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MY DEJA VU WITH TEENA MARIE screened at the 30th annual SE Manly Film Festival in downtown Los Angeles, 11/15-17/24
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See us June 2025 @the Marina Del Rey Film Festival
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The audience award winner at the Compton International Film Festival, My Déjà vu With TEENA MARIE, will screen in several states and a few countries outside of the United States this year 2025. Make sure you sign up on our mailing list!
“My Déjà Vu with Teena Marie” World Premiere, Friday, August 9th at the Compton Film Festival
Director’s Statement:
As a cinema scholar, and Master Funk Filmmaking Artist, I gotta groove you into this epiphany: I am a disciple of Cinema Verite, vibin’ with truth and film even before I could parlez-vous français. Watching "Wattsstax" in my youth was a cosmic jolt that shaped my existence. Being the cinematographer for the Director Mel Stewart’s swan-song documentary, Shakespeare in Watts, about my classroom, only supercharged my zeal for the sacred art of cinema. I groove to the beat of FUNK—beyond giants like George Clinton, James Brown, Rick James, and Teena Marie; it's also in the vibrant prose of Ishmael Reed, Ralph Ellison, and Toni Morrison.
I am a funkadelic filmmaker, conjuring three cans of wet, magic shave! I sprinkle ham hocks in your cornflakes with this Cinema Verité Experience.
TESTING POSITIVE 4 Da’ FUNK! is a micro-series of short films featuring the founding musicians of the musical genre, FUNK. Not 2 be confused with, R&B, Rock&Roll, Pop, or Adult Contemporary. Like WattsStax, this film features rare legends who I had the unique honor to film and interact with professionally. These musicians who are the creative human beings who played and performed on some of the greatest Funk tunes to ever exist, allowed me into their world and I invited them into mine.
Atomic Dog, One Nation Under a Groove, and Cosmic Slop, equals, June Morrison, Garry Shider, ”Boggie“ Mosson, Frankie Kash Waddy, founding member of Bootsy’s Rubberband, George Clinton and many more, spending time in my classroom getting Funked on by my high school students, and then performing with The Great Dr. Funkenstien in our school gym for students and parents, to the Great Richard “Kush” Griffith, 2nd Trumpet of James Brown’s JBs, in one of his final performances with Bootsy Collins in NYC from 1990 and many more rare moments of genius which will last a lifetime.
This documentary contains raw footage filmed between the years 2000 and 2008. The quality of the footage reflects the technology and equipment available to me at the time—no steady cams, no sophisticated rigs.
What you will witness is true to the cinéma vérité style, capturing real-life moments with authenticity and unfiltered honesty. The talent and stories before the lens stand as a testament to this era.
Audience Platform🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾
Given the current shift toward streaming platforms, the film is ideally suited for digital distribution on popular streaming services, ensuring it reaches a broad and engaged audience. The film aims to inspire and provoke thought by illustrating the enduring legacy of artistic relationships, the evolution of music, and the personal stories behind iconic public figures. Through its compelling narrative and creative execution, this documentary seeks to leave an indelible impact on the cultural landscape and encourage appreciation for the deeper stories behind the music we love.
Sculptor CHUKES, highlighted in film about juvenile crime!
LET CLAY BE CLAY features original sculptures and paintings by Artist CHUKES. This film-work is the result of a powerful collaboration and a lifelong friendship. As teammates running track for historical Coach, Robert Poynter @San Jose State University, and continuing on the legacy of the Good Brothers, my close friend and brother and spirit is someone whose work embodies pure creativity. It was my goal to capture his work in a story that is poignant. In the ending montage, it is Chukes hands that are actually sculpting! This story is based on the true story of my mother‘s friend and her daughter.
Darryl McCane, Master Funk Artist
MFA in Film 1994 Columbia University
Hartley DuPont Award for Outstanding Excellence in the School of the Arts 1994
Adjunt Professor of English, Speech and World Literature with an emphasis on American novels developed into cinema. The City University of New York at The College of Staten Island CUNY 1994-1998
Adjunct Professor of Cinema for Los Angeles Community College District 2000 to present
2005-present Mr. McCane serves as the Senior CTE Career Technical Education Instructor for Film and Video at Washington Preparatory High School in South Los Angeles. Provide mentorships and job programs to at-risk students, fostering success in various fields including TV, film, video, game design, digital art, and coding. Oversee the production of over 50 short films annually, written, directed, and edited by students utilizing professional software. Conduct professional development activities for staff and delivered presentations at academic conferences focusing on curriculum development, student retention, and success.
Notable Key Contributions:
* • Collaborated with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to establish a mentorship program, now known as the Vance Byrd Mentorship program, adopted district-wide by LAUSD, benefiting 40 students annually.
* • Cultivated a 15-year partnership with the Black Hollywood and Education Resource Center, facilitating the participation of 200 students in the Global Youth Leadership Conference held in 2023 at the Nate Holden Center in Los Angeles.
* • Built and maintained an articulation agreement with the Los Angeles Community College District, enabling high school students to enroll in transferable community college classes on campus.
* • Teamed up with the British Academy to craft an academic articulation course with the New York Film Academy, granting students the opportunity to learn from professionals affiliated with Universal Studios.
* • Recognized with the LAUSD Career Technical Education Student Retention Award in 2010.
Behind the Scenes of My Déjà Vu with TEENA MARIE + The Making of PreservationFunk’s Latest Film
Mema, what happened to your boob?
