The award-winning MPI Original and BET Original feature film Kemba is now streaming exclusively on BET+. Click here to start your free seven-day trial on the BET+ platform! 

Based on the true story of Kemba Smith, Kemba tells the story of a sheltered college student, who finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship with a drug dealer. Though she never deals or handles drugs, in a tragic turn of events, she receives a 24½ year prison sentence for her boyfriend’s crimes.

Starring Nesta Cooper (Apple TV+ series See), Siddiq Saunderson (Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Sean Patrick Thomas (Till), and Michelle Hurd (Star Trek: Picard), this emotional drama focuses on the consequences of mandatory minimums and the “war on drugs” while at the same time demonstrating the power of a loving family and showcasing redemption in the face of insurmountable odds.

In the run-up to its release, Kemba screened at film festivals and special pre-release events worldwide. 

Kemba began its festival run at the beginning of November with its world premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, where it won the Award of Merit for Best True Story Depiction. The film has since gone on to screen at pivotal festivals including a screening as an official selection at the St. Louis International Film Festival where it received the Audience Choice Award for Best Film; the international premiere at the Rome Independent Film Festival; and a Spotlight Screening hosted by BET at the Oscar-qualifying Pan African Film Festival. Kemba will also screen tonight as the opening night film at the 2nd Annual Social Justice Now Film Festival and Saturday at the Virginia Black Film Festival, where it is nominated for the Best Historical Feature. 

There were also several exciting pre-release screenings, including a viewing of Kemba followed by a panel discussion on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, attended by over 400 policymakers, Congressional staff, and nonprofit organization leaders—and a star-studded New York City premiere featuring actors from our main cast and crew. 

And today’s release is just the beginning! Represent Justice selected Kemba from a competitive pool of high-quality films to receive their Impact Campaign grant. MPI will work closely with Represent Justice and Kemba to plan and execute a social impact campaign that leverages the film to spur policy change regarding mandatory minimum sentencing at the state and federal level. Represent Justice’s support will be a huge boost to help maximize awareness, increase exposure, and encourage grassroots action. 

To learn more about their work and inquire about hosting a screening of Kemba within your community, visit the Represent Justice website here.

Access the Kemba digital toolkit here, and let your followers on social media know to watch Kemba today (don’t forget to tag @KembaMovie)!