You'll see a lot of talented filmmakers coming up with true potential and when you witness their success it's the greatest feeling in the world. Viewing their artistry speak well beyond there years, becoming something more than you could've ever imagine they would be. I saw Marcellus Cox's latest short Jamarcus Rose & Da 5 Bullet Holes earlier this year at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival and it was the surprise film of 2026 for me. It's naturally and painfully soulful, rooted in artistical truth, personal human connection, packing an entire viewpoint of sincerity and raw feelings into such a short running time. It's an unbelievably powerful 23-minute short that is too familiar for most but it's the perfect slice of reality, showcasing just truly how short life really, and what you do with that life.
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. Marcellus Cox was infused by the work of the LA Rebellion and you can see a lot of their brilliance in his work. His work has been seen on television screens all over the globe on PBS, Revolt TV's Short & Fresh, Aspire's Urban Indie Film Block and ShortsTV. His short films have screened in over 100 International Films, winning a little over 150 international film awards. With a critically acclaimed 2023 feature debut Mickey Hardaway under his belt, he's currently working on his 2nd feature film Jefferson Street. We had the pleasure to talk to him about his career and his future film plans.
Thank you for making time for us today, Marcellus. I know you said you hate talking about yourself, but for our readers and other film enthusiast unfamiliar with you, can you tell us what made you want to have a career in film?
Watching movies with my grandma. She loved movies and seeing something on the screen that could have an emotional impact on someone's heart and soul was something that really hook me and I haven't been able to get away from it haha. I was 9 years old, when I first watched Who Framed Roger Rabbit, I was absolutely stunned at the power of the visual medium and the effects that storytelling could have and still has on folks, telling stories of all aspects of life. From that moment on I was hooked. There's just nothing else on the face of this earth that gives you that kind of freedom.
For almost 30 years I've been studying and perfecting my craft, trying to become the best filmmaker that I can possibly be. Attending Film School at El Camino College and then venturing out on my own working on sets learning from other filmmakers watching and studying how they interact with their cast & crews and how they go about there day to day on set to get the best out of everyone involved bringing a cinematic vision to life.
Who were the filmmakers that influence Marcellus Cox and your style of storytelling?
Charles Burnett was my first major influence; the first time I saw Killer of Sheep. Especially since it was filmed a few blocks away from where I grew up in South Central LA and seeing people even during that time going through the same struggles me and my family was going through. I love his work and wanted to know more and studied as much of his work, and fellow filmmakers, from the LA Rebellion Film Movement like Haile Gerima, Julie Dash, Billy Woodberry, and more. Learning the importance of storytelling from a truthful perspective, never caving my artistic integrity for profit or fame. Instead using it as a teaching tool for others and sharing my views of society and where the world is headed.
I fell in love with other filmmakers as well haha. I have a massive appreciation for artist who shared the same cinematic viewpoints I do like John Huston, John Frankenheimer, Stanley Kramer, Robert Altman, Ingmar Bergman, Richard Brooks, and Andrei Tarkovsky.
They all share the same sense that nothing comes before the art, independence is the artistic key to crafting out a vision that is singularly yours and building important relationships with your cast and allowing them to have a say in the process of crafting their characters but still keeping their vision at the same time and that's the key in my opinion in getting the best out of the work.
Talk to us about the planning and process of making Jamarcus Rose & Da 5 Bullet Holes?
The story of Lamont Taylor hit home with me in such a powerful manner. I saw his story on Television on Kcal 9 in 2019 and I was so heartbroken by it that it literally became a massive importance for me to make this. His story could've been any of our stories even my own, especially coming from where we came from in South Central LA and I couldn't forgive myself and I didn't have something to say to help keep his memory alive in any manner that I possibly could.
