As the Black Farmer crisis looms and many farmers facing bankruptcy due to the government reneging on debt relief specifically for Black farmers passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, a documentary about Black Muslim farming families will be coming to the big screen in 2023.
Best-selling authors of Surviving Marriage in the 21st Century and Ebony Magazine Couple of the Year in 2012, Rufus and Jenny Triplett are currently in preproduction for an in-depth look into the lives of three families that are all about that farm life.
Selected by MPAC Hollywood Bureau in 2021 for the Warner Media Writer Development Project, in partnership with The Black List, Jenny Triplett, a seasoned writer of TV, radio, books and podcasts, has penned a script that is an encompassing expose and guided scope of an underrepresented demographic of people.
If you are used to reading liner notes, you may have to google that, you have seen Rufus Triplett on several gold and platinum records. Starting out in the music business as a writer and producer, he’s also produced several videos and tour productions.
The injustices and hardships of Black farmers have been well documented throughout history. Historical tales of how 40 acres and a mule never manifested after slavery are a part of Black history. Even the disappearance of Black farmers and the lack of generational farming in the US make great subject matter. When you add Muslims as an additional sociodemographic to farming, that increases the struggles and inequalities.
Ar-Razaaq: Faith, Farming, Family is a story of discovery about three Black and Muslim families that are living the struggle of 21st Century farming. The documentary will be directed by Rufus Triplett for Dawah International Multimedia. Rufus and Jenny will serve as executive producers.
“We have both been in front of and behind the camera on various TV shows, with our podcast and as international speakers. Being able to do our first media project for an underrepresented audience is something we have been planning for years. When you look at the representation of Black Muslims in Hollywood and on-screen today it’s almost non-existent. That’s because there needs to be more writers that can represent that. Our stories are not being told and we look forward to being a catalyst for more. This documentary is on top of the pile as I’m literally sitting on multicultural projects that include a whole range of who we are as Muslims,” said Jenny.
Rufus adds, “I think people will be pleasantly surprised about this production. People think you need major studios to do projects. We self-published our book and it has now sold over 200,000 copies. We hope people see the value in it and support it. These are our stories and they need to be told.”
Dawah International Multimedia, based in Atlanta, has produced podcasts, books, TV and radio shows and social justice projects, domestically and internationally. This will be its first documentary production. Follow on IG @DawahMultimedia
