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Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing premiered on Saturday, July 20, 2024, on the Lifetime channel. The movie is a continuation of the 2023 Lifetime movie Black Girl Missing, directed by Delmar Washington.
The new movie, Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing, also directed by Washington, follows the story of Shannon, a black girl who gets admission into a HBCU college, with a host of ambitions and dreams for her future. However, she struggles to pay the tuition fees and eventually stops attending classes. Most people ignore her disappearance, except for her college counselor Ellen, who soon finds out that her student has been abducted.
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In the trailer, Lifetime mentions, that the movie is based on true-life events, showcasing the abuse faced by black girls from reserved communities. Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing is a part of Lifetime's 'Ripped From the Headlines' program that narrates real-life crime stories.
The movie shows that even crowded places like educational institutions, can be extremely dangerous grounds for crimes, with criminals walking among the crowd.
What Happens in Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing
Tanyell Waivers plays the role of Shannon, a black girl admitted into an HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) institution. She has big dreams for her future and is an ambitious student, trying hard to change her fate. But soon she struggles to pay the college tuition fees and stops attending classes.
No one notices her sudden absence, except for Ellen, her college counselor. Played by Naturi Naughton-Lewis, Ellen is the only person, who finds it difficult to accept the sudden disappearance of her determined student. She sympathizes with the plight of this black girl and decides to find her in any way possible.
Most of Ellen's concerns are ignored by Shannon's professors, her fellow students, and even her boyfriend. They believe that a black girl like Shannon, from a reserved community doesn't deserve to get admitted into a highly esteemed institution. With help from no one, Ellen decides to find Shannon on her own. During her investigation, she soon realizes that Shannon has been abducted by criminals.
In an interview with Blavity's Shadow and Act, Naughton-Lewis says,
"Ellen is someone who is fighting for this girl’s life, and she’s not her family, her blood relative or her mother."
She further adds,
"This shows that we can all make a difference if we pay attention, get involved, and say something when we know that it doesn’t look right."
She discovers that Shannon has been kidnapped by a sex trafficking racket, and now she must rescue the innocent girl, before it's too late. The film follows the constant chase of this college counselor, to find her student, while also bringing an entire criminal chain down.
Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing sheds light on the stories of abuse and abduction of black people, that never make it to the newspaper. The majority of the movie was shot in an HBCU institution in the city of Atlanta, which has a major black population. The HBCU institution shown in the movie is the Morehouse College, a historical college founded in 1867. The film criticizes the environment and attitude of HBCU institutions towards the marginalized.
While talking about the decision to shoot the movie in Atlanta, Naughton-Lewis said,
"It was interesting to put it in an environment where mostly everyone is Black; all these students are part of this university, and yet we see somehow that she (Shannon) is undervalued."
She hopes that the film could help in changing people's perception towards marginalized communities. She commented,
"I hope that people wake up their sensibility of community, and I hope people get more involved."
Where can you watch Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing
On July 20, 2024, Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing was live-streamed on Philo. Philo is a live-streaming service that offers over 70 live TV channels, including Lifetime, for $28 a month post free trial.
Those who don't have access to the cable provider, can watch Abducted at HBCU: A Black Girl Missing on the Lifetime app.
Stay tuned to keep up with the latest news and updates on Lifetime's new releases.
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