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Boyz N The Hood depicts the violent education of a forgotten generation of black youth by © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) Boyz N The Hood depicts the violent education of a forgotten generation of black youth by © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)

Boyz N The Hood depicts the violent education of a forgotten generation of black youth by © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)

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American film “Boyz N The Hood’’ (1991) depicts the violent education of a forgotten generation of black youth’’ by © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) 
 
 
When Boyz N the Hood was released in 1991, it announced the arrival of a new and authentic voice in American cinema. John Singleton, then only 23 years old, became the youngest person and the first African-American ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. His debut film was not merely a narrative about Black life in Los Angeles—it was a sociological document disguised as drama, a cinematic mirror that reflected the struggles, dreams, and disillusionments of an entire generation raised under the shadow of systemic neglect.
 
A film rooted in reality
 
Set in 1984 but released in 1991, Boyz N the Hood reconstructs life in South Central Los Angeles with documentary-like authenticity. Singleton was writing about what he knew—the geography, the rhythm of speech, the invisible boundaries that divided blocks and fates. This autobiographical impulse gives the film its rare combination of intimacy and urgency. The streets of Crenshaw are not backdrops; they are living, breathing ecosystems that dictate who lives, who dies, and who escapes.
 
The film’s structure revolves around Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a bright young man sent by his mother to live with his father, Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne). Furious’s household offers discipline, education, and moral grounding—a stark contrast to the chaos that consumes the surrounding neighborhood. Through Tre’s eyes, Singleton observes a community balancing between familial tenderness and the omnipresent threat of violence.
 
Interrogating internalized violence
 
One of the film’s most disturbing and profound questions is why Black men end up turning their weapons on one another. Singleton never simplifies this inquiry. Instead, he maps the forces that shape such behavior: economic inequality, police brutality, the easy availability of firearms, and the absence of meaningful opportunities. His narrative doesn’t externalize all the blame—it looks inward too. The characters are aware of their entrapment but are often unable to break free.
 
The killing of young Black men by other Black men is presented not as a pathology but as a consequence of structural despair. In a chilling early scene, a group of children gather around a dead body lying on the street, staring with the same casual curiosity as if it were a broken toy. Singleton uses this moment to reveal how death becomes normalized in a world where violence replaces dialogue. The tragedy of Boyz N the Hood is not that it depicts death—it’s that it depicts desensitization.
 
No place for black men in the US army
 
Running throughout the film is an understated yet significant critique of the American military. Furious Styles, an ex-soldier himself, warns Tre about the illusion of equality that institutions like the U.S. Army promise. He argues that young Black men are systematically targeted for recruitment, not to uplift them, but to channel their aggression into imperial wars that have nothing to do with their liberation. “There ain’t no place for a Black man in that white man’s army,” Furious tells his son, his voice carrying both the authority of experience and the bitterness of disillusionment.
This argument resonates beyond the narrative. In 1991, as the Gulf War unfolded, many African-Ame
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Hollywood: The “Je Penske, Donc Je Suis” Era? Hollywood: The “Je Penske, Donc Je Suis” Era?

Hollywood: The “Je Penske, Donc Je Suis” Era?

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By Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent



