Director Dale Resteghini is shaking up both the industry and the world with his mind bending, alternate history project. CRACKA was inspired by his disgust in the rise of white supremacy within the last few years. Dale took it upon himself to create the jaw dropping project to push back at the entire situation of racism through media.
A present-day white supremacist is mysteriously transported back into an alternate past where African Americans rule the land and whites are enslaved.
Full of painfully rich, historical broad strokes of history, CRACKA drops us into the black and white mystique of slavery, with hopes to strengthen the outlook of pointless bigotry that is still haunting us today, 401 years later. Co-writer Kevin D. Young, gives an absolutely brutally honest, in-depth look and new meaning to life, love, liberty, and justice for all. By using present day situations, blending daily headlines and adding a historical twist, the project is simply holding up a mirror for others to accept the history of America then, and the state of America now. Starring Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Dangerous Liaisons), Rapper Saigon and Lorenzo Antonucci (Ballers)
You are known as ‘Rage’ in the realm of music videos. Tell us about the “outrage” you feel about the rise of white supremacy within the last few years.
Yes, the moniker of Rage came at an extremely pivotal point of my music video career from one of the biggest producers in music at that time and subsequently ended up being one of the best branding decisions in my music video career.
The outrage I feel towards any group of people that determine themselves as not only superior to other groups but also have a greater right to live, isn’t something new per se, I’ve always despised any faction or depiction or defense of white supremacy and it’s only been heightened as it’s threat to our country has risen primarily due in part to twice impeached one term ex president who attempted to overthrow our government, by using the minority white supremacy faction who he had placated since the racist Charlottesville incident.
Tell us about your film, CRACKA.
It was in the wake of Charlottesville, that created the spike in white supremacy felt across the nation then the works. I personally felt and saw a seismic rise in white supremacy sentiment and most anything anti black and brown, by way of social media and news, which spread across the world just months later. The growth and rise in white supremacy spread like a race fueled pandemic unlike anything I’ve ever seen or been a part of. Being married to a black woman for over 25 years and having the majority people and family in my life being some variation of black and brown, I felt I needed to use my platform and my art to say or do something to enlighten the hate hearted and the ignorant to see that white supremacy ideology is not only despicably wrong and disgusting but simply just ‘bad’.
This film is an eye-opener. It is a painfully rich film with historical broad strokes of history. Take us through the process of developing this film.
Thank you for acknowledging the painfully obvious. I make that simple statement for two reasons. One, it’s infathomable that having to even create something like CRACKA was needed, and two, I’m absolutely perplexed that CRACKA has been described in that way, meaning, what you and others have seen in CRACKA is exactly what we have seen being inflicted on black and brown people for decades in film and TV shows and yet on many previous films depicting slavery in America, from ROOTS to 12 Years A Slave and others, in those films, acts of dominance and humiliation have been much more visually heinous and graphic. In CRACKA, there is not one frame of nudity or any scenes with blood.
What challenges did you face?
I was challenged with having to film in brutally cold weather with mostly a novice young crew. Also this proof of concept short was on a very short 7 day schedule.
The film uses present day situations, blending daily headlines and adding a historical twist. What was critical to the success of this film?
Unfortunately, I feel the most critical aspect of the success of CRACKA, has been the simple tool of role reversal. That’s it. Putting whites in chains and nooses around their necks and seeing whites raped and dehumanized by blacks for some reason has been the primary focus of its acclaim.
What did you learn through the process?
The thing I’ve learned most from my journey with CRACKA has been that white supremacy no matter how small it’s been perceived truly looms much larger than anyone in education or politics gives it credit for and there within lies America’s greatest threat. The way our government is set up, the minority faction and its ideology which discriminates against black and brown people is able to take advantage of the current political structure to limit the voice and the rights of the majority. We are truly in a dangerous place unlike anything we’ve seen in decades.
Share your mission for CRACKA. Would you like to see your film as an educational tool for students in America?
CRACKA needs to transition from its current proof of concept short film stage into a full fledge episodic series, which continuously keeps focus on hate and the enslavement of people. Education itself in America is now under attack by some of the very same people that call into question the legitimacy of the last election and who now are all come for the opposing view of Nazism if The Holocaust is being taught in the classroom.
Using Sci Fi as a Trojan horse to help people see racism through a new lens and my love for time travel and human drama has helped me get CRACKA to this point and now the future of CRACKA and what it can help me accomplish with it, remains very promising!
CRACKA is available exclusively on Vyre Network. Vyre Network is available FREE for download globally on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Android, iPhone, and the web.