Director, singer-songwriter and actor Moses Sumney has joined production company Serial Pictures for commercials, branded entertainment and music video representation. This marks his first time being represented as a director.
While Sumney’s work defies expectation, genre and categorization, a consistent theme across his creative explorations in the worlds of film and music is his assertion that the undefinable still exists and dwelling in it is an act of resistance.
Akin to his upbringing between Southern California and Ghana, his work migrates seamlessly through genre and disciplines. He has directed many of his own music videos, as well as for artists and designers like Thom Browne and magazine platform i-D.
His latest release, the self-directed music video for his new single “Vintage,” bears the hallmarks of his past directorial work–the auteurial lushness of his 2021 live concert film Blackalachia, where he showcased his mastery of cinematic spectacle with angular choreography and songs performed acrobatically mid-air; and the comedic surrealism of “Cut Me,” and the kinetic physicality of “Virile” (a standout from his second album "græ").
In close collaboration with Sumney and cinematographer Marcell Rév (Euphoria, Malcolm & Marie, Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers”), Kodak supported the music video with a yet-to-be-released and never-before-used motion picture stock, which is similar to a beloved professional still photography film.
“Moses is a creative force–his culture-bending talent and emotive explorations, with a focus on a meditative connection to the human condition, pushes boundaries through cinematic and sonic experiences,” said Serial Pictures founder Violaine Etienne. “Moses is a boundless inspiration for us, and we are thrilled to bring his visionary talent to Serial Pictures.”
Sumney said, “I am excited to join Serial Pictures, whose prioritization of an intimate work process matches the creative-forward standard I have strived to cultivate as I foray deeper into filmmaking.”
About the single, he shared, “‘Vintage’ is me sliding into the music I probably listen to most these days–progressive R&B. I crafted the video as a callback to the ‘90s/2000s clips of my childhood, when men weren’t afraid to beg and plead. I am once again begging to join the pantheon of great yearners: K-Ci & Jojo, Omarion, Ray J, Jodeci, Jagged Edge. Desire has always been at the core of my work; now the desire has a little shimmering shimmy to it.”
Sumney’s music videos have been lauded by SXSW, the UKMVAs, the Webby and Camerimage awards; and his albums have topped the critics’ lists of The New York Times, NPR, Pitchfork, The Guardian, and Rolling Stone.
He has also starred in major campaigns for Calvin Klein and Burberry, and the cinematic flare of his videos led him to act in two A24 productions, the second–his film debut in MaXXXine–premieres this summer.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More