J. August Richards

J. August Richards captures audiences with a clever, contemporary approach to suspense in the thriller, Privacy Policy. He will present the nineteen-minute short film on Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) - the largest African American film festival in the country.

Policy Synopsis: John Doe is receiving strange phone calls — always in the middle of the night, always around the same time. What’s even stranger is that the caller’s telephone number reads "private" on the caller-ID, despite John’s recent purchase of "Private Call Block."

He enlists the help of his friend Detective Barry; an undercover cop who discovers that the mysterious caller’s phone number belongs to no one. Ultimately, the consistent call time - 12:47 a.m. - will show John that in the technological age, nothing is private. Is John a victim of identity theft? Paranoia? Techno-stalking? Or is he the victim of a plot more sinister than he could possibly imagine?

"The films that inspired me to direct this project were Sixth Sense, Fight Club, and the French film Caché," Richards says. "Caché inspired me the most. It’s like Caché meets the Sixth Sense meets Fight Club."

Writer and director, J. August Richards, a graduate from the University of Southern California, is most noted for on his camera performances. He has worked steadily in film, television, and theater, accumulating over ten years of experience as a professional actor.

Richards’ acting credits include Dick Wolf’s NBC drama Conviction, the WB’s international hit Angel, the Warner Brothers film Why Do Fools Fall in Love, and The Temptations, where he portrays one of the original members of the 60’s singing group. He has guest starred on countless television series including The 4400, The Practice, The Cosby Show and Any Day Now, and has won critical praise for his stage performances in prestigious theaters around the country.

Audiences know Sharif Atkins, who plays John Doe, as Dr. Michael Gallant on the NBC mega-hit ER. Atkins has also starred in the NBC series Hawaii, UPN’s Eve, and the films Light It Up and Out of Exile. He is a graduate of Northwestern University.

Detective Barry is portrayed by Anson Mount, who has starred in many television series including NBC’s Conviction, WB’s The Mountain and ABC’s Line of Fire with guest appearances on Sex in the City, Lost, and Smallville. Mount’s film credits include All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, In Her Shoes, City by the Sea, Crossroads, and Boiler Room.

Privacy Policy was filmed in Los Angeles, CA in September 2006. Shot in HiDef, it has a running time of 19 minutes 57 seconds. The film was produced by actor La Monde Byrd (Supernatural, Mind of Mencia, The Shield and Strong Medicine).

Richards also appears in the film, Paved With Good Intentions, screening at the PAFF on Feb. 16, and Feb. 18. The screenings will be held at the AMC Magic Johnson Theatres in Los Angeles. For more information on dates and times visit www.paff.org.