Birdman To Produce Nigerian Immigrant Drama, ‘Tazmanian Devil’, Starring Abraham Attah

In January, we reported that Beasts of No Nation’s breakout star, Abraham Attah, is set to play a Nigerian immigrant in the coming-of-age drama, Tazmanian Devil — the debut feature film from Nigerian-American filmmaker, Solomon Onita, Jr.

Well, Deadline recently reported that music industry icons, Birdman of Cash Money Films and Benny Boom of Groundwurk Studios, are partnering as executive producers on the project, providing the financing to distribute the independent feature.

While a little shocking, their involvement actually makes a lot of sense, as both Birdman and Benny Boom are responsible for some of the most popular music videos of the early 2000s — from Drake to Lil Wayne. Benny Boom says as much:

“I have been creating visuals for Cash Money artists for decades, and I am excited about this next phase of our collaboration.

Bryan ‘Birdman’ Williams has supported me since my first years directing, and this joint venture is a natural business and creative transition – the first of many.”

Tazmanian Devil follows Dayo, a 19-year-old immigrant (Attah) who, after moving to the US, struggles to bond with his estranged father, who abandoned his family to become a missionary. When he joins a college fraternity, he is challenged by his father, leaving him in search of his own moral ground.

Abraham Attah is joined by two other fantastic indie actors: Adepero Oduye (Pariah, When They See Us), who plays his mother; and Nater Guma Mbaho Mwime (Queen of Katwe, The Chi), who plays his deeply religious father.

No official release date has been revealed, but the film is currently post-production.