Academy Award winning artist and actor Common has joined the Sundance U.S. Dramatic Competition film Burning Sands as an Executive Producer through his Freedom Road Productions, along with his producing partners Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone. The Netflix original film, which makes its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, is slated for a March 10 global release.
Common also will bring his musical prowess to the project, performing the closing credits original song “The Cross” featuring Lianne La Havas. The song, produced by Karriem Riggins and Robert Glasper was written by Lonnie Lynn, Karriem Riggins, Robert Glasper and Samora Pinderhuges.
Burning Sands takes the audience on a raw, voyeuristic journey of fraternity pledging through the eyes of one favored pledgee, who is torn between honoring a code of silence or standing up against the intensifying violence of underground hazing.
Directed by Gerard McMurray, Burning Sands stars Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Steve Harris, Tosin Cole, DeRon Horton, Trevante Rhodes, Christian Robinson, Rotimi, Octavius Johnson, Malik Bazille, Mitchell Edwards, Imani A. Hakim, Serayah and Nafessa Williams.
Speaking of his involvement with the film, Common stated,
“I’m grateful that Freedom Road is a producing partner on this and it was an honor and a joy to create a song for a movie that I’m inspired by.”
Peep the interview with Deadline below as Common and the cast speak about the film.
