
2024 PAFF Jury Award Nominee - Best First Feature Narrative
In this suspenseful thriller, James "Sway" Drayton, a successful businessman & community leader, sees his seemingly perfect life crumbling and spiraling out of control as a chaotic day unfolds, involving waking up in a drug stupor with a strange woman in his bed, a missing brother, a revealing interview, and a shocking confession.
Director Bio/Statement:
First-time directors Ramelan X Hamilton is a directing team from Canada made up of Zach Ramelan (CO-DIRECTOR) and Charlie Hamilton (DIRECTOR/WRITER). Fusing their DIY style, flair for visual storytelling and penchant for unique stories, Ramelan X Hamilton have spent years individually honing their skills in short films and series both in front of and behind the camera. With SWAY, the duo dive into wealth inequality, the difficulties of inner-city life, and how traumas can ripple throughout our lifetimes in unimaginable ways. SWAY is a story of brotherhood and the extremes people will go to protect their own kin, as well as black identity, trauma and masculinity in a world increasingly aggressive and dangerous towards it.
- DirectorCharlie Hamilton, Zach Ramelan
- ScreenwriterCharlie Hamilton
- ProducerEmmanuel Kabongo
- Executive ProducerSari Colt, Mishael Morgan, Chris Morsby, Liane Kotler
- Co-ProducerJames Stewart, Daniel Govia, Charlie Hamilton, Eric Yensu
- CastEmmanuel Kabongo, Mishael Morgan, Lovell Adams-Gray, Brittany Raymond, Karl Campbell, Paul Amos
- CinematographerChris Morsby
- EditorSydney Cowper
- Production DesignSayla De Goede
- ComposerMichelle Osis, Terry Benn
- Sound DesignBrianna Todd
2024 PAFF Jury Award Nominee - Best First Feature Narrative
In this suspenseful thriller, James "Sway" Drayton, a successful businessman & community leader, sees his seemingly perfect life crumbling and spiraling out of control as a chaotic day unfolds, involving waking up in a drug stupor with a strange woman in his bed, a missing brother, a revealing interview, and a shocking confession.
Director Bio/Statement:
First-time directors Ramelan X Hamilton is a directing team from Canada made up of Zach Ramelan (CO-DIRECTOR) and Charlie Hamilton (DIRECTOR/WRITER). Fusing their DIY style, flair for visual storytelling and penchant for unique stories, Ramelan X Hamilton have spent years individually honing their skills in short films and series both in front of and behind the camera. With SWAY, the duo dive into wealth inequality, the difficulties of inner-city life, and how traumas can ripple throughout our lifetimes in unimaginable ways. SWAY is a story of brotherhood and the extremes people will go to protect their own kin, as well as black identity, trauma and masculinity in a world increasingly aggressive and dangerous towards it.
- DirectorCharlie Hamilton, Zach Ramelan
- ScreenwriterCharlie Hamilton
- ProducerEmmanuel Kabongo
- Executive ProducerSari Colt, Mishael Morgan, Chris Morsby, Liane Kotler
- Co-ProducerJames Stewart, Daniel Govia, Charlie Hamilton, Eric Yensu
- CastEmmanuel Kabongo, Mishael Morgan, Lovell Adams-Gray, Brittany Raymond, Karl Campbell, Paul Amos
- CinematographerChris Morsby
- EditorSydney Cowper
- Production DesignSayla De Goede
- ComposerMichelle Osis, Terry Benn
- Sound DesignBrianna Todd