afflicted”
      Auggie Cavanagh as “Harrold The Coroner”
      Auggie Cavanagh, IV as “Pedestrian”
      Jimmy Russell as “Church Member 1”
      Leigh Anne Disalvo as “Church Member 2”
      Chevonne Woodard as “Clinic Patient”
      Ray Grandberry as “Policeman”

      Crew:
      Helena Shimizu, Production Designer
      Christopher C. Odom, Editor
      Auggie Cavanagh, Camera Operator/Sound Recordist
      Robert Klinger, Camera Operator/Sound Recordist
      Cornelius Booker III, Camera Operator/Sound Recordist
      Denise Calloway-Jones, Key Hair & Makeup
      Dr. Sydney Louis Cousin, Jr. MD, PhD
             (more)

  • Prior Festival Screenings:
    • Cannes Pan African Film Festival, 2007
    • Berlin Black International Cinema, 2007
    • Hollywood Black Film Festival, 2007
    • Pan African Film Festival, 2007
    • San Diego Black Film Festival, 2007
    • Memphis Black Writers Conference & Southern Film Festival, 2007
    • Beverly Hills, 2007
  • Awards:
    • Best Film: San Diego Black Film Festival, 2007
    • Best Lead Actor, Markhum Stansbury, Jr.: San Diego Black Film Festival, 2007
    • Best Supporting Actor, Arnita Champion: San Diego Black Film Festival, 2007
    • Best Picture by a Black Filmmaker: Black Cinema International Film Festival, 2007
 

                                                                                                                                                       

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 1 
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:43PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm Wins Best Picture In Berlin
    Los Angeles (07/01/07) – The 23rd Psalm took home the top honor at the 2007 Berlin Black Cinema International Film Festival where it was awarded "Best Picture by a Black Filmmaker". This award marks The 23rd Psalm's second "Best Picture Award" and its fourth festival win, overall.

    The 23rd Psalm also played to an inspired audience at the Hollywood Black Film Festival this past June, and will continue its festival run when it screens at the nation's capital on July 12th in Washington, D.C. at the Landmark Theatres, as part of the Urban Film Series.

    Since its premiere in San Diego where it won Best Picture, Best Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actress, D.C. marks The 23rd Psalm's 7th screening worldwide. Other screenings have included Cannes, Berlin, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Diego and Memphis.
    report
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:42PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm To Screen At Urban Film Series in DC
    Los Angeles (06/28/07) - The 23rd Psalm played to an inspired audience at the Hollywood Black Film Festival this past June, and will continue its festival run when it screens next month at the nation's capital on July 12th in Washington, DC at the Landmark Theatres as part of the Urban Film Series.

    Since its premiere in San Diego where it won Best Picture, Best Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actress, D.C. marks The 23rd Psalm's 7th screening around the globe. Other screenings have included Cannes, Berlin, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Diego and Memphis.

    To stay up to date with the latest news and screenings, please visit the film's official website at http://www.psalm23movie.com .
    report
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:42PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm Screens At The National Civil Rights Museum To Standing Room Only
    Memphis, TN (04/28/07) - Odom-Booker Entertainment's The 23rd Psalm screened Friday at the National Civil Rights Museum to a standing room only crowd. Additional chairs had to brought into the theater to create makeshift aisles and rows. And when there were no more chairs to be found, moviegoers lined the walls and stood for the remainder of the film.

    The event culminated with a standing ovation for the film's lead, Markhum Stansbury, Jr., and the film's Director/Writer, Christopher C. Odom. The National Civil Rights Museum is located at and incorporates the "Lorraine Motel" which is the actual assassination spot of the the slain Civil Rights Leader and Nobel Peace Price Winner, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Christopher C. Odom's grandfather, the late Pastor Edward J. Odom, Jr. is the former Secretary of the Church Department for the NAACP. During his time there, he had marched arm and arm with Dr. King. Unbeknownst to Christopher before making The 23rd Psalm, Cornelius Booker III's (Producer, The 23rd Psalm) grandfather, Pastor Dr. Cornelius Booker Sr., had also worked worked at the NAACP during the same time as Christopher's grandfather and they did in fact know one another. In response to the obvious synergies between Odom, Booker, the grandfathers and Dr. King, one moviegoer hailed the evening as "divine providence" that The 23rd Psalm would screen at The National Civil Rights Museum.

    The next screening of The 23rd Psalm will be held, Sunday, May 6, 2007 at 8:30 during the Berlin Black Cinema International Film Festival. To stay up to date with the latest news about The 23rd Psalm, visit the film's official website at http://www.psalm23movie.com.
    report
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:41PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm Packs The House At PAFF 2007
    Los Angeles (02/20/07) – The 23rd Psalm played to a packed house at last Friday's Los Angeles Premiere screening during the Pan African Film Festival at Magic Johnson's Theater.

    Members of the audience commented that the characters seemed "very real" and found the movie "easy to relate to…"

    After Christopher C. Odom announced that The 23rd Psalm was now officially in the market for a distribution deal, there were dozens of camera flashes, swarming reporters, and buzz about distribution deals, which blocked the entire hallway outside the screening.

    The 23rd Psalm will screen next at in Memphis, TN at the National Civil Rights Museuem, April 27, 2007.

    For more information about The 23rd Psalm and to stay up to date with the latest news about the film, please visit the film's official website at http://www.psalm23movie.com .
    report
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:40PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm To Screen at HBFF 2007
    (Los Angeles – 04/12/2007) - The 23rd Psalm has just been tapped as a Finalist in the 8th Annual Hollywood Black Film Festival, which takes place in Beverly Hills, June 5 – 10, 2007.