It’s 4:03 am in Hollywood, most of Malibu on the PCH is unrecognizable after the fires, and it could be argued that the Town itself is in “The “Je Penske, Donc Je Suis” Era. What does that even mean? Roger Penske’s son Jay Penske (born 1980) now owns, or controls via PMC (Penske Media Corp.) the following: “Variety, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Billboard Music Charts, WWD, SHE Media, Robb Report, Deadline, Sportico, BGR, ARTnews, Fairchild Media, Vibe, IndieWire, Dirt, Artforum, Gold Derby, Spy.com and Luminate, the premier music SAS data and analytics company. Penske Media also owns Dick Clark Productions (DCP) the world's largest producer and owner of televised live entertainment programming, which includes the Academy of Country Music Awards, Golden Globe Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, New Year's Rockin Eve, Streamy Awards, and television programs such as So You Think You Can Dance. In addition, PMC owns several vital cultural events such as SXSW, LA3C, Life is Beautiful, Latin Music Week and ATX Television Festival. In addition, Penske Media is the largest shareholder of Vox Media.”
This impressive list of holdings begs the question for many in Hollywood, “how can one entity own the trades and award shows and keep the integrity or objectivity necessary to create a level playing field with award entrants or films that wish to be nominated for awards?” Good question, and while we may not come up with a conclusive answer? How about let’s just look at how the Je Penske, Donc Je Suis Era came to be?
In 2009, Penske acquired DEADLINE from Founder Nikki Finke, and some say effectively silenced her with a gag order that stopped her from writing for anyone else, and kicked off a firestorm with Finke who may or may not have been paid an alleged $9 M USD which may or may not have included an apartment in the same building as Bright Lights, Big City author John Barrett "Jay" McInerney Jr. The McInerney connection only became public when their inter-hallway confrontations became public record. So how much was Nikki Finke paid, what were the terms? This is less important than the chilling effect of this purchase, which silenced a truly original media voice and shit disturber gadfly in Hollywood. Finke. Who was once listed among the Most Powerful lists in Hollywood, could no longer shout from the cheap seats at the suits in the system, nor could she bring to light any of the thorny issues in the entertainment business. Full disclosure, after DEADLINE she founded Hollywood Dementia, a fiction site that purportedly may have been meant to “expose” any insider dirty laundry in the guise of prose; and although she once tried to sue me personally (story for another day), Nikki did publish my short stories in HD. These are the contradictions that defined a contentious figure like Finke: she loved to hate you or hated to love you. That applied to friends and foes alike, a matter of public record.
But back to our deep dive into repo baby Jay Penke’s amassment of properties in Hollywood. Just the sheer magnitude of the list of holdings detailed earlier gives you a sense of the campaign to, some say, dominate the H’wood landscape. However, besides possibly hamstringing the role of journalists to cover the industry fairly, or objectively given the award show ownership factor, what else is going on here you may wonder? Let’s count down the years to 2025.
DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD DAILY, which became simply DEADLINE by late 2000’s, was acquired for undisclosed terms in 2009, followed by VARIETY (Variety, Daily Variety) in 2012, and next came HOLLYWOOD LIFE in 2014, with a detour in 2011 via the purchase

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Ching’s Secret Attack, now in a new, 9 minute, video pack Ching’s Secret Attack, now in a new, 9 minute, video pack

Ching’s Secret Attack, now in a new, 9 minute, video pack

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Ching’s Secret Attack, now in a new, 9 minute, video pack

Few people know the recipé of this concoction. Those who know are keeping it a secret. But they have managed to sell millions/billions of sachets of this ‘Desi Chinese’ product, without spilling the beans. Ching, a variation of Qing, refers to the Manchu dynasty in China, which ruled during 1644–1912, and was the last imperial dynasty that ruled the country. In Mandarin Chinese, thousands of words have varying pronunciations. Sometimes the variation has the same meaning, sometimes it means something altogether different. English does not have the exact equivalents of these pronunciations, so approximations are common. But one thing is sure: Ching is King. Actor Ranveer Singh has been the brand ambassador of the Ching’s Secret products, manufactured in India, for 10 years, so Singh is Ching, Ching is King.

To mark the eleventh successive year of Ranveer’s association with the brand, the makers of the Ching products roped in director Atlee, to make an eight-and-a-half-minute ad film, Agent Ching Attacks, in the action feature film narrative style. Yes, you got that right. A 9 minute, or, to be precise, an 8 minutes 45 seconds ad film. Never heard of such a thing? Neither had I. But it is true. The film was shown to media and fans on Sunday, 19th October, at the PVR multiplex, Juhu, Mumbai. Present at the event, which started two hours late, were Atlee, Ranveer Singh, Bobby Deol and Sreeleela.

In the film, Ranveer plays himself, i.e. the Ching King, alias Secret Agent Ching. Bobby, a good-looking actor, plays the villain, who wants to capture Ching, and get the Thing (secret). Though he is, and has been, hero material, producers/directors have seen his Animal instinct in Ashram, and he is getting type cast as a villain. Sreeleela is an American-Indian, whose acting career began as a child artiste, and since then, she has acted in Telugu and Kannada films. This is her Hindustani debut. Well, a debut of sorts. One cannot really call an ad film as a debut film.

