Behind the Scenes: Corona Boys
- jscotthowescreator
- 6 hours ago
- 1 min read
June 2020. Covid has shut down the world. Chicago is entering its 12th week of lockdown. Shops are shuttered, schools empty, offices vacant. Even beaches, parks, and playgrounds are closed.
“What a kid supposed to do?”
- Sheila Cummings
This heartwarming, arthouse coming-of-age feature film, in the style of CODA, tells the story of two boys--Leo and Ja'Sir--who run away from home in the midst of the Covid pandemic. In doing so, they bring their families together and restore their community in ways they never imagined.
With an emphasis on visual beauty, immersive music, and naturalistic acting, restless with the movement of childhood, this movie commemorates a dark time in a spirit of joy.
The film is being made with our family and friends, on an ultra-low independent budget, as well as professional colorists, sound mixers, and other technicians. The child stars of the film are Leo Howes, the son of writer/director Joshua Howes, and his best friend Ja'Sir Cummings, whose mother and siblings also feature in the film.
It is a labor of love. An act of hope. A testament to the power family, the creative arts, and community, commemorating a time of loneliness and sorrow, when so many of us were cut off from these things that animate our lives with feeling and purpose.
The opening 10 minutes of the film are available on the homepage of this website.