Melvin Van Peebles stunned the world for the first time, with his debut feature, "The Story of a Three Day Pass." Filmed in France and selected as the French entry in the San Francisco Film Festival, Melvin's film was awarded the top prize. Saying it was controversial would be an understatement. In 1968 for a black man to walk up to the podium and accept the top festival award for a film he had to go abroad to make--now that's how you make your mark. After his comedy, "Watermelon Man," Melvin was determined to push the Hollywood boundaries with the groundbreaking, and even more controversial, "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song." Turned down by every major studio including Columbia, where he had a three-picture deal, Melvin was forced to basically self-finance. Risking everything he had Melvin delivered to the world the first Black Ghetto hero on the big screen--whether they were ready or not! More than 30 years later, history is being fashioned again in the telling of this very tale. Mario Van Peebles, Melvin's son, directs an honest and revealing portrait of his pioneering father. Mario now tells the story of the making of Melvin Van Peebles' landmark 1971 film, "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song," including Melvin's struggles to raise money to fund the film under the guise of creating a black porno film. Melvin had ducked creditors, the unions and had to bail out his camera crew after they were arrested because a white cop decided "a bunch of Negroes and hippies couldn't have come by that camera equipment honestly." Despite death threats and temporarily losing sight in one eye, Melvin somehow managed to whip into shape a rag-tag, multi-racial crew and finish the film that would give birth to birth of a new era which was about to explode: Independent Black Cinema.