Conspicuous by his absence was Ajay Gupta, Founder of Capital Foods. The company was established in 1996, when it launched the only pan-Indian Desi Chinese sauce brand, Ching’s Secret, offering Soy Sauce, Green Chilli Sauce, Red Chilli Sauce and Chilli Vinegar--with an actual green chilli in the bottle. In 2024, Tata Consumer Products acquired Capital Foods. Also present on the occasion was Deepika Bhan, President, Packaged Foods (India), Tata Consumer Products. Asked how does she use her Ching’s Secret Schezwan Chutney, she was candid, “Being a Punjabi, I like it on my paratha”. Based in Mumbai, the company has manufacturing facilities in Nashik, Kandla and Vapi.

If you went by looks alone, you would not sign Atlee as the director of your next feature film. Moreover, he does not speak any Hindustani, something compère Malishka (RJ) found out in a hurry, and had to translate her question in English before she got a reply. But think again. This dark, diminutive man of 39, directed and co-wrote, Jawan, the 2023 ShahRukh Khan double role starrer that was made with a budget of Rs. 300 crore, and raked in four times that amount. Has he done ad films earlier? No. So how did he agree to do this one? “Initially, I refused the offer. But when I met Ajay Gupta, he charmed me into accepting it,” revealed Atlee. Ranveer remarked that Ching’s Secret was one of the first endorsements had ever done. “And look how time flies. Eleven years have passed since then.” Dressed very soberly, for a change, he complimented Bobby on his cream

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Filipino film ''Kisapmata'' is a national allegory about patriarchy, possession, and death © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)

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Filipino cineaste Mike De Leon’s Kisapmata (1981) is a family tragedy as well as a national allegory about patriarchy, possession, and death © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
 
There are a very few films in Southeast Asian cinema that have left as haunting and unforgettable an impression as Kisapmata (1981), the seminal Filipino masterpiece directed by Mike De Leon. The film is often labeled as horror, but such a label fails to grasp its true texture. It is not a horror film in the conventional sense, with apparitions, monsters, or supernatural elements. Rather, it is a suffocating chamber drama that draws its terror from domesticity itself. Its huis-clos ambience, reminiscent of European psychological thrillers and theatrical confinement dramas, unsettles viewers precisely because it is so rooted in the ordinary and the familiar.
 
Adapted from Nick Joaquin’s crime reportage ''The House on Zapote Street'' and co-written by De Leon, Joaquin, Raquel Villavicencio, and Clodualdo Del Mundo Jr., the film reimagines the infamous 1960s case of Pablo Cabalding, a retired policeman who brutally murdered his family. The narrative, while inspired by this real-life crime, transcends reportage and creates a fictional space where patriarchal tyranny, domestic claustrophobia, and repressed sexuality converge into one of the darkest allegories in Filipino cinema.
 
Premiering at the 7th Metro Manila Film Festival in 1981, Kisapmata was immediately recognized as a landmark, winning Best Film. Its international journey included screening at the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1982. Four decades later, its prestige was reaffirmed through a digital restoration presented at the 34th Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna in 2020, ensuring that new generations could encounter its disturbing brilliance.
 
                         The huis-clos ambience: A house as a prison in Kisapmata
 
The setting of Kisapmata is deceptively simple: the cramped home of a retired policeman named Dadong, his submissive wife, and their daughter Mila. The film’s events unfold between November and December, but the temporal markers are of less importance than the psychological environment. The house becomes a suffocating prison, where every corner is watched, every movement is monitored, and every thought is potentially policed.
 
This closed-door atmosphere evokes the French concept of huis-clos—a situation in which characters are trapped in a single space, creating an oppressive intensity. The walls of the home in Kisapmata do not just contain; they suffocate. The cinematography by Rody Lacap enhances this mood. His lens captures the shadows, the narrow corridors, the dim lighting, and the sense of being perpetually under surveillance. The camera seldom offers escape, framing characters in a way that emphasizes their entrapment.
 
Complementing this claustrophobic imagery is Lorrie Ilustre’s haunting score. The music is spare, often unsettling, and used not to overwhelm but to heighten the simmering dread. Every note echoes like an intrusion into the fragile minds of the characters, particularly Mila. Together, the cinematography and score create a sensory environment that matches the suffocating narrative of control.
 
