Simmer
Directed by Joshua Afiriyie
Stills at Play | July - August 2025
PhotoLounge x Philadelphia Film Society
Cast and Crew:
Written and Directed by
Joshua Afiriyie
Cast
Max Yillah
Emmanuel Elpenord
Stephen Konnovitch
Wendi Smith
Victoria Wilcox
Fotima Akramkhodjaeva
Gianella Chipollini
Lauren Collins
Mike Ianuzzi
Isaac Jantzen
Jayna Lanshe
Caleb Leanza
Jayson Lindsey-Williams
Nick Reich
Gabriel Santos
Mahalia Trudeau-Williams
Dylan Vaughan
Ben Wilcox
First Assistant Director
Lizzie Selman
Second Assistant Director
Ohioma N. Uniugbe
Associate Producer
Jennifer Low
Director of Photography
Jalen Ramseur-Williams
First Assistant Camera
Kailyn Floersch
Second Assistant Camera
Kerri Sage
Second Camera Operator
Fred Chyi
Art Director
Kale Ramos
Costume Design
Tyrone Zhang
Editor
Caleb Leanza
Colorist
Jalen Ramseur-Williams
Sound Design
Titus Oldham
Sound Mixer
Sophie Aguila
Boom Operator
Sophie Aguila
George Magyartis
Post Audio Engineer
Jack Maynard
Gaffer
Victoria Wilcox
Key Grip
Shawn Salomon
Best Boy Grip
Aidan McErlean
Casting Support Services
Breakdown Express
DIT
Caleb Leanza
Script Supervisor
Ashanti Spells
Corey Bivens
Key Production Assistant
Blair Winston
Art Production Assistant
Lauren Collins
Davi B.U.E
Production Assistant
Gianella Chipollini
Behind the Scenes Photography
Kent Ichikawa
Benji Rawson
Still Photography
Victoria Wilcox
Social Media Manager
Molly Reinhard
This project was produced in the BFA/BA Programs of the Department of Film and Media Arts, Temple University
Partial funding courtesy of The Dean's Grant, Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts, Temple University
Special thanks to The Greater Philadelphia Film Office
"Simmer is largely based on my experiences growing up in a predominately white environment as a young black individual in the suburbs. I also feel strongly that black people growing up in America are likely to have a unique and almost sacred relationship to anger and wanted to talk about it through the film.
As far as visuals, Simmer was largely inspired by the films Moonlight, Perfect Blue, A Different Man, and Donnie Darko.
The process was emotionally exhausting and spiritually fulfilling! As is any endeavor in film." - Joshua Afiriyie