Film Debut

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A young girl and an old woman in a small urban neighborhood stand up to a drug lord.

Six Blocks Wide screened at the historic Carver Theate in downtown Birmingham Thursday, June 26, 2008!  Over 200 people attended.  It was a wonderful night and something far beyond any of my dreams or expectations. I will never forget it.   This film was a labor of love for a team of dedicated people.  Every one of them, from the producers and directors, the talented camera man, the people who made the lighting and sound work, the composer, the film editor, the actors, to the support people…all of them.  To see their vision and mine on the big screen was simply awesome.

It is our hope that this film not only will be accepted into film festivals across the world, but will be used to stimulate thought and discussion about crime and violence and the responsibility of the community to step up. -T.K. Thorne

Showings:

  • Clermont-Ferrand International Film Fest in France (2010)
  • Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham
  • George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in Florence Alabama
  • Brighthouse Cable TV
  • Portobello Festival in London, the largest film festival in the UK!  (One of only 38 films from the US.)
  • Film for Peace Festival in Italy (the only U.S. film semi-finalist), (2008)

“Retired Birmingham Officer’s Film Alters View of the World”
–John Archibald, The Birmingham News

"The world may be only six blocks wide, but it's out six blocks."

“Thorne’s screenplay guides viewers into the world of a small, inner-city community’s struggle against a cruel drug lord. The community’s matriarch, “Gran,” has decided to fight back with both courage and heart against the violence her extended family now faces. The story, based on Thorne’s own experiences as a Birmingham patrol officer, intertwines beauty and heartbreak in a torn community.  The work is a compelling look at violence, both locally and in our society as a whole.”
–Marini Bolshinskaya, ShapeFilms

 

NPR’s WBHM Tapestry Interview

Award-winning director, Yuri Shapochka’s most recent film “High Expectations” was featured at Birmingham’s Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival and was screened for an international audience at the Cannes Film Festival.  Shapochka’s team includes cinematographer, David Brower, and noted actress Tonea Stewart, who is best known for her performance as the grieving mother, Gwen Hailey, in “A Time to Kill.”  Stewart, who leads the cast, is also known for her recurring role on TV’s “In the Heat of the Night.”

Yuri Shapochka, T.K. and Tonea Stewart

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