Film about rapper with autism living in Seattle keeps selling out shows
A group of artists are creating a huge buzz around their new movie ‘FANTASY A Gets A Mattress,’ a dark comedy starring a local rapper that is set in Seattle.
SEATTLE – A group of artists are creating a huge buzz around their new movie ‘FANTASY A Gets A Mattress,’ a dark comedy starring a local rapper with autism set in Seattle.
The demand for the movie is so high that all nine of the showings, at the Beacon Cinema in the Columbia City neighborhood of Seattle, have sold out.
The film stars self-proclaimed autistic rapper “FANTASY A,” a young man who grew up in the city.
Fantasy A says he was diagnosed with autism when he was young, which led to a life of dealing with adversity.
“Back in my high school days, middle school days, and I used to have no friends, because they’re not on the same group as I am,” he said.
FANTASY A says he started using rap to express emotions and feelings he struggled to get out on his own.
“When I had bad days and good days, I usually use the words and write in my journal and turn into a song,” said FANTASY A.
For years, FANTASY A hustled to make it in the city. He works about four jobs to support himself, and he is constantly promoting his music through grassroots methods.
“[It] all started because we saw his posters all throughout town,” said David Norman Lewis.
Lewis, as well as his co-filmmakers Noah Zoltan Sofian, and Safiye Rose Senturk say they met FANTASY A several years ago. The filmmakers say they got to know his story, and realized more people had to hear it.
They created the dark comedy ‘FANTASY A Gets A Mattress,’ which focuses on a lot of the issues that FANTASY A—as well as many other people in Seattle—struggle with.
“[It’s] about dealing with autism, dealing with a predatory group home manager, struggling with housing, struggling with a financial situation,” said Senturk.
For four years, including through COVID, the team created the feature-length film.
Now in 2023, the filmmakers say it’s become a visual time capsule for the city, as most of the movie’s shooting locations no longer exist.
Senturk says it is a true reflection of Seattle living.
“This is just the environment of Seattle. The majority of the people in Seattle don’t live in fancy condos. They live on the city streets, walking around, getting to their job, taking buses, and this is the reality of the city,” she said.
The film premiered at the Seattle Black Film Festival, and won the Best Narrative Feature award.
FANTASY A says making the movie has helped him move past hardships in his own life, and hopes his story inspires others.
“I just want to make Seattle a better place,” he said.
FANTASY A says he is getting to live his dream, but if he could get one more wish, it would be that one of his local heroes gets to see his movie.
“How I want Sir Mix-a-lot to see the movie. If—he should definitely—if he has enough time, I want him to come out to one of our screenings at the Beacon in Columbia City, so he won’t miss out on who I am and what the movie is about,” he said.
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This content was originally published here.