University of Michigan screening

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“AKIRA’S HIP HOP SHOP” TO SCREEN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN CAMPUS ON MARCH 27TH

Los Angeles, CA (March 24, 2008) – “Akira’s Hip Hop Shop”, the award-winning romantic comedy short film written and directed by Joe Doughrity, will screen in Ann Arbor on Thursday, March 27th. The screening will be followed by a Q&A on the film and race relations.

The event is being hosted by the Alpha Epsilon Colony of Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Incorporated in honor of Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PIA) Heritage Month. The screening venue is the University’s East Hall, Room 1360 at 7pm.

“Akira’s Hip Hop Shop” is an interracial love story about a Japanese guy (James Kyson Lee from NBC’s “Heroes”) infatuated with rap music who falls for an African-American culinary student (Emayatzy Corinealdi). They wrestle with prejudice and stereotypes from family and friends in an effort to sustain their relationship.

Writer and Director Joe Doughrity, recipient of the Directors Guild of America’s “Best African-American Director Award” in November of 2007, will appear at a Q&A session following the screening.

“I’m excited to be returning home to the Detroit area for the region’s first screening of my film,” said Doughrity. “I was raised in Michigan and it’s an opportunity for many of my friends and family to see the film with an audience.”

For more information please contact Theta Nu Xi’s Chinenyenwa “Chi Chi” Onyemaechi at chinenyeo@gmail.com

About “Akira’s Hip Hop Shop”

“Akira’s Hip Hop Shop” is a romantic comedy short film about a Japanese guy and a Black girl who fall for each other based on mutual attraction and common passions. The running time is approximately 37 minutes. In English with some Japanese subtitles.

Plot synopsis: Akira’s Hip Hop Shop is a romantic comedy/drama about a rap music-loving Japanese guy named Akira who owns a record store with his best friend. When Daphne, a young Black culinary student walks into his shop one day Akira’s life is changed forever.

As their relationship blossoms, Akira must deal with the struggle of running a small business and pressure from his family to return to Japan. Daphne is torn between her feelings for Akira and her devotion to Corey, her brash music video boyfriend.
Does love truly conquer all? Or will prejudice and politics drive the couple apart?

www.akirashiphopshop.com
www.myspace.com/akirashiphopshop
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhjxM37-qpk

About Joe Doughrity

Joe Doughrity is a screenwriter, director and documentary filmmaker. He began his careeer as an assistant to Oscar nominated director John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood). Signed by Creative Artists Agency in his early 20s, Joe enjoyed a successful career as a professional screenwriter. After watching many of his scripts languish in development, he decided to make his own films. His first effort, “Seven Days in Japan”, won Best Documentary at the San Diego Comic-con International Film Festival in 2005. His second film, “Akira’s Hip Hop Shop”, is currently on the film festival circuit and beat out two thousand other works when it was awarded the Directors Guild of America’s Best African-American director student award in November 2007. Joe is a graduate of Columbia College and a member of the Writers Guild of America.