Director:
Mario Van Peebles	Director
Cast:
Mario Van Peebles	as Melvin Van Peebles
Joy Bryant	as Priscilla
T K Carter	as Bill Cosby
Terry Crews	as Big T
Ossie Davis	as Granddad
David Alan Grier	as Clyde Houston
Nia Long	as Sandra
Paul Rodriguez	as Jose Garcia
Saul Rubinek	as Howard "Howie" Kaufman
Vincent Schiavelli	as Jerry
Khleo Thomas	as Young Mario Van Peebles
Rainn Wilson	as Bill Harris
Karimah Westbrook	as Ginnie
Len Lesser	as Manny & Mort Goldberg
Sally Ann Struthers	as Roz
Jazsmin Lewis	as Working Girl
Adam West	as Bert
Ralph Martin	as Tommy David
Robert Peters	as Bob Maxwell
Glenn Plummer	as Angry Brother
Khalil Kain	as Maurice
Pamela Gordon	as Ethel
Wesley Jonathan	as Panther
Joseph Culp	as Attorney
John Singleton	as Detroit J
Joan Blair	as Brenda
Penny Bae Bridges	as Megan
Mandela Van Peebles	as Angel Muse
E. J. Callahan	as Bartender
Keith Diamond	as Large Brother
Don Dowe	as Officer
Brent Schaffer	as Panther
Brian Lewis (Skinny B)	as Panther
Mickey Mello	as David
Christopher Michael	as Black Journalist
Tyrone Mitchell	as Man
Alan James Morgan	as Josh
David Alan Smith	as Brewster
Nathan J Wetherington	as Jimmy
Robin Wilson	as Excited Lady
Paul Roach	as Pimpy Paul
Marley Van Peebles	as Trick Or Treater
Maya Van Peebles	as Trick Or Treater
Bridget Avildsen	as Trick Or Treater
Craig Jones	as Trick Or Treater
Kate Krystowiak	as Moonbeam
Anthony Rodriguez	as Fernando
Thomas Longo	as Camera Assistant
Robert Yosses	as Script Supervisor
Danny Hebert	as Crew Member
Michele Hill	as Biker Girl
Les Miller	as Nora
Bob Primes	as Union Thug
Buzzxsassy	as Union Thug
Rey Diogo	as Union Thug
Jake Blecha	as Leadman
Cinematography:
Robert Primes	Director Of Photography
Gary Katsuya Ushino	First Assistant Camera
Steven Mann (Manny)	First Assistant "B" Camera
Paul C Gibilisco	Second Assistant Camera
Skip Mobley	Second Assistant Camera
Ian Dodd	"A" Camera Operator
Dan Kneece	"B" Camera Steadicam Operator
Writer:
Mario Van Peebles	Screenwriter
Dennis Haggerty	Screenwriter
Melvin Van Peebles	Source Material (From Book: "Sweet Sweetback'S Baadasssss Song")
Dale Franz	Script Supervisor
Producer:
Mario Van Peebles	Producer
Michael Mann	Executive Producer
Jerry Offsay	Executive Producer
Tobie Haggerty	Co-Executive Producer
G Marq Roswell	Co-Producer
Tal Vigderson	Co-Producer
Dennis Haggerty	Co-Producer
Editing:
Anthony Miller	Editor
Nneka Goforth	Editor
Jay Melzer	Digital Editor
Robert C Rodriguez	Assistant Editor
Michael Stahlberg	Assistant Editor
Nathan Novero	Assistant Editor
Robert C Rodriguez	Hd On-Line Editor
Robert Getty	Dialogue Editor
Music:
Tyler Bates	Composer
G Marq Roswell	Music Supervisor
Garth Trinidad	Music Supervisor
Adam Hirsch	Song ("Damn All The Fallacies"); Song ("Ope De Mar"); Song ("I Wanna Touch Your Body"); Song ("Up & Down")
Niki J Crawford	Song ("I Wanna Touch Your Body"); Song ("Up & Down")
King Floyd	Song ("Groove Me")
Tree Adams	Song Performer ("Damn All The Fallacies"); Song Performer ("Ope De Mar")
Niki J Crawford	Song Performer ("I Wanna Touch Your Body"); Song Performer ("Up & Down")
King Floyd	Song Performer ("Groove Me")
Jameel Hassan	Song Performer ("Getting The Man'S Good Outta Your Baadasssss!")
Adam Swart	Music Coordinator
Chris Parker	Music Coordinator
Mario Van Peebles	Lyrics ("Getting The Man'S Good Outta Your Baadasssss!")
Assistant Direction:
Tamu Blackwell	Second Second Assistant Director
Art Director:
Jorge Gonzalez Borzelli	Art Director
Visual Effects:
John Hartigan	Special Effects (Ultimate Effects)
Beverly Hartigan	Special Effects (Ultimate Effects)
Albert Lanutti	Special Effects (Bang Fx)
Craig Kuehne	Visual Effects Compositor
Make-Up:
Denise Pugh-Ruiz	Makeup
Gianni	Assistant Makeup
Pat Harris	Assistant Makeup
Mark Starr	Assistant Makeup
Kokeeta Douglas	Makeup Designer
Kokeeta Douglas	Hair Stylist
Denise Pugh-Ruiz	Hair Stylist
Gianni	Assistant Hair Stylist
Pat Harris	Assistant Hair Stylist
Mark Starr	Assistant Hair Stylist
Costume-Wardrobe:
Kara Saun	Costume Designer
Tasha Monique Carter	On Set Costumer
Kassie Byrd	Wardrobe Intern
Erick Anderson	Wardrobe Assistant
Tanya Sanchez	Wardrobe Supervisor
Art Department:
Roni Spitzer	Art Department Buyer
Mark Henderson	Art Department Intern
Jeffrey Powers	Graphic Artist
Galit Reuben	Set Decorator
Bob Hummel	Assistant Property Master
Production Designer:
Alan Muraoka	Production Designer
Sound:
Benjamin Cook	Supervising Sound Editor
Frederick Howard	Sound Effects Editor
Anne-Marie Slack	Sound Effects Editor
Craig Jurkiewicz	Sound Effects Editor
John Carlson	Digital Transfer Engineer
David Parker	Sound Mixer
Dave Kustin	Assistant Sound Editor
Brian Slack	Rerecording Mixer
Jason Schmid	Rerecording Mixer
Paul Demers	Foley Assistant
Michael P Keeping	Foley Artist
