Mahershala Ali Gave His Blessing for His First Film ‘Taste the Revolution’ to (Finally) Be Completed

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As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for unraveling cinematic mysteries, I must say that the tale of “Taste the Revolution” is a captivating one that resonates deeply with my love for the intricacies of game development. The 25-year journey of this mockumentary is reminiscent of a never-ending quest in an MMORPG, where you encounter numerous obstacles, unexpected allies, and ultimately emerge victorious after years of dedication.

The mockumentary titled “Taste the Revolution,” created by writer and director Daniel Klein, features Mahershala Ali in his debut lead role and had a 25-year delay before its premiere at the New Orleans Film Festival in October. Now, it is being shown at the fourth installment of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF).

At the initial screening of the movie in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Klein participated in a short question-and-answer session following the event. During this time, he offered some behind-the-scenes information about the lengthy production process of the project. Interestingly, Colin Trevorrow from the “Jurassic World” series took on multiple minor roles and acted as an executive producer in the film. In the storyline, Ali portrays Mac Laslow, a charismatic leader of a group of young adults aiming to reshape the world and let off some steam. The narrative unfolds through the perspective of two filmmakers capturing the events on camera.

Klein’s first feature film as a director, titled “Taste the Revolution,” completed filming in 2001. However, due to the tragic events of 9/11, the project was put on hold. During the COVID pandemic, Klein and his team revisited the footage and edited it into a movie. The production was handled by Phil Cohen, Maury Loeb, David Linke, and Kevin Linke, with Ali, Klein, Trevorrow, and Cohen serving as executive producers. The cast includes Alexander Bilu, Jeremy Dubin, Jen Nails, Jeremy Beiler, and Amatus Sami-Karim, who is now married to Ali.

Mahershala and I attended different stages of our academic careers at school. He was a senior in acting school, preparing to graduate, while I was a film student as an undergraduate. We first encountered each other at a coffee shop where we struck up a conversation about music and basketball. Our connection grew from there into something more encompassing. Klein revealed this during the RSIFF audience interaction, adding that he had a movie project in the pipeline with no funding. He expressed his desire to have Mahershala be part of it, saying, “I have this film I’m going to make without any money, and I would really appreciate if you could join us.

Initially, Klein envisioned a different role for Ali – that of Malik Browne. However, Kevin Bozeman filled that part instead. I remember Ali approaching me and expressing his doubts about the role he’d been assigned: “Why can’t I be the leader of this group?” I replied, “This is a comedy, and your character is meant to be incredibly shallow. That doesn’t suit you at all.” But Ali was insistent, asking for a chance to audition for the part. And boy, did he deliver! He was simply breathtaking on screen, and it was an absolute privilege to work with him.

Initially, Klein aimed to create a comedy but admitted his lack of certainty in the process. However, when Ali joined, he proved to be exceptional, causing the film to deviate from its initial comedic tone. Consequently, it transformed into something unique, and I would contend that it significantly improved and became more impactful.

However, during our production, the 9/11 terrorist attack occurred. This event left us utterly confused and unsure about how to proceed with the film, as it seemed disconnected from reality. As a young director, I was at a loss for how to handle this unexpected situation. We hastily put together a regrettable edit for both the cast and crew, which turned out to be an incredibly embarrassing night. Showing that movie was one of the two worst experiences of my life. Afterwards, we decided to bury the film. I felt compelled to honor the people who had invested their time and effort into our project, despite our lack of funding. That night was truly humiliating for me.

In the past, Ali viewed it as a learning experience and something that had already happened. After winning his first Oscar and then his second, Klein shared a clip of a film with him, which showcased an impressive three-minute-and-forty-five-second speech he delivered. Impressed, Ali called back saying they needed to complete the movie.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it became impossible for people to start fresh projects, leaving the team with some extra time on their hands. As Klein put it, “We ended up delving into the footage.” This amounts to a staggering 130 hours of video material. It’s quite astonishing! We meticulously went through every bit of it.

After wrapping up my latest edit, I showed the revised version to Ali, Sami-Karim, and others in California. Even though we initially worried it might seem outdated, someone bravely spoke up: “I’m afraid, regrettably, this movie will remain timeless because it portrays a phase of life that resonates with people. It isn’t so much about when it was made.” – Klein expressed.

Regarding Trevorrow’s role in the film, he explained: “He appears in the movie. His character serves as an introducer for all the various groups within the camp. Later on, his character is seen consuming drugs, then found up a tree, and eventually, he becomes an overdose victim. He was there right from the start.

Klein laughed, reminiscing about Trevorrow’s feedback. “He wrote me an extremely detailed email, longer than most emails at the time, regarding the first draft of the script,” he shared. “It felt like reading a book, and he advised: ‘Here’s how to avoid messing up your movie.’ We were classmates in film school and admirers of each other’s work. Remarkably, he even visited the set. On numerous occasions, he would pick up a camera and help direct additional footage, which was incredibly beneficial and significantly impactful on multiple fronts.

A spectator inquired whether Ali contributed funds to the film’s completion. Klein answered, “No, no money was invested in it.” Instead, it was more like his approval. To put it simply, it was highly encouraging for us. We felt that his enthusiasm was valuable enough on its own.

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2024-12-09 09:25