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BAADASSSSS!
	; Promotional poster
Directed by	Mario Van Peebles
Produced by	Mario Van Peebles
Written by	Novel:; Melvin Van Peebles; Screenplay:; Mario Van Peebles; Dennis Haggerty
Starring	Mario Van Peebles; David Alan Grier; Nia Long; Rainn Wilson; Terry Crews
Music by	Tyler Bates
Cinematography	Robert Primes
Editing by	Anthony Miller; Nneka Goforth
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Classics
Release date(s)	May 28, 2004 (limited)
Running time	108 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Gross revenue	$365,727

BAADASSSSS! is a 2003 biopic, written, produced, directed by, and starring Mario Van Peebles. The film is based on the struggles of Van Peebles' father Melvin Van Peebles (played by Mario himself), as he attempts to film and distribute Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, a film that was widely credited with causing Hollywood to create the blaxploitation genre in order to try to market films to the black audience which it proved existed. The film also stars Joy Bryant, Nia Long, Ossie Davis, Paul Rodriguez, Rainn Wilson, and Terry Crews.

[edit] Synopsis

The film focuses on the social barriers and production problems which Melvin Van Peebles had to overcome, as well as the personal sacrifices he had to make. The film features such events as Melvin's film being rejected by every studio in Hollywood, and his subsequent attempts to raise funding by pretending that he was making a black pornography movie. Melvin's battles with his creditors and unionists are also shown, as is the farcical scene of him having to bail his crew out after a white police officer arrests them when he comes to the conclusion that a group of hippies and black men could not have come by their equipment legally. Van Peebles overcomes these obstacles, and finishes the film through sheer commitment and ruthlessness.