Akilla's Escape

From a young age, Akilla's life has been dictated by the seemingly inescapable pull of crime and violence. Thrown into drug-running young, he’s worked his way into managing his own cannabis operation. With his profession soon to become legal, there at last seems to be an exit. But when a run-of-the-mill drug drop goes haywire and a violent robbery breaks out, all of Akilla's years in crime are tested along with whatever humanity he has managed to keep intact. With money missing, debts to be paid and a young teenage thief held captive, Akilla has to confront not only those responsible but his own traumatic past.

This neo-noir captures a crushing cycle of crime spanning generations. Charles Officer crafts an entertaining, stylistic and affectionate narrative that oozes confidence, driven by a thumping and electrifying soundtrack composed in collaboration with Massive Attack’s 3D. Actor, poet and musician Saul Williams' stoic lead performance is controlled and effortless, a dead ringer of Alain Delon in Le Samouraï. The combined effect is a film overflowing with aesthetic and political substance.