Gentrifying The Dope Game
The movie “Dope Fiend” shares the story of how gentrification is the drug of choice.
Late Wednesday night, Tilly’s bar played host to a private premier of the Ron Elliot film Dope Fiend. A tale of a drug war that not only ends in bloodshed, but the lost of a community.
The movie takes place in Brooklyn centered around the three drug kings, all looking to expand their territory. Profit (Andra Fuller) holds down his turf with the help of Lil Bam (Marquise Jackson) as his one of his street soldiers. But Profit is thrown for a loop when Isis (Sakina Deer) informs Profit of what has happened one of the kings. Oscar was brutality murdered by the third drug king Santiago (Leonardo Arias) and now places Profit in a situation where he has to take a stand. Isis wants revenge for what happen to Oscar, and stops at nothing to see his death avenged.
While the drug war rages on, crooked business developers take advantage of the feud with their own desires to take over the community. Elliot uses the in fighting of the drug lords as a distraction from the war that takes places around the community at large. Check out interviews from director Ron Elliot, producer Janelle Abraham, and actor Marquise Jackson. Dope Fiend is set to premier on August 29th. Check the Dope Fiend website for more information.