Toronto seems to be slept up as an international hip-hop hub. Director and Toronto native Reza Dahya certainly thinks so, and so he put his love for the city on the big screen with his film Boxcutter.
The film stars Ashton James as aspiring rapper Rome, along with Zoe Lewis, and Viphusan Vani, with several Toronto hip-hop artists as cameos.
Boxcutter debuted as part of the Atlantic International Film Festival, and it subsequently screened at the Reelworld Film Festival, where Dahya won an award for Outstanding Direction in a Feature Film. It premiered internationally at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, followed by a Canadian theatrical release earlier this year on June 13th.
The film will be released in U.S. theaters beginning October 24th, with digital options coming later on November 22nd.
Boxcutter follows Rome (Ashton James), an aspiring rapper who gets a golden opportunity to move up in the world when a Grammy-winning producer is visiting Toronto. Rome has the idea to give him his new album, but the day before the producer is set to come, Rome gets robbed and his music gets stolen. He works with his friend Jenaya (Zoe Lewis) as well as his manager Sid (Viphusan Vani) to find Rome’s producers in order to recreate the album in time.
Set against Toronto’s streets and its music scene, Boxcutter feature a who’s who in Toronto’s music scene including Rich Kidd (2-time Juno-winning artist, producer of songs by Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Busta Rhymes), Clairmont the Second (Juno, Polaris & Prism-nominated artist), Russell! (R&B singer/producer) and Junia-T (the official DJ for global superstar Jessie Reyez).
“Despite the growing excitement around Toronto’s hip-hop and R&B scene, we still don’t have our ‘Juice’, ‘Dope’, or even ‘Gimme The Loot’,” director Dahya wrote in a statement about the film. “Boxcutter aims to be that film—a bold, energetic narrative, unfolding in a single day, that puts the Toronto hip-hop community on the big screen.” Featuring several notable figures from Toronto and its music scene, as well as filming across over thirty locations in Toronto, the love to and for the city can certainly be felt.
Courtney Small of Cinema Axis in her review wrote, “Weaving a tale that features just the right mixture of comedy and drama, Dahya crafts a delightful film that captures the vibrancy and sense of uncertainty that comes with city living. Anchored by strong performances from James and Lewis, there is plenty of joy and heart in this love letter to a city that doesn’t often love you back. A fresh and entertaining film, ‘Boxcutter’ finds its strength in those within the community who believe in you when you might not always believe in yourself.”
Watch the trailer for Boxcutter above.
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