Phillip Youmans

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]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2019 American Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Burning Cane Nominated
Tribeca Film Festival Best Cinematography Won
Founders Prize Won
2020 Black Reel Awards Outstanding First Screenplay Nominated
Outstanding Independent Feature Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards John Cassavetes Award Nominated
Gotham Awards Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Nominated
Audience Award Nominated

References
  1. McDonald, Soraya Nadia (May 7, 2019). "Phillip Youmans becomes first black director to win at Tribeca with his feature debut, 'Burning Cane'". Andscape. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  2. Stidhum, Tonja Renée (May 6, 2019). "2019 Tribeca Film Festival: In Burning Cane, the Devil Is in the Details". The Grapevine. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  3. 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. 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. 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. May 8, 2019. 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.
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