Memphis talent is getting the spotlight on Netflix. “Color Book,” a feature film from writer and director David Fortune, premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and landed on Netflix on June 19. Fortune received $1 million to make the film in 2023 through AT&T’s Presents Untold Stories Program.
The black-and-white drama, rated R for language, follows a newly widowed father named Lucky (William Catlett) as he takes his 11-year-old son Mason (Jeremiah Alexander Daniels), who has Down syndrome, to his first baseball game. The story is set in metro Atlanta, and Fortune has pointed to photographers Gordon Parks, Carrie Mae Weems, and Saul Leiter as visual influences, with Weems’ “Kitchen Table Series” a clear touchstone for the film’s look.
Two Memphis natives play key roles. Brandee Evans, known for playing Mercedes on “P-Valley,” portrays Tammy, Lucky’s late wife and Mason’s mother. Memphis rapper and actor Nakia Coleman, known as Kia Shine, plays Rico, a close friend of Lucky and Mason.
“Color Book” has picked up a run of festival honors, including Best Narrative Feature at both the 2025 Oxford Film Festival and the 2025 Boulder International Film Festival, plus a Special Jury Mention for Directorial Vision at the 2025 Bentonville Film Festival. Both The New York Times and Variety named it a Critics’ Pick.
It’s another example of Memphis talent finding a national stage, with two hometown names carrying real weight in a film that’s been racking up recognition all year.
