Addison

ADDISONHENDERSON.COM

Addison Henderson is both a dynamic filmmaker and a brilliant actor. Addison grew up in Buffalo, New York and is the son of a local Bishop; he was raised in church and discovered his love for the stage when he performed in several church plays as a youth. This, however, this did not limit his exposure to the bitter realities of his urban environment; his family lived in the rugged parts of downtown Buffalo which are both crime infested and poverty ridden. Following high school, he left Buffalo and attended Alfred State College on a football scholarship; nevertheless, his passion for film could not be suppressed. However, it was not until he experienced a painful personal tragedy that Addison decided the time was right to pursue it. Addison's best friend was violently murdered in 2001 and it was then that he decided to venture to New York City and pursue his true passion.

He began formal training as an actor at the prestigious HB Studios in NYC, where he studied with renowned instructors Edward Morehouse, Austin Pendleton and Eleanor Harris. While studying, he appeared in several plays such as "Blood Knot", which he also directed and "Not Until We're Married" which was performed at the celebrated Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C. In August of 2003, Addison relocated to Los Angeles, California and continued his studies with noted acting coach Tom Todoroff of Act Now Studio. He’s appeared in independent films such as "Taxi", "Accessory", "Prisoner" and "The Hardest Thing." He also performed in several of his own short films including “Under Pressure”, “A Step Away From a Note” and “A War at Home”. Recently, Addison starred in two independent features entitled the “The Cuckold” and the other “Nicolas of Myra”, as well as a Television Pilot entitled “Discs”.

Addison's experience as a director began with the stage; notably he directed "Blood Knot", a two man play about South African brothers, in which he also starred. In order to prepare himself for film directing, upon his arrival in Los Angeles, he worked on the set of various films. In 2005, Addison formed his own production company, Knuckle City Films and stepped behind the camera to direct his first film "A Step Away from a Note" in which he also played title role. Since then, he has directed several feature documentaries, short films music videos and commercials.

The project which has garnered the most attention for Addison Henderson, is "The Forgotten City", a film which Addison co-directed and produced. "The Forgotten City " is a feature documentary, chronicling the urban America, specifically the City of Buffalo and the citizens which live within its boundaries. The film tells of a story of both hope and despair and also exposes how Addison was personally affected by the violence which plagues the desolate city. "The Forgotten City", will not soon be forgotten as it is currently competing in film festivals and being screened at universities across the country. Of note, it was featured at the Starz Denver Film Festival, The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival (winner Best Urban Documentary) and the American Black Film Festival. Recently Addison directed a new documentary film project shot in Ghana, West Africa. This film will explore the struggle to find identity often encountered by African Americans. Addison also works as a freelance shooter/editor/director, is regularly contracts to work on various projects.

Click here to purchase "The Forgotten City"This film is a personal journey of two young filmmakers who forged an unlikely partnership following a 2001 murder; one a friend of the victim and the other a friend of the murderer. Instead of waging war, they embarked on a documentary film project that would take them into the heart of Buffalo's most dispossessed communities and crime ridden streets. The result of their exploration is a documentary film with a raw, hard-hitting, unblinking first-hand look at the way some of us really live in America. This film brings to light the racial turmoil and economic hardships that have become the lifestyle of so many living in Buffalo's inner city.