Berner Talks About his San Francisco Crime Drama 'Splash City' - Interview

Berner talks 'Splash City,' growing up in San Francisco’s Sunset District and bringing the city’s realities to the big screen.

I spoke with Berner about his new film “Splash City,” now out from Lionsgate. A San Francisco native, Berner is a Billboard charting rapper, filmmaker, cultural ambassador and entrepreneur. He is the cofounder and CEO of Cookies, the San Francisco born cannabis brand, founder and CEO of Cookies SF and an independent artist with 47 albums.

Berner and I are both San Francisco kids from the Sunset District, giving us a shared connection to the city and the places that shaped us. That made “Splash City,” a natural entry point for a conversation about San Francisco and the culture that continues to influence his work.

Set in San Francisco, “Splash City,” follows brothers Elijah “Slim” Johnson (Zach Sowers) and Julian “Juju” Johnson (Reed Shannon) as they take very different paths while growing up in a low income household with their single mother.

Slim is a talented high school basketball player who sees the sport as a way to build a better future for his family and community. Juju, frustrated by living in his brother’s shadow, turns to bipping, the Bay Area’s smash and grab car culture, where quick money and status lead him deeper into crime and violence.

As the brothers move in opposite directions, their bond is tested by the pressures of family, poverty and street life. “Splash City,” explores loyalty, ambition and survival through the realities of San Francisco.

For Berner, the film is another way to tell stories rooted in the city that shaped him.

“Splash City,” is out now from Lionsgate