    The 23rd Psalm marks Director/Writer Christopher C. Odom's sophomore return to HBFF, whereas in 2004, Odom's documentary feature, How To Make It In Hollywood Before You Make It, was also an HBFF Finalist.

    Since The 23rd Psalm's freshman entry into the 2007 festival season with the San Diego Black Film Festival, where it won Best Picture, Best Lead Actor (Markhum Stansbury Jr.) and Best Supporting Actor (Arnita Champion), The 23rd Psalm has had a total of 6 confirmed festival screenings – a number that continues to blossom (Official Selection – Los Angeles Pan African Film Festival, Cannes Pan African Film Festival, Berlin Black Cinema International & Special Screening - National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis, TN).

    For more information about The 23rd Psalm and to stay up to date with the latest details, please visit the film's official website at http://www.psalm23movie.com.
    report
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:40PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm Sweeps The San Diego Black Film Festival
    Los Angeles (02/03/07) - Arguably, the most buzzed about "truly independent" Black Film of 2007, The 23rd Psalm, lived up to it's hype at its first public screening by winning three awards, including the San Diego Black Film Festival's highest honor, at its freshmen entrée into the festival circuit:

    Winner, Best Film, Director Christopher C. Odom, The 23rd Psalm

    Winner, Best Lead Actor, Markhum Stansbury, Jr., The 23rd Psalm

    Winner, Best Supporting Actor, Arnita Champion, The 23rd Psalm

    As the audience became engaged with the story, people began talking to the screen, "oh my God, she's crazy", "he's a liar". There were many teary eyes during the emotional scenes as well as deep guffaws during the humorous moments. One festival participant, Rick Bartlett of San Diego, even reported that The 23rd Psalm, "healed" his back problem while watching the movie.

    The next festival screening of The 23rd Psalm will take place on Friday, February 16th, 2007 at 7:20 pm during the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles at Magic Johnson's Theater. For more information and details about The 23rd Psalm, you may visit the film's official website at http://www.psalm23movie.com.
    report
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:39PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm Has Buzz
    Los Angeles 01/23/07 - Festival Programmers are saying that Director/Writer Christopher C. Odom's indie underground ProHD faith-based feature "The 23rd Psalm" has buzz.

    What's so amazing about the buzz is that the film has no stars and has never been screened publicly. The pre-festival heat for "The 23d Psalm" is so hot, that Odom has been courted by several distributors and sales agencies including John Sloss's Cinetic Media, and the feature's cinematography is currently featured in the Winter 2007 issue of MovieMaker magazine.

    "The 23rd Psalm" was produced with a virtually unknown emerging all African-American cast and lensed with emerging technology on the JVC ProHD GY-HD100U Digital Cinema Camera in 720/24p HDV. Christopher C. Odom, the feature's emerging Director/Writer, is also African-American, earned his Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from UCLA, and served as the feature's Cinematographer and Editor.

    Within three months of submitting the "The 23rd Psalm" to film festivals, it has been programmed in two festivals and counting. The world premiere of "The 23rd Psalm" will take place at the San Diego Black Film Festival on February 3rd and 4th, and the Los Angeles premiere will take place at the Pan African Film & Arts Festival on February 16th.

    The feature's moving soundtrack includes a new song from Meek Records recording artist Rev. Clay Evans, otherwise known as the Father of Traditional Gospel Music, as well as Stellar Award Nominees Masque and Saints With A Vision (SWV), among others.
    More details about the "The 23rd Psalm" and its screenings can be found on the feature's official website at http://www.psalm23movie.com.
    report
  • JUL 02, 2007 10:38PM Christopher Odom writes:
    The 23rd Psalm To Premiere At The 2007 Pan African Film And Arts Festival
    Los Angeles (01/14/07) – "The 23rd Psalm" will have its festival premiere February 16th, 7:20 p.m. at the 2007 Pan African Film & Arts Festival in Los Angeles at the AMC Magic Johnson 15 Theaters, located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

    The film's cast includes former Pan-American Games medalist turned actor Arnita Champion (aka Arnita Epps, Arnita Myricks, Arnita Epps-Myricks), former ABC Walt Disney Screenwriting Fellowship Award Winner Markhum Stansbury Jr. and Mister Jones, co-star of the American and German independent hit "The Riff".

    With an attendance of over 200,000 people for the film and arts festival, PAFF (http://www.paff.org) is the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in North America. Each year PAFF screens over 150 films from the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the South Pacific, Europe and Canada.

    Known for showcasing new films first, past Pan African Film Festival features have included box office and award-winning hits: "Ray", "Lackawanna Blues", "Love Jones", "Redemption", "Love & Basketball", "Crazy As Hell", "Kingdom Come", "The Brothers", "Gridlock'd", and last year's Academy Award® winner for Best Foreign Film, "Tsotsi".

    Produced by Cornelius Booker III and Christopher C. Odom, "The 23rd Psalm" (http://www.psalm23movie.com) marks the first edition in a series of High-Definition faith-based features for their banner Odom-Booker Entertainment. Christopher C. Odom, a graduate of the UCLA Master of Fine Arts Program in Screenwriting and the film's Writer/Director, also served as the film's Cinematographer.

    Being one of the first features shot on the JVC Pro HD GY-HD100U 720/24p HDV Cinema Camera, "The 23rd Psalm", will be screened at PAFF in digital projection.

    Tickets for "The 23rd Psalm" will be available online in February at http://www.paff.org/html/paff_store.php.
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