LYNNE STOLTZ: "SONS 2 THE GRAVE"

novelist, screenwriter, filmmaker LYNNE STOLTZ

By Steve Pryce

Lynne Stoltz didn't set out to be a novelist, a screenwriter, or a filmmaker. But here she is, her first feature, Sons 2 the Grave, rating 5/5 on Amazon Prime, and a 9.5/10 viewer rating on IMDB. Her company, Have Faith Productions, has a spin-off series in pre-production, and a second, separate feature in the early stages of pre-production.

I sat down with her to talk about the film, her novels, and her slate of productions.

duction, another feature already released, and a follow-up series in the works.

Lynne Stoltz: Thank you. For me, it's just the way life has gone. Of course, it hasn't happened overnight. 'Loud Silence' was first published in 1996, it's about to be re-released, and we expect to begin shooting the feature adaptation late in 2023. It did well – it caught a lot of people's attention, including the late Dr. Maya Angelou; she was attached to direct Loud Silence, but passed away before that could be. We have a television series in the works, too.

Yes. Always have, always will. Likewise, my starting point is no one is going to be directing them but me. Dr. Angelou presented an exceptional argument for delegation, but it was not to be. These are stories I had to get out of my system, and now I see no way other way for them, the part of me that is them, to be represented adequately, other than by my own efforts. But it's not an absolute dogma that I direct.

This wasn't a career choice?

Not at all. I had awhole life, fully involved with the businesses of an entrepreneur husband and raising a young child. Actually, it was as parents that we ran into a situation of hidden bias that shook us to the core. The elitism that emerged from a facade of inclusion disgusted us to the extent that something just had to be done. So I wrote 'Loud Silence' to address the elephant in the room. It is fiction, but closely inspired by those events. I really don't think of myself as a director, or as a writer. That's just what I'm doing at this stage in my life.

'Loud Silence' is about to be re-published, it's adapted for the screen, and you're expecting to shoot it in 2023. But Sons 2 the Grave reached the screen first?

It did. Inspired by an actual event that made it clear it was time for"Sons2TheGrave."

Are we really qualified to portray these stories?

Where we live, doesn't mean we should ignore the other side of the bridge – it exists. We need to do more than buy a ticket to a ballet, an opera or a play and say that I've done my part. This isn't about race or religion; it's about society and where we stand in it. These circumstances exist everywhere. Our characters just happen to be black.

Have Faith Productions?

It is a name that I chose after the loss of my husband. It was a time when I needed to lean on my faith. "Sons 2 the Grave,” and the other projects on our slate, are not aimed at the faith market, but with faith being a big part of my life, it certainly appears in what I write. People say they connect to my writing because they see a part of themselves, they keep hidden, not sure they will be forgiven.

Every one of your cast delivers a strong performance.

Our cast was phenomenal. They portray how young men get into situations they think they can handle themselves and walk away whenever they want. "Sons 2 The Grave" gives understanding to both sides. The young men controlling these communities cannot afford to give up their power. After speaking with Faith Leaders, educators, and people who have spent their whole lives in like communities the understanding became clear; I hope we portrayed that. The actors gave their hearts to all these roles.

You shot the film in Georgia. Is everyone cast from Atlanta?

No,TrevorJackson is from LA, so is Darrin DewittHenson. Everyone else is from Atlanta. The cast felt just right. We spent a lot of time in Atlanta and had the honour of privately screening the movie for Martin Luther King III and Mrs. King.

Are you taking the story of “Sons 2 the Grave” any further?

Just the series?

Above: Cast of "Sons 2 The Grave"

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