What Matters Most

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Wildcat is a state of mind; an experiment inspired by the composition and performance of jazz music.
The characters that populate this world are actual – cowboys; and envisioned – angels.
The town they all inhabit is real – Grayson, Oklahoma.

Directed and Edited by – Kahlil Joseph / Cinematography by – Malik Hassan Sayeed / Produced by – Omid Fatemi, Paul Chang, Ebony Brown and Daniel Tarr / Original Music by – Flying Lotus / Additional Editing by - Luke Lynch / 1st AC – Wayne Goring / 2nd AC - Jon Jones / Steadicam by - Stephen Wymer / DIT - Jason Wietholter / Sound Operator - Jon Roman / Wardrobe – Ebony Brown / Production Assistant - Kevin Kisling / Titles - Osk Studio

Featuring – Lundon Torrence, Wildcat Ebony Brown, Elvert (Nooksie) Celestine
Special Thanks to – L. Onye Anyanwu, Daniel Song, Tamytrea Celestine, Oliver Williams, Wendell Williams, Veronica Armstead and the Armstead Family, Mayor Leon Armstead, C & W Rodeo Arena, The people and town of Grayson, Oklahoma
R.I.P. Aunt Janet Celestine.

NOWNESS Indiewire Spin
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Shot in the Nickerson Gardens housing projects in Watts, Los Angeles,
this film deals with themes of violence, camaraderie, and spirituality
through the lens of magical realism.

Directed By – Kahlil Joseph / Cinematography by – Matthew J. Lloyd / Produced By – Omid Fatemi / Underwater Cameraman / 1st AC – David Edsall / Edited by – Luke Lynch / Steadicam by – Dana Morris / VFX by – Josh Foster @ Synapse FX / Additional FX work by - Andy Curtis / Color by – Sean Coleman @ Company3 / Titles by – Stephen Serrato / Styling by – Elizabeth Birkett-Gibbs / Music by – Flying Lotus / Production/Camera Assistant – Marcus Reposar/ Location Manager – Big Flip

Featuring – Solomon Gibbs, Storyboard P, Ishmael Gibbs and Edwin Marcelin
Special Thanks to – Laura Tunstall, Chris Gibbs, Alan Algee, Rodney Passe, Patrick O’Brien-Smith, Panavision and the community of Nickerson Gardens

New Yorker Sundance LA Times SFMOMA KCRW Luxury in Progress
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Black Up is a short film that portrays a fever dream induced by the music of Shabazz Palaces. The film features songs from Shabazz Palaces' album Black Up on Sub Pop Records, as well as various pieces of unreleased material.
Filmed in Bronx, NY, Beacon, NY, and various locations in Puerto Rico.

Director – Kahlil Joseph / Photography – Matthew J. Lloyd / Producer – Omid Fatemi / 1st AC – Dave Edsall / Steadycam – Jonathan Beattie / Production and Costume Design – Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes / Production Coordinator – Sue Yeon Ahn / Graphics – Evan Matthews / Sound Design – Will Patterson / Color – Malik Sayeed and Nice Dissolve / Model – Brianna Michele / Talent – Raul Robinson-Cruz and Mariel Cruz / Location Scout – DJ Nature
Creative Consultant – Lee Harrison & Knox Robinson / Executive Producer – Paul Chang
Gil Scott-Heron audio sample courtesy of Reelblack

The New Yorker Gorilla Vs Bear NME Paper Clash
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"Old cowboys are the saddest and most touching figures." – Wim Wenders
Filmed in Deadman's Creek, British Columbia, Canada

Director : Chelsea McMullan / Photography: Matthew J. Lloyd / Editor: Avril Jacobson / Music: Rae Spoon / Talent: Don Cope / Produced by What Matters Most

Dazed & Confused
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Frederico Fellini's unmade film ll Viaggio di G. Mastorna Detto Fernet became a graphic novel, just before Fellini's death in 1993. This is the story of howthat came to be, as told by long time Fellini collaborator and illustrator for ll Viaggio di G. Mastorna, Milo Manera. Combining still photography and moving images, the piece which was produced in conjunction with Fabrica, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011. The short is anchored by an interview with Milo Minara, shot entirely in stills. The interview discusses his personal take on the main existentialist themes of the book; this interview has been intercut with the actual graphic novel and what appears to be the lost footage (via recreation) of the story's first scene. This short doc is an exploration into dreams and fantasy, moving through different realities.

Filmed in Milan, Italy and Koln, Germany.