I went and made another short during covid called Mickey Hardaway because the funding was given to me and it was great for furthering the feature version but there was no way I could get Lamont's story off my brain. So, in 2021 I reached out to his grandmother and told her my vision and what I wanted to do and she loved the idea. But I couldn't find the funding to make it so I had to put it on the back burner. So, around 2023 I found it but by then his grandmother had passed and I almost gave up on it. But I came to far not to see it through so I went ahead to make it. I just hope that I was able to make Lamont proud and be able to show he was more than the world thought of him.
You had a great cast for this film; can you talk about working with your actors?
Nope, I can't stand any of them at all haha. No seriously I loved working with them, from Stephen Cofield Jr to Duane Ervin to Ruthie Austin they were all fantastic giving phenomenal performances. Each one of them brought something special to their respected role and made it their own. Working with them without question made me a better filmmaker and I'm forever grateful to them. I have a strong feeling I'll be working with all of them again in the future. Hopefully it'll be on a feature haha, it's gotta be a feature not another short, I need to expand my canvas creatively.
What was the shooting schedule like and working with your production team during those struggles?
Schedule, wise we shot the film in 2 days in Los Angeles, the biggest problem was we shot it during daylight savings time in December 2025 haha that did prove to be an issue at times especially when you're making a short about baseball. It did make me have to change some minor scenes in the script from night to day but it worked perfectly so at this point I won't complain about it anymore.
The film gods blessed me and there still blessing me with the amount of love and support the film is getting. Production team wise working with the crew was great, I think I put a really great team together. Everyone knew their role and did their part to bring the film to life which is all that you can ever ask for as an artist. Working with my co-producer Eric Quincy is a cake walk haha. We know each other so perfectly it's never a challenge and we bring out the best in each other and hopefully will continue to in the future.
Working with Sandra Evers-Mainly and Black Hollywood Education and Resources Center has been fantastic. I'm forever grateful to her for giving me the chance to bring this story to life. None of this is possible without her.
What do you love the most about being a Filmmaker and creating a film?
Working with amazing talented Actors, Actresses and Crew Members that believes in your vision and story and want to bring it to life. There giving you their undivided attention because they see something special in the work and in you. I can never express my love and gratitude to all of the cast and crew that has ever came on board anything I've ever done. It takes a village in this profession; I'll never give myself all the credit or any credit for that matter haha.
What is Marcellus Cox goal or mission that drives your filmmaking journey?
Making films that has something to say… Doesn't matter the subject it just has to have purpose, a justifiable reason for it to exist. I'm not interested in blockbuster, big budget sequels or star driven films about nothing. I want to create stories that will be impactful. Artistically 50,100 years from now when I'm long dead and gone from this earth. Something that shows you exactly who I was as a human being. It's my driving force every single time I sit down at my desk, writing that next story and will do so forever.
What's next for Marcellus Cox? Can you talk to us about this next feature you're working on?
The next feature I want to make is called Jefferson Street; it's a period piece set in 1966 East Texas following a black detective from Detroit who travels down south to investigate the murder of his mother at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan. The script has done great in script competitions and now it's time to bring it to the big screen, that's the next film I have to and need to make so that's my goal. I have some other ideas as well but I'm still fleshing them out.
One last question I wish to ask you before we end our conversation, I know you're a huge fan of The Simpsons like I am, what's your favorite episode if you don't mind me asking?
Haha that's the best question that anyone could've ever asked me. I have so many favorite episodes but if I had to narrow it down to just one, all time for me it's the Cape Feare episode with Sideshow Bob, every scene is perfection with gag after gag the whole H. M. S. Pinafore scene is without question one of the greatest scenes in the history of the show. I'll put Season 5 of The Simpsons up against any television show in history I don't think any show comes close to them.
Where can our readers be able to contact you to find out more about your current work and discuss The Simpsons further with you.
Haha they can find me on Instagram @Cellusworld24 or Facebook @marcelluscox24 I'm not on there a lot but they can always leave a message and stuff I'm not to stuck up to respond back. I appreciate you guys and the dope interview this was a great time. Hopefully they'll be more coming in the future.