![Jemarcus Kilgore and Mona Swain to Star in Cowboy Romance Short 'Darren & Anissa', Autumn Bailey-Ford Executive Produces [TRAILER]](https://i0.wp.com/blexmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/News-website-31.png?resize=1032%2C615&ssl=1)
A new romantic short set within the world of Black Southern cowboys is on its way to audiences.
Darren & Anissa will star Jemarcus Kilgore, who also wrote the screenplay, and Mona Swain as two young people navigating love against the backdrop of family rivalry and community legacy. Candy McLellan directs the film, with Autumn Bailey-Ford attached as executive producer. Bailey-Ford is also developing a feature-length adaptation of the story.
The film follows Darren and Anissa, who have known each other since childhood despite coming from families at odds. When a night of horse racing and local festivities puts them face-to-face, a powerful connection resurfaces, forcing both to consider whether they can move beyond the weight of their last names.
Drawing from the timeless romantic architecture of Romeo and Juliet, the short places Black cowboy life, tradition, and tenderness at the center of a modern love story.
The project is produced by Kilgore Studios, Bad Dad Productions, and Legacy Hill Studios, with producers including Kilgore, Marcus Hopkins-Turner, and Christopher Ammanuel. The team is aiming for a 2026 festival run.