Hennie Britton	Foley Recordist
Alan Freedman	Adr Mixer
Casting:
Anya Colloff	Casting
Amy Mcintyre Brit	Casting
Laura Cataldo	Casting Assistant
Stunts:
Kim Koscki	Stunt Coordinator
Production Companies:
Bad Aaas Cinema	Production Company
Showtime Networks	Production Company
Showtime Independent Films	Production Company
Mvp Filmz	Production Company
Truman Van Dyke	Insurance Company
Sony Pictures Classics	Domestic Theatrical Distributor
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment	Domestic Video Distributor
	Additional Clips
Ipostini	Casting
Bang Fx	Special Effects
	Script Clearance
	Tapestock
	Transportation
Entertainment Partners	Payroll Company
	Transportation
Hollywood Camera Cars	Transportation
Photofest	Stills Provider
	Special Effects
Sony Pictures Scoring Stage	Additional Rerecording Facility
Celebrity Suites	Transportation
	Extras Casting
Suzy Vaughn & Associates	Clip Clearance
	Rerecording Facility
Laserpacific Media Corporation	Film And Electronic Laboratory; High Definition Laboratory
Wilcox Sound & Communications Inc	Walkie Talkies
Cinelease, Inc.	Lighting Equipment
Hollywood Caterers	Catering
Studio Services	Transportation
Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment, Inc.	Camera Cranes & Dollies
	Title Search
Specialty Vehicle Association	Transportation
Film Production - Main:
Michael Thomas	Office Intern
Shonta Odom	Office Intern
Bruce Gillies	Line Producer
Mimi Gillies	Production Coordinator
Jessica Shannon	Production Accountant
Meica Kelly	Office Production Assistant
Rex Dominguez	Production Assistant
Kevin Dreher	Production Assistant
Gregory Pacificar	Production Assistant
Jeff Millcheck	Production Assistant
Anjoli Rountree	Production Assistant
Jaime Mejia	Production Assistant
Kanchan Kurichh	Production Assistant
Derrick Cloud	Boom Operator
Frank Gardner	Best Boy Grip
Keana Mcgee	Assistant Production Coordinator
Julius Fletcher	Driver
Mark S Garrett	Driver
Paul Cuffee	Gaffer
Marty Boger	Company Grip
Charles Winzer	Company Grip
Michael Valenzuela	Company Grip
Johnny Martin	Key Grip
Michael O'Connor	Still Photographer
Ryan Kriss	Swing Gang
Kevin Hummel	Swing Gang
Matthew Ballard	Transportation Coordinator
Stephanie Granai	Craft Service
Kristina Granai	Craft Service Assistant
Bobbie Nanfito	Animal Wrangler
Jennifer Hill	Animal Wrangler
Raul Sanchez	Animal Wrangler
Film Production - Unit:
Bruce Gillies	Second Unit Director
Film Production - Construction/Set:
Dana Macduff	Property Master
Film Production - Lighting/Electrical:
Shona Peters (Cricket)	Best Boy Electric
Ann Rosencrans	Best Boy Electric
Kaiser Ki-Pyo Kim	Electrician
Freeman Hardin	Electrician
Jason Wood	Electrician
Omari Thomas	Electrician
Post Production:
Tim King	Post-Production Executive
Patrick Clark	Post-Production Coordinator
Amy Melendez	Post-Production Assistant
Tom Overton	Colorist
Location Manager:
William Coit	Location Manager
Location Assistant:
Robert Lewis	Location Assistant
Misc. Crew:
Les Miller	Assistant (To Mr Van Peebles)
Laura Collier	Assistant Production Accountant
Andre Devantier	Catering (Hollywood Caterers)
Luis Brito	Catering (Hollywood Caterers)
Jose Garcia	Consultant
Tom Vice	Account Service Representative
Stella Pacific	Studio Teacher
Phil Eisenhower	Studio Teacher
Guy Flint	Studio Teacher
Martin Carlin	Studio Teacher
Sabrina Sipantzi Ballard	Medic
Michael Matis	Medic
Entertainment Partners	Other
	Other
Ipostini	Other
	Other
Hollywood Caterers	Other
Studio Services	Other
Sony Pictures Scoring Stage	Other
Wilcox Sound & Communications Inc	Other
Cinelease, Inc.	Other
	Other
Hollywood Camera Cars	Other
Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment, Inc.	Other
	Other
Laserpacific Media Corporation	Other
	Other
	Other
	Other
	Other
	Other
Jena English	Research
Adam Swart	Music Clearances
Chris Parker	Music Clearances

Nominated for three 2004 Independent Spirit Awards including Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

Released in United States May 28, 2004

Released in United States on Video/DVD September 14, 2004

Released in United States September 14, 2004

Released in United States Summer May 28, 2004

Sony Pictures Classics acquired North American and Latin American distribution rights at the 2003 Toronto International Festival.

Shown at Sundance Film Festival (Premieres) January 15-25, 2004.

Shown at Toronto International Film Festival September 4-13, 2003.

Shown at Tribeca Film Festival May 1-9, 2004.

HD vid

Panavision

color

rtg MPAA R: language, sexuality, nudity

Kodak

Released in United States May 28, 2004 (New York City and Los Angeles)

Released in United States Summer May 28, 2004

Released in United States on Video/DVD September 14, 2004

Released in United States September 14, 2004