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U5 Films Presents, Two Nations.
An African princess escapes slavery and finds refuge with a Native American village. Guided by ancestral vision.
About Two Nations
Project Description
Two Nations is a feature-length historical drama based on true oral history passed through generations of my family. The film recounts the story of Zerondi, an African woman taken from her homeland and enslaved, who escapes her oppressors and is rescued by Yellow Wolf, a Native warrior of Waterfall Lake. Together they forge bonds of survival, love, and community that defy the colonial narrative.
The project will:
Film on location in North Carolina and Virginia, drawing on authentic natural settings (Atlantic coast, forests, waterfalls, rivers).
Employ local craftspeople, musicians, and historians to ensure accuracy in props, music, and cultural representation.
Cast authentic African American and Native American actors, centering underrepresented voices.
Create a teaser trailer and look book (already in hand) for outreach, distribution, and festival submissions.
Statement of Purpose
This project is more than a film. It is an act of cultural preservation and truth-telling.
Cultural Preservation: Two Nations preserves African and Native American history that has been erased from textbooks.
Community Engagement: Local tribal elders, African American historians, and clan mothers are included in the storytelling process.
Education & Outreach: After the film’s completion, we will provide screenings with panel discussions, accompanied by curriculum guides for schools and museums.
Representation: The film challenges stereotypes by showing Africans and Natives as allies, not enemies, during colonial times.
Artistic Excellence
Artistic Vision
Two Nations is a film of both epic scale and intimate storytelling. The tone will balance historical realism with poetic imagery. The natural world — waterfalls, rivers, forests, and coastal shores — will serve not just as backdrops but as living characters within the story.
The visual language will draw from films such as The New World, 12 Years a Slave, and The Revenant, emphasizing authenticity, raw beauty, and emotional depth.
The story is framed by Bright Star, a woman elder, who recounts to a young graduate student the journey of Zerondi and Yellow Wolf. This narrative device honors the oral traditions of both African and Native communities, embedding the film in cultural authenticity.
Director’s Statement (Mark Ridley)
I am drawn to Two Nations because it speaks to untold histories that must be brought to light. Ruby’s script intertwines the brutality of enslavement with the beauty of resilience and love. My vision is to honor these voices with a cinematic language that is immersive, emotional, and respectful of the communities it represents.
The film will not shy away from violence and trauma, but it will equally celebrate resilience — the dances, drums, and ceremonies of Waterfall Lake will stand as powerful acts of survival.
Artistic Team
Writer/Producer: Ruby Lee Thigpen Whitehurst — bringing her family’s oral history and unique cultural insight.
Director: Mark Ridley (Stolen Breath, Otis) — acclaimed for bold, socially conscious storytelling.
Associate Producer: Riki Yvette Westmoreland
Advisors/Collaborators: Local tribal historians, African American scholars, and cultural elders will serve as consultants to ensure accuracy and authenticity.
Readiness & Proof of Concept
Full screenplay completed.
Teaser trailer filmed.
Stills available for lookbook and pitch materials.
Director attached with experience in historical and independent filmmaking.
Community partnerships developing with North Carolina artists and cultural groups.
Target Audience
Viewers of historical dramas (The New World, Harriet, 12 Years a Slave).
African American and Native communities seeking authentic representation.
Academic institutions (History, African American Studies, Native Studies).
General audiences drawn to untold, powerful human stories.
Impact Statement
This film is more than entertainment. It preserves memory, uplifts marginalized voices, and creates a bridge between past and present. Two Nations offers schools, museums, and cultural organizations a new tool for education and storytelling.
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Two Nations is action packed!
In Memory of Saginaw Grant, Maxine Napoleon, Milton Bullock The Golden Platter
1/3
"If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going."
Harriett Tubman
Two Nations is comparable to 12 Years A Slave, Harriett, A New World, Roots.
Unique Two Nations
Two Nations Became Many Nations
Synopsis
In the flourishing kingdom of Elanti, Princess Zerondi is captured during a raid led by Captain Wiggard and forced aboard a slave ship commanded by Wiggard and his first mate, Buckey. Surviving the Middle Passage, she arrives in the New World, where Mandy, a fellow enslaved woman, helps her endure. At auction, Zerondi is purchased by Lord Welch, who subjects her to violence and humiliation.
After a daring escape, Zerondi collapses in the wilderness, where she is discovered by Yellow Wolf, a Native warrior. Hidden in a cave by a stream, she recovers as settlers and trappers pass nearby. Yellow Wolf leads her to Waterfall Lake, where she is introduced to his family: Chief Strong Bear, Wild Flower, Evening Star, and the Clan Mothers (Flowing Water and Spring Flower). Though Strong Bear’s father Many Hands rejects her, a powerful vision compels him to accept Zerondi as one of their own.
Zerondi and Yellow Wolf’s love flourishes. They marry, raise children, and unite their people in a celebration of resilience and survival. Generations later, their descendant Bright Star retells their story on the eve of her own marriage to Two Eagles, ensuring that the legacy of courage, love, and cultural unity endures.
Two Nations, The Legend.
What Makes Two Nations Unique
Two Nations is the first feature film to dramatize the little-known alliances between Native Americans, Africans, and sympathetic colonists in colonial America. While most films about this era focus solely on slavery or European settlement, Two Nations reveals a hidden history of solidarity, survival, and love across cultural lines.
Its uniqueness comes from:
Untold Story: Based on oral history and family legend, this narrative has never been represented on screen.
Cultural Collaboration: Produced in partnership with the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe and filmed on ancestral lands, ensuring authenticity and respect.
Dual Heritage Lens: The film bridges African and Native American perspectives, highlighting their shared struggles and resilience.
Independent Spirit: Built on handcrafted props, authentic costuming, and grassroots partnerships rather than Hollywood spectacle.
How Two Nations Benefits Society
How Two Nations Benefits Society
Restoring Erased Histories: The film educates audiences about a forgotten chapter of American history, giving voice to those long ignored.
Fostering Unity: By showing solidarity between different peoples, the story offers a hopeful model of cross-cultural resilience relevant today.
Community Empowerment: Filming with tribal partners and local resources supports regional economies and uplifts underrepresented voices.
Educational Resource: Designed to be shared with schools, museums, and cultural institutions, Two Nations will serve as a teaching tool for generations.
Inspiration for Healing: In a time of division, the film reminds us that love and unity are possible — and always have been.
Mission.
Our Mission.
Our mission with Two Nations is to restore and share a hidden chapter of American history — the story of Africans, Native Americans, and their unexpected alliances in the face of oppression. Through authentic partnerships with the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe, handcrafted production design, and a diverse creative team, we aim to create a film that is both historically resonant and socially transformative. By honoring erased voices and celebrating resilience, love, and unity, we will inspire healing, dignity, and dialogue for audiences today and generations to come.
Our Grassroots Film.
Our Independent Grassroots Film.
I’m honored to be working with Mark Ridley, director of Stolen Breath and Otis. We’ve already developed a teaser trailer, and we have a polished Hollywood-standard script. I bring the personal history and cultural authenticity, while Mark brings years of directing experience.
Two Nations Teaser Trailer
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