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What can I say about One Week that hasn’t already been said? I can’t think of one thing so what I’ll do is stay true to the piece and pay even more homage to what has got to be one of the best movies ever made. One Week asks audiences the not so simple, life-altering question: "What if one week before your wedding you discovered you might be HIV positive?"
Both audiences and critics have responded tremendously to the film, giving it the Best U.S. Film Award and the Lincoln Filmmaker's Trophy at the 2000 Acapulco Black Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize at the Urbanworld Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Carl Seaton's directorial debut is set in Chicago and explores the reaction of Varon Thomas when a health clinic informs him that a former sexual partner has the HIV virus. His best friend Tyco, who coincidentally received the same call, assures him that it's nothing to worry about. With problems on the job and stressful wedding preparations, Varon's guilt and fear haunt him with an increasing intensity as his vision for the perfect future with fiancée Kiya Parker slowly unravels.
Originally written as a comedy, writers Kenny Young (who also stars in the film) and Carl Seaton wanted One Week to convey the pervasive impact of AIDS and decided, after researching the virus, to pursue a more somber approach with a more dramatic message. "This was an opportunity for us to reach African Americans with a realistic story that doesn't preach, but entertains," says Young.
Seaton and Young teamed with producer Phil James to form Griot
Filmworks. One Week the company's debut feature was released in select cities in March 2002. It was also the first theatrical release from Film Life, a newly formed distribution company headed by Jeff Friday, co-creator/producer of the Acapulco Black Film Festival
(ABFF). One Week is now in all major video sales and rental outlets so run out and pick up a copy, you will be happy you did.
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