FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Ashlie P. Williams Unit Publicist – Only Light [email protected] 310.491.4166 3601 Trousdale Parkway Ste. 415 Los Angeles, CA 90089

USC Film Students Prove to be Game Changers Principal Photography begins for Only Light

Los Angeles, CA – Monday, February 3, 2014 – Emmy-Award winning producer, Evita Castine, will lead seasoned actors Michael Beach (Waiting to Exhale, Soul Food) and Aaron Spears (BET’s Being Mary Jane, The Bold and The Beautiful) as the film’s director. The screen play , written by Thembi L. Banks, will be produced by Elena Ostroumova and Zachary Skipp. Notable casting director, Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd has cast Kennedy Zimet, Brooke McNeal, Aaron Spears, Michole White, and Michael Beach for the film’s key roles.

Only Light is a story about a rebellious young teenager, “Zora”, stuck in mundane suburbia, who makes a chilling discovery when she finds a young girl, “Laeticia”, trapped in a sex trafficking ring next door.

When asked why Byrd chose to be a part of a USC production, she says, “I chose Only Light because of the subject matter. It is timely, provocative and important! I want to do projects that touch lives, provoke action and change - much like FIG opened eyes to prostitution, and FRUITVALE STATION shed light on the plight of Police Brutality – Only Light will change the perception of Sex Trafficking…plus, I think I found my Lupita Nyong’o.”

Evita Castine is an Emmy Award winning producer, writer, and director. Her first year film at USC, Saudade, has played at several film festivals in Chicago, New York, Louisville, Martha’s Vineyard, the Art Institute of Chicago, and was also included in the ACT Now’

Foundation’s New Voices in Black Cinema at BAM Cinematak in Brooklyn, NY (Brooklyn Academy of Music). Saudade was recently selected to play in a 20-year retrospective of African-American short films at the S.E. Manley Film Festival in Hollywood. Castine’s films Free Meal and Crown and Glory have both shown on network television programs including BET’s “Lens on Talent” and Aspire TV’s “American Black Film Festival Independent.”

Thembi Banks is the writer of Only Light. Her goal for writing the script was to create an emotional connection with audiences and the women that experience devastating experiences. She also wanted to shed light on horrific crimes taking place that are often hidden and untold. In addition to Only Light, Thembi has written, produced and directed a TV pilot as well as several short films including Present Trauma, an award winning USC film. Before entering the USC School of Cinematic, Thembi worked in marketing at both MTV and Essence Magazine.

A native of Moscow, Russia, Elena Ostroumova serves as one of the producers for Only Light. In addition to Only Light, Elena’s producing credits include the short films, Obscured and Check Out, as well as the award-winning stage production Illusion and musical, Tobio: The Puppet Master, which premiered in Moscow in 2013. Before coming to the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Elena obtained her Master’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Moscow State University. Additionally, Elena brings a strong eye for photography and international perspective to Only Light.

Zachary Skipp is one of the producers for Only Light. As a graduate student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he has written, shot, directed, and produced several short films; including Daffodil, a short silent romantic comedy; The Long Way Home, a short film about sexual abuse and abandonment, and Rising Tide; the story of a hospice nurse in Hurricane Katrina, who fought to keep her patient alive. In 2012, Zac interned at ROAR, a Beverly Hills- based talent and lifestyle brand management company. He recently interned in the mailroom at William Morris Endeavor and at Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg's production company, Double Feature Films.

Michael Beach extends his talents to Only Light in the role of “Roy”, Zora’s father. His break out performance in the 1995 hit Waiting to Exhale as ’s cheating husband, led to his role in the 1997 hit Soul Food again as a cheating husband alongside VanessaWilliams. Alternatively switching from television to film, Beach stars as Monte "Doc" Parker an idealistic paramedic on NBC's . He also had a recurring role for a few seasons on NBC's Emmy Award-winning drama ER, portraying Jeanie Boulet's () husband who had contracted the HIV virus and passed it on to her. Stretching his Julliard training, Beach sandwiches mainstream films such as A Family Thing with Robert Duvall and with independent films. Beach co-starred in his friend's 's cable movie Rebound:

The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault opposite Don Cheadle. The two will team together for La Salle's upcoming Crazy as Hell. Beach also starred in indiedirector and TV star Tim Reid's Asunder with .

Four-time NAACP Image Award nominee, Aaron Spears, joins the cast as Vannie, the suspected sexual predator in Only Light. Spears has appeared in “The Bold and The Beautiful”, “NCIS”, “Castle”, “Boston Legal”, “Lincoln Heights”, “Bones” “Criminal Minds” and most recently, BET’s “Being Mary Jane”, also cast by Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd.

Michole Briana White, in the role of “Claire” as Zora’s mother, is currently working alongside Jennifer Lopez and Viola Davis in the forthcoming film, Lila and Eve. Her credits also include a recurring role on TV One’s “Love That Girl”, and BET’s “Reed Between the Lines”. In addition, her feature film Strange Eyes of Dr. Myes, comes out in the fall where she will play Dr. Myes.

Kennedy Zimet, Twinkie Byrd’s Lupita Nyong’o, is an actress and host. Kennedy will play “Laeticia” in Only Light. She has covered major events (NAACP Image Awards, Golden Globes Awards, MTV Movie Awards) from NYC to Hollywood, CA. She had the privilege to interview Mary J. Blige, Monica, Jessie McCartney and many more. Kennedy's passion and interest in charity work is a very important part of her life. She has joined AMF (African Millennium Foundation) as The Youth Ambassador to help raise awareness for the 1.6 million people affected by AIDS in Mozambique. Kennedy wants to encourage teens to give back.

USC’s graduate level course, 546, is the most competitive class at the University of Southern California’s film school, where 60 filmmakers compete for the opportunity to make one of three films that the school backs financially. Only Light is one of those films. Several 546’s have gone on to great success including Ryan Coogler’s Fig and Steven Caple Jr.’s A Different Tree. Both were HBO Short film winners and have aired and will air on HBO.

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