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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMELVIN JAMES ANDERSON AND ANAHID NAZARIAN ANNOUNCE PRODUCING PARTNERSHIP ON HISTORICAL FEATURE FILM “NEWARK ON FIRE”
The filmmaking duo prepares to introduce the powerful historical drama to international film industry executives at the 2026 American Film Market in Los Angeles.
NEWARK, NJ — October 25, 2026 — Award-winning filmmaker Melvin James Anderson and accomplished film producer Anahid Nazarian, whose professional credits include work with legendary director Francis Ford Coppola, have announced their producing partnership on NEWARK ON FIRE, an ambitious historical feature film exploring the 1967 Newark uprising and the extraordinary events that forever transformed one of America’s most significant cities.
Set against the explosive social and political climate of 1967, NEWARK ON FIRE chronicles the events surrounding the brutal beating of Black taxi driver John William Smith by Newark police, an incident that helped ignite five days of civil unrest. The uprising exposed decades of racial discrimination, police brutality, political corruption, and economic inequality, ultimately leaving 26 people dead and an entire city forever changed.
Through interconnected perspectives, including 12-year-old Joey Bass Jr., photojournalist Bud Lee, and prominent historical figures, the film examines the human cost of injustice while exploring the collision of political power, organized crime, the Black freedom struggle, and the National Guard’s deployment. Its historical narrative also considers the political transformation that culminated in Kenneth A. Gibson becoming Newark’s first Black mayor in 1970.
Anderson, a Newark native, brings a deeply personal connection to the material. A Howard University graduate and former Special Research Fellow in Directing at Yale University’s David Geffen School of Drama, Anderson is a Newark native born and raised and approaches the project with a commitment to historical authenticity and cinematic storytelling.
Nazarian brings extensive industry experience and an established association with Francis Ford Coppola’s filmmaking legacy, including her executive producing credit on Tetro. Their collaboration combines creative vision, production experience, and a shared ambition to bring this pivotal chapter of American history to international audiences.
In November, Anderson and Nazarian will attend the American Film Market in Los Angeles, where they will premiere NEWARK ON FIRE to studios and international distributors.
More than a historical drama, NEWARK ON FIRE seeks to illuminate the enduring relationship between racial justice, political accountability, and the struggle for human dignity.
From the ashes of a city in turmoil emerged a movement that would help reshape its future.
ABOUT NEWARK ON FIRE
NEWARK ON FIRE is a historical feature film in development, produced by Melvin James Anderson and Anahid Nazarian, examining the 1967 Newark uprising and its lasting impact on American history.