[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ40LbtOdf8′]Los Angeles Press Club second year nominated, Sharon Waxman, and her WRAP team drew a full house for their screening of first time Director, Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station.†The Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi produced film, screened at the Landmark Theater in Westwood. For an after Halloween treat, The WRAP set up an audience Q&A with Ryan right after the film’s screening. Coogler certainly has the charisma and aura of an Academy Award possible, and he may have every right to, according to talk. Handling “Fruitvale” fans that consisted of USC teachers, classmates, and “Fruitvale†followers seemed so natural to the director who is adorable, charismatic and exudes well-behaved manners not seen as much in today’s now. His voice although low had a quiet yet present easiness. Coogler who entertained the audience with his quiet yet assertive brilliance, delivered a confident and authoritative insight as he took moviegoers deeply into the real life story of Northern California born, Oscar Grant III who passed away on the morning of New Year’s Day, January 2009. Oakland Bart police officer, Johannes Mehserle claimed that he was reaching for his Taser and accidentally shot the young 22 year old. Bystanders at the Bart station stood in awe while filming the incident with camera phones. Mehserle served a two-year sentence term for involuntary manslaughter and a summary execution, and afterwards released from a Los Angles jail in eleven months for time served. The officer is presently on parole. Talk around town is that actor, Michael B. Jordan, who plays Grant in the movie may be headed towards having a big future in the wood, as in, Hollywood. Oscar Grant is a survived by his mother and daughter Tatiana. Grant was well loved by his community and family. Oscar winner, actress,  Octavia Spencer appears in “Fruitvale Station,” as Grant’s mother and is not a bad kick start to have in your first film. Also appearing the indie film are actors, Melonie Diaz, Kevin Durand, Ahna O’Reilly, Ariana Neal, Carolyn Lesley, Jonez Cain and Chad Michael Murray. This film, as with all films that herald the message of change. Change in regulation as to the treatment of one human to another. “Fruitvale Station,†affirms a changing of the guards in a country that is still fighting to stand erect. A country that is crippled to some degree by its past intimacy with race, politics, and religion. Ryan Coogler’s, “Fruitvale Station,†has an unsettling similarity to the Trayvon Martin case, which not long ago, smeared our consciousness with overwhelming guilt. Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by non-convicted, Fred Zimmerman. Distributed by the Weinstein Company, “Fruitvale Station†opened in theaters on July 12, 2013. The film won awards at the Sundance Film Festival, US Dramatic Film Awards, and held its own in the uncertain regard section at Cannes where it won Best Film. For more information on “Fruitvale Station†go to https://www.facebook.com/fruitvalestation, https://twitter.com/fruitvalethemovie, (@Fruitvale movie) #Fruitvale Station. www.grantland.com.
