For Ahkeem
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO | ITVS
WINNER OF 12 BEST DOCUMENTARY AWARDS
“Masterful...shows us the undeniable power of cinema."
– Huffington Post
“One of the most powerful documentaries ever crafted about the current nature of race relations in America.”
– Toronto Film Scene
“A special achievement...as close as documentaries come to putting us inside the mind of someone who society easily overlooks."
– RogerEbert.com
After a school fight lands 17-year old Daje Shelton in a court-supervised alternative high school, she's determined to turn things around and make a better future for herself in her rough St. Louis neighborhood. But focusing on school is tough as she loses multiple friends to gun violence, falls in love for the first time, and becomes pregnant with a boy, Ahkeem, just as Ferguson erupts a few miles down the road. Through Daje’s intimate coming-of-age story, For Ahkeem illuminates challenges that many Black teenagers face in America today, and witnesses the strength, resilience, and determination it takes to survive.
Credits
Directed by: Jeremy S. Levine & Landon Van Soest
Produced by: Iyabo Boyd & Nicholas Weissman
Executive Producer: Jeff Truesdell
Director of Photography: Nicholas Weissman
Edited by: L. Frances Henderson
Field Producer: Bradley Rayford
Original Music by: Noah Cunningham
Reviews
Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List”
A People Magazine “People Pick”
Cinema Eye Honors List of “Unforgettables”
“A bracing story of grit in a world of social injustice.”
– Los Angeles Times
“For Ahkeem is THE millennial documentary on Black girlhood.”
– Jet
“For Ahkeem is an urgent, important, almost transcendent film, and among the best I’ve seen all year.”
– Third Coast Review
“A quietly impactful documentary with the texture of a narrative feature.”
– The Hollywood Reporter
“A poignant look at Black girlhood.”
– Essence
“Powerful…the deeply personal tale of one young student as she experiences loss, love and dreams that never fade.”
– People Magazine
“This verite doc about a St. Louis teen offers compellingly humane proof of the fact that Black lives matter.”
– IndieWire
“We see and feel what Boonie is experiencing and it changes how we see life…Truly amazing.”
– Unseen Films
“This cinematically stunning and powerful film will leave you breathless and should be considered required viewing.”
– Picture Motion
“Hands-down one of the best documentaries of 2017…essential viewing.”
– Under The Radar Mag
“Intimate and touching.”
– The Playlist
“Incredibly moving.”
– Paste Magazine
“A remarkable experience.”
– The Knockturnal
“A stunning, must-see documentary.”
– MV Times