In 1937, cynical and disgraced Harlem private eye Harry Wisk is investigating the murder of a rich and powerful white man while he navigates past relationships, a web of lies, and his own “criminal” history.

We’re Not in Harlem Anymore is a proof of concept for a feature length pulpy throwback to detective classics like The Maltese Falcon and Murder My Sweet and inserts Black representation into a genre where it’s glaringly missing––noir.

Thanks to 164 backers, a successful Kickstarter campaign in January 2026 raised $18,500 towards production, post-production, and marketing/distribution costs.

  • The feature length project is called, ‘The Devil’s Shadow’ and is writer / creator Tarik Rashaan Davis’ bridge between the “Golden Age of Hollywood” and Black America. It is a stylish classic noir whodunnit that pays homage to the films of the 1930’s and 40’s and told from a Black perspective. The story mixes together history, folklore and melodrama. While cinephiles may see a well worn path of the black and white murder mystery, the creative team sees the glaring need for cultural, racial and social updating and revamping that many classic film genres have avoided or refused. 

    Making this proof of concept is a major step towards making a feature length film, and a community of supporters makes it all possible. 

    The exclusion of significant Black voices in classic films has bothered Tarik, an actor and avid-movie-watcher, his whole life. Why does “noir” which is “black” in French have such little Black representation? While translations of “dark film” and “obscure film” are commonly used, it was always the translation of “Black Film” that stood out for Tarik. Noir is a genre typically discussed as being born post-WW2, when white America was becoming disillusioned and cynical. This project assumes that the post-war pulp fiction that we typically see on screen, was the pre-war pulp reality for Black people. 

  • Featuring

    Kelly AuCoin as Archie Long
    Tarik Rashaan Davis as Harry Wisk
    Lynn R. Guerra as Selene Frost
    Ben Jaeger-Thomas as Maxwell Miller 
    Rafael Jordan as Bumpy Johnson

    Tarik Rashaan Davis writer / co-director / producer 
    Laura K. Nicoll co-director / producer
    Michael Patti director of photography
    Mark Stetson assistant director / editor / producer
    Arthur Lewis music composer / piano
    Ronen Itzik drums
    Dan Asher bass
    Jeremy Powell saxophone / clarinet
    Brian Forbes / Astral Sound NYC sound mix / recording studio
    Nicolle Allen costume design
    Alex Purifoy first assistant camera
    Connor James second assistant camera 
    Reed Neeson gaffer
    Harrison Rusk key grip
    Andrew Siedenburg audio
    Elliott Simpson hair
    Jessica Beck makeup 
    Jonathan Allen painter 
    Amanda Kuhn script supervisor 
    Vincent Reynolds production design assistant
    Matan Berman production assistant 
    Ruben Salveso production assistant 

    Teaser edited by Mark Stetson with Voice Over by Kevin R. Free.