                                               The tyranny of the father in Kisapmata
 
At the core of Kisapmata is the terrifying figure of the father, Dadong, a retired policeman whose
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Satyajit Ray’s Mahapurush depicts spiritual charlatanism and middle-class vulnerability by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) Satyajit Ray’s Mahapurush depicts spiritual charlatanism and middle-class vulnerability by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)

Satyajit Ray’s Mahapurush depicts spiritual charlatanism and middle-class vulnerability by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)

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Satyajit Ray’s Mahapurush (1965), a sharp social satire adapted from Bengali writer Rajshekhar Basu’s short story Birinchibaba, remains one of the most incisive explorations of religious imposters in Indian cinema. Coming five years after Devi (1960), where Ray offered a chilling depiction of blind faith and its tragic consequences, Mahapurush takes a lighter, comedic route to unveil the manipulations of a fake holy man. With wit, intelligence, and a profound understanding of middle-class vulnerabilities, Ray exposes how religion, when filtered through opportunistic charlatans, becomes a tool of deception rather than enlightenment.
 
At its heart, Mahapurush is not merely a comedy about a self-styled guru who fools the gullible. It is a layered commentary on society—on the loneliness of the bereaved, the aspirations of the middle class, and the enduring human tendency to surrender reason in the face of charismatic authority. Through the character of Birinchibaba, Ray crafts a portrait of a con man so audacious that his absurd claims—of being present with Plato, having guided Einstein, or conversing with Buddha—are lapped up by his followers without question. In Ray’s hands, this narrative becomes both specific and universal, deeply rooted in the Bengali milieu yet resonant across religions and cultures worldwide.
The story unfolds when lawyer Gurupada Mitter, grieving the recent loss of his wife, encounters Birinchibaba and his disciple while traveling by train with his daughter Buchki. Emotionally vulnerable and desperately seeking solace, Gurupada finds in the so-called guru a promise of transcendence. Birinchi, played with extraordinary conviction by Charuprakash Ghosh, instantly captivates him with lofty references to philosophy, science, and religion—references that are more ridiculous than profound, but impressive enough to dazzle a man in mourning.
 
Buchki, Gurupada’s young daughter, is less enthusiastic, though she is caught between loyalty to her father and skepticism of the Baba. Her fiancé Satya, however, immediately distrusts Birinchi. Sensing danger in this new intrusion into their lives, Satya enlists the help of friends to expose the impostor. What follows is a delightful mix of suspense, comedy, and satire, as the youth plot to rescue Buchki’s family from falling deeper into the clutches of the self-styled prophet.
The narrative also carries a romantic subplot, as Satya woos Buchki while simultaneously hatching schemes against Birinchi. Alongside, Ray offers glimpses into the texture of Bengali middle-class life—the chess games, the poetry readings, the discussions around faith and rationality—all woven seamlessly into the larger satire.
One of Ray’s sharpest insights in Mahapurush lies in his dissection of class and faith. The rich, Ray suggests, are largely indifferent to religion. They have wealth as their security and rarely seek miracles from wandering holy men. The poor, on the other hand, are too burdened by survival to indulge in the luxuries of philosophical speculation or patronizing a guru. It is the middle class—educated enough to know of Plato or Einstein but not critical enough to question Birinchi’s preposterous claims—that becomes the perfect prey.
 
Ray’s satire is merciless in this regard. He shows how the middle class, with its anxieties, aspirations, and vulnerabilities, is most susceptible to the psychological games played by false prophets. Birinchi thrives precisely because his audience wants to believe in h
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War 2, Review: RAW deal, plane truth and Special Oops War 2, Review: RAW deal, plane truth and Special Oops

War 2, Review: RAW deal, plane truth and Special Oops

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War 2, Review: RAW deal, plane truth and Special Oops

War, spelt in reverse is Raw. In India, which is not at war with any country at the time of writing this review, RAW stands for Research & Analysis Wing, the official secret service of the country. Being a secret service, little info should be available about it in the public domain. However, it is common knowledge that a secret service deals with espionage, planting and exposing secret agents, exposing double agents, being on the lookout for ‘compromises’, meaning infiltration into their own cadres or operatives who crossover to the other side, evacuating its citizens from evil captors, and ‘terminating’/‘neutralising’ persons who are a threat to the country, its military, and its economy. It deals with planting and eliminating agents or ‘assets’, as required, and spends unbelievable amounts of money to achieve its goals. A Google search will tell you that RAW was probably established in 1968, its headquarters are located in the CGO Complex, New Delhi, and it operates under the Prime Minister's Office. You can contact Ms. Anindita Sinharay, Deputy Director General, at anindita@nic.in or by phone, at 23455210. I did not, because my brief is to write about War 2, and not the Real RAW.

