Josephine Martin seated at a typewriter in a 1957 office

A film by Mannequin

The Promotion

A supernatural film-noir musical set on Washington, D.C.’s Black Broadway in 1957.

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Annapolis Film Festival Shorts Pitch Challenge Winner 2026

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1957Washington, D.C.

[ The story ]

Josephine Martin

Set in Fall 1957 D.C.’s Black Broadway, Josephine Martin, 32, executive secretary at Evergreen Bank, stands on the brink of a divine promotion. Ambitious and determined, she’s on the verge of becoming the first female junior loan officer—a breakthrough she knows is ordained.

Femme Fatale

But lurking in the midst of her pursuit of destiny is a principality territory demon named Femme Fatale—a 200-year-old master saboteur whose stronghold quotas for blocking prayers and releasing chaos on souls on U Street have been deemed insufficient for her recent promotion to Regional Status. After receiving a dire ultimatum from the Prince of the Air, her target is set on stopping Josephine’s life-altering opportunity. Fail, and it’s back to mundane desk duty in the Underworld.

Josephine is confronted with a decisive moment that forces her to reckon with the legal ground given to demonic principalities through the negative words spoken over one’s own destiny. She must choose between bowing to fear under the weight of a self-inflicted word curse and wielding the power of the tongue to boldly command victory in a high-stakes tap-dance duel.

Josephine defeats the enemy in a burst of vibrant Technicolor, secures her rightful promotion, and parades triumphantly down U Street—even as Femme Fatale searches for her next victim. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Choose wisely.

FormatShort film

GenreMusical noir

SettingBlack Broadway

EraFall 1957

[ Brand partners ]

Brands we would love to partner with

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ModCloth

[ Brand partners ]

In good company.

Brands that have joined us in bringing The Promotion to the screen — and a standing invitation for those who'd like to.

YOUR BRAND HERE

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Interested in partnering with us? Let us know through the RSVP form — choose "Explore sponsorship" and we'll be in touch.

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[ The world ]

Noir gives way to Technicolor.

“Life and death are in the power of the tongue.”

The Promotion reclaims the classic musical by setting a diverse supernatural noir against the historic elegance of Washington, D.C.’s U Street Corridor, most famously known as “Black Broadway.” Emulating the rigorous creative discipline of 1957 filmmaking, this diverse storytelling rejects stereotypical Old Hollywood roles to celebrate Black glamour through sophisticated period fashion, natural hair, an original score, tap, and vernacular jazz choreography.

As the story unfolds, the visual frame shifts from a stark black-and-white noir of spiritual confinement into an explosion of full Technicolor and VistaVision geometry. Combining the spectacle of The Band Wagon with the spiritual warfare of Cabin in the Sky and the moral tension of The Twilight Zone, this film holds a mirror to the supernatural battlefield to prove that our response to the spiritual realm determines our fate.

With God at the center, the film triumphs over fear and doubt, inviting families wanting wholesome narratives, creatives who feel stuck, and anyone seeking spiritual depth, courage, or a new beginning.

Black Broadway

A celebration of the U Street corridor and its cultural legacy.

Musical language

Original music, tap, and jazz carry the conflict from shadow into color.

A new frame

A period world centered on Black ambition, beauty, faith, and possibility.

[ Why now? ]

Why Now?

Historically, the Golden Age musical represented pure imagination, yet the institutional racism of the Hays Code legally enforced screen segregation and left up to eighty percent of early Black screen contributions entirely uncredited. Trailblazers like Juanita Moore, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Hattie McDaniel, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll, and Dorothy Dandridge each fought a systemic gauntlet of severe colorism, hyper-segregation, and flat typecasting—whether redefining subservient roles from within the system or boldly risking their careers to refuse them entirely, just to carve out a legacy for future generations.

War Paint Productions enters the frame right now to challenge that oppressive history by engineering a cinematic space that purely uplifts, actively subverting the restrictive archetypes of the past. Beyond reclaiming history, The Promotion is an urgent sanctuary of hope for a modern moment where fear convinces people to remain small. Josephine’s journey is for anyone who has reached the threshold of greatness and questioned their worth.

