"MVP"

Movies Made in Detroit -Black filmmakers tell broader stories http://www.freep.com/entertainment/movies/harry25_20040125.htm
2004 Sundance Film Festival Preview http://festival.sundance.org/filmguide/popup.aspx?film=F11336

Harry Davis interview with Tavis Smiley and Vondie Curtis Hall http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=1606479

Harry Davis has established himself as an up-and-coming directing talent with his debut feature docu-drama "Gangstresses", which features Lil'  Kim, Mary J. Blige and Tupac Shakur. Following the lives of female hustlers on the streets and in the studios.  "Gangstresses" has been broadcast in the UK, and was charted on Billboard's top ten home video sales.
Mr. Davis is a founding member of Reel-to-Reel Pictures Entertainment, he also co-produced "The Lyricist Lounge" in 1996, which became the number one selling video in Japan. 

The record number of films by African-American directors at Sundance is certainly a turning point. Harry Davis, director of the Detroit-filmed Sundance feature "MVP", points out the fact that black films and black filmmakers are becoming more diverse.

textarea: Harry Davis directs the drama MVP from a screenplay by award-winning filmmaker Greg Pak, filmed entirely in Detroit.  (Wood Harris) stars as Tony Smalls, a public defender in Detroit. Fed up with the legal system, he wants to quit being an attorney and leave town. His sister Nia (N'Bushe Wright), however, convinces him stay and defend her boyfriend Big Boy (Christian Mathis). This proves to be complicated by the fact that Big Boy is the supposed leader of the gang known as MVP. Tony finds that the case strains his relationship with his wife Kim (Melle Powers). Roger Guenveur Smith also starrs in MVP that was part of the American Spectrum competition at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004.

Davis was born on  Detroit's west side. His mother taught phys-ed and counseled and his father was an entrepreneur . A track star, Davis earned a scholarship to Detroit Country Day, and was a hurdles champion and went on to Yale. Mr. Davis earned a Bachelor's degree from Yale University and a J.D. from the School of Law at Case Western Reserve University.
The Detroit production came to life when long time friend made a few calls. Detroit based art dealer George N'Namdi introduced Davis to the NBA player Kevin Edwards, who played for Miami, New Jersey, Orlando and Vancouver before retiring in 2001. Edwards became the executive producer on the film, and Karin Chien came on as the producer. Edward's friend former Knicks Charles Oakley is also an executive producer.
Detroit 2 Los Angeles entertainment was positioned to do the extra casting and contracted Zentrix Security to keep the set locations and celebrities safe.  Filming locations varied from Belle Isle , Huntington Woods to downtown's Spirit of Detroit monument, ended in October 2002. 
Davis recently visited L.A. All-Star 2004 weekend and connected with Jeff Clanagan president of Urban Works Ent. They closed a deal  that will be putting finishing touches on the film.  Production returns to Detroit in late June to film for 4 days. Contact Harry Davis @ 313-657-6461 or De2LA @ 313-210-1720 or 313-862-9445 de2la@ddvoice.com

textfield3: Actors Starring in "MVP"
Obba Babatunde-           Credits:              John Q,           Life,                           How High,      The Visit
Kevin Jackson-               Credits:             Brother to Brother,                 2 Fast 2 Furious,      The One
Roger Guenveur Smith- Credits:   All About the Benjamins,    A Huey P. Newton Story,      Final Destination
N'Bushe Wright-            Credits:   Civil Brand,      3 Strikes,      Zebra head,           Blade,      Dead Presidents
Wood Harris-                 Credits:    Paid in Full,      Hendrix,         Remember The Titans,       As Good As It Gets