RATTLESNAKES
In 2019, McClellan returned to acting in the award-winning film Rattlesnakes. McClellan executive produced and starred in Rattlesnakes alongside actors Jimmy Jean-Louis and Jack Coleman. McClellan took the film from initial concept to creation with Jimmy Jean-Louis (producer), and collaborated with Julius Amedume (writer/director) to adapt the original stage play set in London in the 1990s, to a modern-day film set in southern California. Much of the film was shot in McClellan’s own Montecito home. Rattlesnakes enjoyed a limited theatrical release starting in April of 2019 and played at over 20 international film festivals, winning 8 awards.
A psychological thriller adapted from an acclaimed stage play, award-winning writer/director Julius Amedume’s RATTLESNAKES tells the story of California life guru and family man Robert McQueen. What begins as a typical day of client meetings and therapy sessions takes a turn for the worst when, expecting to meet a regular, he’s ambushed by three masked men. Held hostage in a rented apartment, McQueen is accused of sleeping with each man’s wife. He pleads innocence. Faced with being beaten to a pulp, what he does reveal will change all of their lives forever – but will it be enough to save his?
AWARDS
1: Audience award for best feature at the 27th Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, California.
2: Innovative film award at the Haiti International Film Festival.
3: ScreenNation Independent Spirit Film Production Award at the 14th Screen Nation Film and Television Awards in London.
4: Best Film award at the 14th Caribbean Tales International Film Festival (CTFF), Toronto, Canada.
5: Best Screenplay at the Urban Film Festival in Miami, Florida.
6: The Michael Anyiam Osigwe – 2019 African Movie Academy Award For Best Film by an African Director Living Abroad (Diaspora) (African Oscar)
7: Winner of the audience choice award at the 9th African International Film Festival 2019. Nigeria
8: Winner of the Best Film at the 9th African International Film Festival 2019 Nigeria.