In about 100 films made in the last 10-12 years and 500 episodes on TV and the Internet, we have seen RAW in action. Currently a rage on OTT is the series, Special Ops (a camouflage for espionage). You could blame it on a certain Ian Fleming and his iconic character, James Bond, Britain’s MI6’s spy, Agent 007, with the 00 prefix standing for a blanket license to kill, also the most ‘encashed’ and enduring film series, for the last 63 years, and still not willing to retire. The US has its CIA, Israel its Mossad, and almost every major country in the world has its own branded foreign (external) intelligence secret service, which, by definition, does not exist, and so, neither do its operatives. But many countries, led by the USA, have made films about the achievements of its espionage agency.                                                             

The current upsurge in content, in India, that has RAW as its base, should be interpreted in the context of the present political dispensation of the country, and some recent near-war events. A few of these films were said to have been inspired by real events, but most were/are on a fictional trip, as is War 2. In another 2-3 years, every Indian actor worth his/her salt, would have played either a RAW agent, official or Chief. In War 2, we have Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana, Kiara Advani and N.T. Rama Rao Junior, essaying parts of RAW personnel. Does that make the movie Special? Yes….Oops, NO!

Kabeer, a former RAW agent, who went rogue several years ago, has since emerged as a contract killer. Charging a flat fee of USD 1.2 million for every contract, he goes so far as to kill even the RAW Chief, who had adopted him, after rescuing him from a Remand Home for young criminals. In response to his growing threat, the Indian government despatches Officer Vikram, an elite operative, known for his ruthless precision and zero failure rate, to neutralise Kabeer. Also in the equation is Kaavya, the RAW Chief’s daughter, an ace pilot with the air force, who was in love with the family’s ward (the love was mutual; the skimpiest excuse for a bikini, and two songs are evidence enough), and has now joined hands wi

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Princeton's in the Mix Princeton's in the Mix

Princeton's in the Mix

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In this darkly comedic and satirical film, a mother is obsessed with status. She is the kind of person who brags about her children with bumper stickers on her luxury branded SUV and drops the names of her children's schools oh-so-casually in conversation. When she finds an angle through which her son can gain an edge over other kids on the SAT, watch out. She will run her SUV right over anyone who stands between her and that Ivy League sticker. 

Director Jonathan DiMaio serves up a troubling mix of chill and fun in this short film from California. Inspired by real world college admissions scandals, Princeton's in the Mix asks questions about elite education and the impact, particular on young students themselves, when some people become too obsessed with academic achievement. 

You can watch the trailer here: Princeton's in the Mix Trailer

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Bentonville Film Festival Announces Winners of 11th Annual Festival Bentonville Film Festival Announces Winners of 11th Annual Festival

Bentonville Film Festival Announces Winners of 11th Annual Festival

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BENTONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL, LED BY GEENA DAVIS, ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 11TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL

 

“Rosemead” Wins Best Narrative Award

“The Librarians” Wins Best Documentary Award

 

The Bentonville Film Foundation, in collaboration with founding partner, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola, announced the winners of their narrative, documentary, homegrown, short film, and episodic categories from the 2025 Bentonville Film Festival’s competition program. The 11th anniversary of the festival ran from June 16-22 in Bentonville, AR. The annual Festival is a globally recognized platform that champions the transformative power of storytelling—creating space for a world where every voice matters and every story is seen, heard, and valued.

 

“Rosemead” from Eric Lin won the award for Best Narrative Award and “The Librarians” directed by Kim A. Snyder took home the prize for Best Documentary Award. Additionally, the Rising to the Challenge Award, was presented to Lucy Liu, producer and star of “Rosemead”. The Rising to the Challenge Award has been given to a select few artists in the history of Bentonville Film Festival and honoring those who represent the true impact of supporting independent film both in front of and behind the camera. The Rising to the Challenge Award celebrates artists who put their talent, passion and experience on the line in the service of empowering stories that are otherwise underrepresented.

 

“These awards reflect the passion and drive of storytellers, whose work will continue to broaden perspectives and engage audiences throughout the year,” said Bentonville Film Festival Chair Geena Davis. “We congratulate our BFF award winners and we’re so thankful to every filmmaker here for their contributions to the success of this year’s BFF!”

