'WE GROWN NOW' Starring Lil Rel, Jurnee Smollett Win Big At Pan African Film Festival

The Sony Classics film WE GROWN NOW has won the 'Jury Best Feature Narrative' Award at the recent Pan African Film Festival.

The film stars Lil Rel Howery, Jurnee Smollett, S. Epatha Merkerson in the lead roles with breakout performances from young child actors Blake Cameron James and Gian Knight Ramirez.

The 2024 Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) awards ceremony, a highly-anticipated showcase of African and African diaspora cinema and arts, was a celebration of diversity, talent, and cultural richness reflecting the festival’s commitment to promoting African heritage and narratives on a global stage.

Directed by Minhal Baig, WE GROWN NOW is a compelling coming-of-age drama set within the Cabrini Green Homes in Chicago in 1992. It tells the riveting story of two young legends in their own right, best friends Malik (James) and Eric (Ramirez) who traverse Chicago, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing. Their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.

WE GROWN NOW will be released on April 19 in New York and Los Angeles with a wide release on May 10.