I sat down with Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr — better known as Berner — to talk about his new film Splash City. Known worldwide as a rapper, entrepreneur, and CEO/co‑founder of Cookies, Berner steps into a new lane as co‑writer, co‑director, and executive producer of this gritty crime drama.
In this interview, Berner opens up about the real‑life struggles that inspired the story: family, loyalty, survival, and what happens when the system gives people no real path forward.
My review: Splash City is raw, rough, and painfully real — the kind of story that happens every day in cities where crime and survival collide. It’s emotional, grounded, and unafraid to show the truth.
Watch the full interview and let me know your thoughts on the film.
Genre: Crime-Drama
Rating: R for pervasive language, drug use throughout, sexual content/nudity, and violence
Runtime: 93 Minutes
U.S. Release Date: Releases in select theaters beginning July 20th
Directed by: Alex Ferrufino and Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr (Berner)
Written by: Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr (Berner) & David Mansanalez
Produced by: David Mansanalez, Alex Ferrufino, Arie Rose Martinez, Berenice Molina, Alan Luna
Cast: Reed Shannon, TJ Atoms, Christopher A’mmanuel, and Hazel Green
Synopsis: In this gritty crime thriller, two brothers, Juju and Slim, struggle to survive the streets of San
Francisco, where loyalty can turn into betrayal in an instant. While Slim sees basketball as his way out,
Juju falls deeper into a life of smash-and-grab robberies under the control of a backstabbing crew leader.
As tensions rise, the brothers must choose between fighting for a brighter future or succumbing to the
violent legacy that threatens to consume them both. Lionsgate presents, an 1111 and 4 Ways Entertainment production.
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