Director: Chelsea McMullan / Executive Producer: Fabrica / Producer: Derek Howard and Omid Fatemi / Production Company: Fabrica in conjunction with What Matters Most / Principal Cast: Milo Manara / Screenplay: Chelsea McMullan / Cinematographer: Derek Howard / Editor: Pablo Pastor / Sound: Grant Edmonds / Music: Ted Bois / Production Designer: Leanne MacKay / Photography Stills: Margo Ovcharemko

Nowness Vogue Italia Vanity Fair Italia Toronto Film International Festival
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Now-Again Records and What Matters Most present a short film duo entitled The Model, featuring the renowned Brazilian singer and actor Seu Jorge (City Of God, The Life Aquatic). The Model is inspired by the music from the self-titled Seu Jorge and Almaz album.

The first part Chapter 1: Marcello in Limbo is a one-take affair that follows Jorge as he weaves through a cliffside mansion in the Hollywood Hills. The film showcases three cover songs from the album (Roy Ayers’ Everybody Loves The Sunshine, Martinho da Vila and João de Aquino's Cirandar and Kraftwerk’s The Model) and features the members of his band Almaz, producer Mario C and keyboardist Money Mark.

Filmed in Hollywood, California.

Director: Kahlil Joseph / Starring: Seu Jorge / Photography: Bradford Young and Matthew J. Lloyd / Producer: Omid Fatemi and Daniel Song / Styling: Davia and Earl Hunter for Style By Davia / Additional production support by Jon David Lloyd / Executive Producer: Paul Chang

Nowness Seu Jorge and Almaz
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Now-Again Records and What Matters Most present a short film duo entitled The Model, featuring the renowned Brazilian singer and actor Seu Jorge (City Of God, The Life Aquatic). The Model is inspired by the music from the self-titled Seu Jorge and Almaz album.

In chapter two we get treated to Marcello's (Seu Jorge) hypnotic take on his dreams and how they involve music and the image of a mysterious woman that have come to consume him. Struggling to decipher his dreams from reality, Marcello attempts to make sense of it all.

Filmed in Hollywood, California.

Director: Kahlil Joseph / Starring: Seu Jorge / Photography: Bradford Young and Matthew J. Lloyd / Producer: Omid Fatemi and Daniel Song / Styling: Davia and Earl Hunter for Style By Davia / Additional production support by Jon David Lloyd / Executive Producer: Paul Chang

IFC Now Again
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A viral ad spot designed to celebrate the launch of a new product by Luke Meier and Vans Syndicate. The spot features music by Flying Lotus and original Black Rock Coalition member Melvin Gibbs. Ishmael Butler makes a cameo appearance and provides the voice over.
Filmed in Seattle, Washington.

Written and Directed by: Kahlil Joseph / Photography: Matthew J. Lloyd / Music: Flying Lotus and Melvin Gibbs / Producer: Luke Meier, Chris Gibbs, and Omid Fatemi / Co-producer: Funk Factory Films / Skaters: Chioke Daudi Stuckey, Ben Randolph, Zachary Zaragoza, and Rodney Procter / Editing: Kahlil Joseph, Sean Shafer, Aaron Morris, and Luke Lynch / Costume/Production Designer: Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes / Optical Titles: Sebastian Pardo / Camera Assist: Trevor Funk

Support from: Tom Cooke, Jay Potocar, Jon Warren, Berto Liechty, Rian Pozzebon, Peter Dericks, Michael deWit, Matt Shipman from Vans, James Jebbia from Supreme, and Ill Studio
Special thanks: The Procter Family, Molly O’Brien, Malik Sayeed, Funk Factory Films, Trevor Funk, Nin Truong, Ali Fatemi, Chezik Walker, Rock Paper Scissors, and The City of Seattle

Vans Syndicate Zine
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An allegorical short film/music video for Shabazz Palaces called Belhaven Meridian. Beautifully shot on 35mm black & white film in Watts, Los Angeles, Belhaven Meridian is a one-shot homage to Charles Burnett's 1977 classic Killer of Sheep.

Filmed in Watts, California

Director: Kahlil Joseph / Photography: Matthew J. Lloyd / Produced by What Matters Most / Music: Shabazz Palaces

Lodown Wieden + Kennedy
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An Interview with Harris Savides for Built By Wendy (The Filmstrip Dress).
In Loving Memory of Harris Savides, ASC.

Shot on Location at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, CA in 2009.

Directed by Kahlil Joseph / Photography by Matthew J. Lloyd

Built By Wendy