Rock the Bells

Description

Synopsis

A definitive document of contemporary Hip Hop culture, ROCK THE BELLS is the story of the 2004 Rock The Bells festival in San Bernardino, California. Personifying the fierce independence and Do-It-Yourself spirit of the Hip Hop generation, entrepreneur Chang Weisberg puts everything (his reputation, his sanity, his family, his mortgage) on the line for his impossible dream of reuniting genre superstars and notorious no-shows The Wu-Tang Clan. Furiously paced and rich with multiple narratives, ROCK THE BELLS follows Weisberg and his guerilla production team as they fight for the arrival of all nine Wu-Tang members, battle broken equipment and overwhelmed security, attempt to control the riotous crowd in the over-heated, overcrowded venue and deliver the history-making show they have promised.

The film also features performances by Redman, Dilated Peoples, MC Supernatural, Sage Francis, Eyedea + Abilities, Chali 2na and DJ NuMark.

Director

Casey Suchan produced a series of critically acclaimed, best-selling documentaries on Hip Hop culture and history with Quincy (QD3) Jones, III. THUG ANGEL, the first documentary to explore Tupac Shakur’s life as a product of his political upbringing, broke pre-sale records for its distributor Image Entertainment. THE FRESHEST KIDS has become an underground favorite on the development of East Coast breakdancing.

Denis Henry Hennelly

Denis Henry Hennelly, who has extensive experience on both studio films and independent features, produced BEEF and its sequel BEEF 2 with Suchan. BEEF, considered by most Hip Hop fans to be the definitive exploration of the MC battle from Kool Moe Dee to 50 Cent, has certified double platinum and was awarded Best Music DVD of the Year by VIBE Magazine.

Together, they are also the producers and/or directors of dozens of award-winning short films. Their documentary and narrative work has played on VH-1 and in festivals around the world, including Clermont-Ferrand, Deauville, Chicago International, and the New York UrbanWorld Film Festivals. ROCK THE BELLS marks their feature directorial debut. At Open Road Films, they have several narrative films and documentaries in development, ranging in genre from drama to comedy to horror.