Residue

When Jay arrives home, he finds his neighborhood gentrified beyond recognition. Demetrius, his childhood best friend, is missing, but none of the remaining black folks trust Jay enough to provide any answers. Jay’s frustration compounds as he also finds himself alienated in the city at large, attacked from all sides. Jay visits his last friend Dion in prison, but leaves feeling powerless and infuriated. One final, chance confrontation results in Jay succumbing to the same forces as did his friends.

Merawi Gerima

Direction & Screenplay

Merawi Gerima is a filmmaker from Washington DC. This origin informs his work and his community-centered orientation. Residue, his first feature, was a total communal endeavor, made possible primarily by the effort of the people it attempts to portray.