Film About Black Congregation Taking In a KKK Member Set To Be Released in November, Forest Whitaker and Usher Set To Star

A film starring Forest Whitaker, Garrett Hedlund, and Usher Raymond is finally marked for release, more than a year after it debuted at Sundance.  The film “Burden” was picked up by 101 Studios.

The movie, which is based on a true story about an orphan named Mike Burden, who was raised by the Ku Klux Klan in the South in the 1990s, follows his journey to leave the organization behind. The congregation of a Black Church takes him in and helps him escape the wrath of the KKK. 

According to Shadow and Act, Whitaker will portray Reverend Kennedy, an African American pastor who takes in Burden once the Klan pursues him. Usher portrays a character named Clarence Brooks.

The script for ”Burden” was written by Andrew Heckler, who also directed the film. “Even though it was written over 20 years ago, unfortunately, Burden is more timely than ever. Now in a time when the world has become so polarized and divided by ethnicity, race, and religion, Burden can deliver a powerful message of how extremes can join together to overcome and resolve our differences and hatred through love and tolerance,” said Heckler said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, who first broke this news about the film’s release. 

The drama will hit theaters on November 1st in selected cities.