How She Move
Cast: Tracey Armstrong, Clé Bennett, Nina Dobrey, Romina D'Ugo, Kevin Duhaney, Shawn Fernandez, Brennan Gademans, Jason Harrow, Jai Jai Jones, Tristan D. Lalla, Daniel Morrison, Dwain Murphy, Mya, Rutina WesleyDirector: Ian Iqbal Rashid
Writer: Annmarie Morais
Producers: Brent Barclay, Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny
Co-Producer: Claire Prieto
Art Direction: Rhonda Moscoe
Casting: Kim Coleman, Stephanie Gorin
Costumes: Kimberley Ann Rush
D.O.P.: André Pienaar
Editor: Susan Maggi
Music: Andrew Lockington
Production Design: Aidan Leroux
Set Decoration: Liesl Deslauriers
"How She Move" is an energetic, gritty and ultimately inspiring coming of age tale about a gifted young woman who defies all the rules as she step dances her heart out to achieve her dreams. Featuring a fresh cast of new discoveries, this Sundance Film Festival hit marks the feature film debut of the electric Rutina Wesley, with street-style step sequences by top choreographer Hi Hat and special appearances by R&B singer-songwriter Keyshia Cole and comedian DeRay Davis.
Bursting with raw talent and intelligence, Raya Green (Wesley), the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, has always been the family's one great hope. She won the rare chance to break out of their drug and crime-infested neighborhood when she was accepted into the exclusive Seaton Academy. But when her sister dies of an overdose, the family is shattered and Raya is forced to return to the place she tried so hard to escape.
It's not easy to go back - especially when one-time friends, including the tough minded Michelle (Tre Armstrong), see Raya as a stuck-up traitor who left the community behind. Feeling trapped and looking for a way out, Raya learns about a step competition with a $50,000 cash prize that could change her fate. Most of the crews that win the big money are all male, forcing Raya to fight her way in as the sole female member of the Jane Street Junta (JSJ), led by the reining champ of the local steppin' scene Bishop (Dwain Murphy). As sparks begin to fly between Raya and Bishop, a false move by Raya leaves her without a crew, and she finds herself in a battle between her loyalty, her determination, her family's ambitions and her heart. As the big contest approaches, she realizes it's no longer just about the money or the opportunity, but also the one thing that she's been missing in her life: a sense of self.
Bursting with raw talent and intelligence, Raya Green (Wesley), the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, has always been the family's one great hope. She won the rare chance to break out of their drug and crime-infested neighborhood when she was accepted into the exclusive Seaton Academy. But when her sister dies of an overdose, the family is shattered and Raya is forced to return to the place she tried so hard to escape.
It's not easy to go back - especially when one-time friends, including the tough minded Michelle (Tre Armstrong), see Raya as a stuck-up traitor who left the community behind. Feeling trapped and looking for a way out, Raya learns about a step competition with a $50,000 cash prize that could change her fate. Most of the crews that win the big money are all male, forcing Raya to fight her way in as the sole female member of the Jane Street Junta (JSJ), led by the reining champ of the local steppin' scene Bishop (Dwain Murphy). As sparks begin to fly between Raya and Bishop, a false move by Raya leaves her without a crew, and she finds herself in a battle between her loyalty, her determination, her family's ambitions and her heart. As the big contest approaches, she realizes it's no longer just about the money or the opportunity, but also the one thing that she's been missing in her life: a sense of self.
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Film Format: 35mm
Filming Locations: Toronto, Canada
MPAA Warning: Some Drug Content, Suggestive Material and Language
Production Companies: Sienna Films Inc
Web Sites: Official Site - The IMDb
Film Format: 35mm
Filming Locations: Toronto, Canada
MPAA Warning: Some Drug Content, Suggestive Material and Language
Production Companies: Sienna Films Inc
Web Sites: Official Site - The IMDb
7 March 2008: UK
13 March 2008: Australia
11 April 2008: Mexico
18 June 2008: France
13 March 2008: Australia
11 April 2008: Mexico
18 June 2008: France