THRU THE EYES OF THE HUSTLER'S DAUGHTER to Premiere in Theaters
Hassan Johnson and Courtney Adele star in the film exploring generational trauma and recovery.
Baltimore rapper Tashera 'T' Savage's life story is the inspiration for a new film, Thru the Eyes of the Hustler's Daughter, which is slated to premiere in theaters this fall. The biopic traces her journey from a childhood marked by violence, addiction and devastating loss to a hard-won path toward healing, self-expression and hope.
She witnessed her father's murder. Her mother was caught in a life of heroin addiction and drug dealing. Yet Savage refused to let the trauma she inherited determine the rest of her story.
Thru the Eyes of the Hustler's Daughter follows a young girl born into Baltimore's drug trade who witnesses her father's murder and struggles for years with the psychological aftermath. Rather than focusing solely on street life, the film explores what trauma can do to a child's mind and how healing can begin through therapy, creativity and community support.
'People will automatically think this is a hood movie, but it's not,' Savage said. 'I want people to see the triumph in my story — the overcoming.'
As she starts to heal, her fractured relationship with her mother, former queenpin Shontel Greene, evolves into a shared journey marked by accountability, forgiveness and the possibility of change.
Written by Andrena Hale and co-written by Peter Allen, the film stars Hassan 'Iniko' Johnson (best known for HBO's The Wire), and Courtney Adele and Varonica Mitchell, who portray Tashera at different stages of her life. The cast also includes hip-hop artist B.G. (Christopher Dorsey) and former NFL player Terrance West.
'All of it's a true story,' Savage said. 'Losing my dad, especially the way that I lost my dad, was one of the most painful things I ever went through in my life.'
At its core, Thru the Eyes of the Hustler's Daughter is a story about what it takes to confront inherited pain and choose a different path.
'I was forced into this lifestyle at just 14 years old after my mother's and father's heroin addictions,' added Shontel Greene, Savage's mother. 'I thought there was no other way out! This is a life that SHOULD NOT BE GLAMORIZED. The purpose of this film is to inspire and empower others to make a way out of no way. I am living proof of this, as a doctor and thriving business owner, that a different, more meaningful and productive life is possible.'
Sign up for all the news on the Fall season, discounts & more...