This film is a necessary declaration that your faith and destiny are worth fighting for, offering a faith-centered visual masterpiece that gives families, creatives, and leaders permission to dream again.

[ Mood board ]

The look of the picture.

A working collage of the film’s world — its streets, style, and color — pinned up as we build it.

Fall 1957 · Washington, D.C.

Stills, fashion, and color studies — pinned here soon.

[ Watch ]

A first look.

A glimpse into the world of The Promotion — the trailer will be featured here as soon as it arrives.

VIDEO COMING SOON

[ The filmmakers ]

The story architects

A team of filmmakers, performers, strategists, and partners bringing Josephine’s world to the screen.

Briana "Mannequin" Norwood

Writer · Director · Performer

Josephine Martin

Ben Cory Jones

Producer

Story and producing

Princess Mbanuzue Elemba

Producer

Beyond Castings and Productions

Pablo Burn

Producer · Location Manager

Maryland production

Kiran Rhe

Producer · Location Scout

DC–Baltimore production

Lewis von Alberti

Cinematographer

Vintage and Technicolor image-making

Reginald "RJ" Johnson

Choreographer · Creative Director

Dance and performance

Morganne Norwood

Campaign Strategist

Digital marketing and visual storytelling

Lafayette Robinson

Brand Partnerships

Partnerships and outreach

Cassandra Campbell

Marketing Strategist

Campaign and audience strategy

[ Round one fundraising ]

Gather with us.

Five gatherings. One shared goal: moving The Promotion from the page to the screen.

01The Promotion Launch FundraiserOctober 3rd, 2026 · Personal invite only 02Faith & Film ConversationDate to be announced 03Black Broadway BenefitDate to be announced 04Women in Film GatheringDate to be announced 05Final Campaign CelebrationDate to be announced

[ Donate to the film ]

Put The Promotion in motion.

Help transform Josephine’s journey from black-and-white confinement into full Technicolor victory. Every dollar moves this production closer to the screen by supporting cast, crew, locations, original music, choreography, wardrobe, production design, and practical effects. Donations are processed through our fiscal sponsor, From the Heart Productions.

Where your money is going — pick the goal you want to bring to life

$25Feed the crew for a dayKeeps our cast and crew energized on set — meals, coffee, and craft services for a full day of filming in 1957 D.C.Fund this $50Rent rehearsal spaceBooks studio time so the cast can rehearse the choreography and staging that give the musical its soul.Fund this $100Score a songHelps fund the original score — studio time, musicians, and mixing for one number of this supernatural musical noir.Fund this $250Support costumesDresses a performer in authentic 1957 wardrobe — from Josephine's secretary chic to the Femme Fatale's showstopping glamour.Fund this $500Build the world of 1957Funds production design and practical effects — a set piece, a period detail, or a noir lighting setup that transports us to Black Broadway.Fund this $1000Bring it all to lifeMoves a major goal across the finish line — camera, cast, and crew coming together for a full day of Technicolor storytelling.Fund this

Want to give beyond a listed goal, or chip in any amount? Donate any amount securely through PayPal. This is the production's official donation channel — thank you for backing the film.

[ Fundraising events ]

Reserve your place.

Join us at one of five gatherings supporting the production. Complete one form for each household.

The Promotion

Fund a goal.

Josephine Martin

Femme Fatale

Brands we would love to partner with

In good company.

Become a partner.

Noir gives way to Technicolor.

Black Broadway

Musical language

A new frame

Why Now?

The look of the picture.

A first look.

The story architects

Briana "Mannequin" Norwood

Ben Cory Jones

Princess Mbanuzue Elemba

Pablo Burn

Kiran Rhe

Lewis von Alberti

Reginald "RJ" Johnson

Morganne Norwood

Lafayette Robinson

Cassandra Campbell

Gather with us.

Put The Promotion in motion.

Reserve your place.

Your details