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    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The creative team behind the award-winning short film Love Zuri recently hosted “A Night with Love Zuri,” an intimate private screening and talkback at HQ House DC, bringing together filmmakers, advocates, families, educators, and community leaders for an evening celebrating autism acceptance, authentic representation, and the power of storytelling.

    Presented in partnership with The Color of Autism Foundation and Parents of Autistic Children of Northern Virginia, the event followed the team’s appearance on Great Day Washington, where director and producer Okema T. Moore and creator, executive producer, and lead actor Mohamed Williams discussed the film’s inspiration and its mission to tell hopeful, authentic stories about neurodiverse families, especially from the male perspective.

    Inspired by Williams’ real-life daughter, Love Zuri follows a father left alone with his non-verbal daughter for the weekend, whose fears about her autism give way to joy when her unique way of communicating teaches him how to truly listen. The film stars Mohamed Williams, Montana Monroe Jenkins as Zuri, Llogan Paige, Steven Strickland, and Betty Entzminger.

    The film has already earned industry recognition, receiving two Silver Telly Awards, while its youngest star, Montana Monroe Jenkins, captured the Best Breakout Performance Award at this year’s Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase for her unforgettable portrayal of Zuri.

    The screening also celebrated the growing creative partnership between Moore, Williams, and writer/executive producer Love Nafi, whose collaboration began with a chance meeting in the lobby of the 2025 American Black Film Festival. That connection led to both Love Zuri and the independent pilot Love Song, also written and directed by Almaroof and starring Williams and Moore. The team premiered the pilot at this year’s ABFF, the very festival where they first met.

    Next, the collaborators head to New York to begin production on the JUCCEE Shorts vertical series What Kim Saw. Moore serves as director and showrunner, Williams stars as the male lead opposite actress and writer Isabelle Pierre, and Love Zuri co-producer Nicole “Sassy” Harrison joins the production as Creative Director and VFX Supervisor.

    Love Zuri continues its festival journey with upcoming screenings at CarPool’s Drive-In Film Festival in Atlanta, UrbanFest 360 in Orlando, and the inaugural Avalon Family Film Festival. The team will also have a major presence at the Detroit Black Film Festival, where Love Zuri screens alongside Love Song. Moore will also present two additional films, The Cross Roads which she stars in, and The Shower, which she both directed and co-stars in, marking an impressive showcase of her expanding body of work as an award-winning director.

    As Love Zuri continues to connect with audiences nationwide, the filmmakers are actively seeking impact partners, advocacy organizations, educational institutions, and community groups committed to advancing conversations around autism acceptance and inclusive storytelling.

    For festival updates, partnership opportunities, and more information, visit www.lovezurifilm.com or follow @lovezuri on Instagram. For interviews, screening requests and publicity, contact the team’s publicist Kasey Woods of Meca Made Media at kasey@meccamademedia.com

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