“STRANGE LOVE” STARRING KOUNTRY WAYNE,
MARQUITA GOINGS AND DIRECTED BY CARL ANTHONY PAYNE II
TO PREMIERE AT PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
- The 2023 Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) will premiere STRANGE LOVE as its CENTERPIECE GALA selection on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 at 7:00 PM at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD. Red carpet to start at 6 p.m.
- Confirmed principals from film include: DEWAYNE “KOUNTRY WAYNE” COLLEY (Executive Producer/Lead Actor), TRESSA AZAREL SMALLWOOD (Executive Producer), MARQUITA GOINGS (“Woke”/Lead Actress), MICHAEL “MIKE BLESS” ANTHONY (“Raising Dion”), CARL ANTHONY PAYNE II (“Martin”/Director), ERICA PINKETT (“Secret Society”), and ROLONDA “RO” ROCHELLE (“Chicago Fire”).
- Additional confirmed talent includes: VANESSA BELL CALLOWAY (“Shameless”), comedian and actor BILL BELLAMY, comedian EARTHQUAKE, actress and television host VIVICA FOX, KIM WHITLEY (“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Next Friday,” “Young and Hungry”), BRANDEE EVANS (“P-Valley”), VANESSA E WILLIAMS.
- Dewayne “Kountry Wayne” Colley, in his first leading-man role, stars as Deshawn Green a sex-deprived husband, married to Megan, played by Marquita Goings (“Woke”). Megan works as a phone sex operator against Deshawn’s wishes, pleasing her male callers with her erotic talk, but leaving her “man” sexually starved. Deshawn and Megan are living in a cramped, crappy, apartment next to noisy neighbors. Megan uses their current dilapidated living conditions as an excuse to withhold sexual favors; she refuses to have sex until their living situation improves. A call to his buddy Chip played by Michael “Mike Bless” Anthony (“Raising Dion”) leads to an introduction to a shady cousin/lawyer named Raymond Talbert (played by Carl Anthony Payne II). He has the perfect house at an “unbelievable price.” Desperate to save their marriage, Deshawn and Megan buy the “too good to be true” house only to find out it’s haunted. This Black love story gets creepy when Deshawn gives in to the pleasures of Candice The Ghost played by Erica Pinkett (“Secret Society”). The only question left is will Deshawn save his marriage with Megan or will he choose Candice’s Strange Love?
- “Little Women Atlanta” star SHIRLENE “MS. JUICY” KING plays the “freaky” ghost Lindsey; actress PATRICE LOVELY (“Boo! A Madea Halloween”) as MARGE REENER and ROLONDA ROCHELLE (“Chicago Fire”) as Dr. Stephanie both take a turn at exorcizing the ghosts from Deshawn and Megan’s new home in this quirky, offbeat, comedy-horror.
- Payne directs a cast that represents the blending of Colley and Tressa Azarel Smallwood’s creativity. The cast is a mashup of established actors like Goings and Lovely with social influencers like Anthony (Mike Bless) and Rochelle (Ro)–from the popular “Kountry Wayne” sketches–and reality stars-turned-actors like King and Pinkett. Under Payne’s direction, they create an original, raw, sexy, hilarious, entry to the comedy-horror genre.
- STRANGE LOVE is executive produced and financed by Colley’s Kountry Wayne Entertainment in partnership with Smallwood’s MegaMind Media where they’ve joined forces to create Laughing to the Bank LLC as their joint venture company. Donte Lee and Jermaine Smith also serve as executive producers for Laughing to the Bank LLC.
- Download film assets here.
WHO:
The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF)
WHAT:
Pan African Film & Arts Festival Centerpiece Gala
WHEN:
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
6 p.m. – Red Carpet
7 p.m. – Screening
WHERE:
Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD
4020 Marlton Ave., Los Angeles
MEDIA RSVP:
https://forms.gle/HNx7NXEthCN2ZJHA6