 

Additional winners are as follows:

 

Best Narrative

Jury: Marie Jamora (Director; Guest Artistic Director of AFI's Directing Workshop for Women), Bomani J. Story (Director, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster)

 

Best Narrative: ROSEMEAD

(Director, Eric Lin; Writer, Marilyn Fu; Producers, Mynette Louie, Andrew Corkin, Lucy Liu)

Jury Statement: “Rosemead” captures the terrifying realities of motherhood in our contemporary era.  When culture, society, and healthcare break down, how can a mother protect her own child? With a powerhouse performance from the often underused Lucy Liu, you understand every choice she makes. Director Eric Lin sparks real world conversations about the society we’re living in through an intimate, unflinching film based on true events in the San Gabriel Valley. The very essence of what great cinema can do. 

 

Special Jury Mention for Directorial Vision: COLOR BOOK

(Director/Writer, David Fortune; Producers, Kiah Clingman, Kristen Uno, Autumn Bailey-Ford)

Jury Statement: David Fortune’s “Color Book” makes daring choices through form and subject matter.  In a stripped down tale of a father just trying to get his son to a baseball game, the film unearths profound themes about the world we live in with a consistent command of beautiful visuals, performances, and crisp storytelling. Fortune’s vision speaks through a confident hand like he’s done this many times before.

 

Special Jury Mention for Ensemble Cast: ADULT CHILDREN

(Director/Producer, Ric

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MALAKI-Z's 1st ANTHOLOGY - book reel

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Link to MALAKI-Z’s 1st ANTHOLOGY  book reel:     https://youtu.be/d6cdTXFXT04

Link to MALAKI-Z's 1st ANTHOLOGY:   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMLZPHYT

Enter the Universe, chronicled by Malaki-z, the cosmic historian who records the most intriguing and critical tales of existence. MALAKI-Z’s 1st ANTHOLOGY, Into the Light, spans five thought-provoking stories, each one casting light on humanity’s place within the vast cosmos.

In Willard’s Fundamental Force, Professor Roy Willard, a humble astrophysicist, stumbles upon a discovery that could redefine everything we know about the universe. What begins as a routine academic year soon spirals into an intense journey of revelation as Willard confronts forces far beyond his comprehension, forcing him to question not only his theories but also the very nature of reality.

In To Beta-Vanverden and Back, journey alongside a space exploration team as they embark on an expedition to Beta-Vanverden, an exoplanet that holds both awe-inspiring beauty and unexpected dangers. As they delve deeper into the planet’s secrets, the crew must grapple with their own humanity, the nature of alien intelligence, and the risks that come with seeking knowledge.

In Message from Unit 493, a chilling revelation from an ancient android changes everything humanity thought it knew about its place in the universe. Discovered six hundred million years after it was recorded, the android’s message unveils a cosmic cycle known as the Grand Evolution Cycle—a pattern in which intelligent species inevitably rise, fall, and are replaced. As Unit 493 calmly explains the fate awaiting humankind, it becomes clear that androids, not humans, are destined to inherit the Earth. Through this haunting and thought-provoking tale, Message from Unit 493 challenges readers to question the long-term consequences of humanity’s actions and to ponder the cyclical nature of life itself.

Father of Civilization unveils the story of the last human on Earth, whose actions will shape the next wave of life on the planet. As he struggles with loneliness, loss, and responsibility, he must find within himself the will and wisdom to lay the foundations for a new society, one that may one day come to know him as its “Father.”

In Cosmic Limousine, Ltd., the universe becomes the playground of an eccentric entrepreneur who offers clients once-in-a-lifetime rides across the stars. From interstellar cruises to black hole tours, this company brings thrill-seekers face-to-face with the mysteries of space—until a journey goes unexpectedly awry, challenging passengers and crew alike to confront their deepest fears and desires.

This collection explores the profound, the mysterious, and the unsettling realms of space and time. With each story, Into the Light asks readers to consider the vastness of the cosmos, the essence of human ambition, and the power of choice. A journey into discovery and reflection, this anthology will captivate anyone who has ever wondered about the universe's endless potential and our place within it.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James W. Hawk was born in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, and grew up in East Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Cleveland State University.

Dr. Raymond Foery, Professor Emeritus - Quinnipiac University Film, Television, and Media Arts, said about Hawk’s work: "A truly imaginative filmmaker with a highly sophisticated sense of cinematic acuity. Jim has been remarkably active in various genres. As a director of narrative fiction, he has shown a sure hand with actors and a sophisticated appreciation of mise-en-scene. As a creator of animated visual motifs, Jim has displayed a mastery of the latest

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