February 14 – 17
Tickets: $7 general admission, $5 for students
The Festival showcases diverse works of, by and about people of African descent. The four-day festival will present over 25 short and full length films from around the world, supporting the talents of up and coming film makers and presenting classic feature films as well.
Thursday, 2/14:
- 6:00 pm – Opening reception
- 6:50 pm – Remarks by filmmaker Byron Hurt
- 7:00 pm – Soul Food Junkie a Byron Hurt film (64 minutes) - Soul food is personal to filmmaker Byron Hurt. His new film, “Soul Food Junkies, came about because of serious health issues suffered by his father. “What inspired the film really was my father and my relationship with my father and the fact that my father had become ill with pancreatic cancer,” said Hurt, a Georgia native, during the Summer TV Tour in Hollywood. “My sister, my mother and myself really tried hard to get him to change his eating habits so we could help him extend his life. And it was very hard for him, very, very difficult for him. In fact, we got into some very tense conversations because I would question him about the food that he was putting on his plate, even after he had become ill. And I could sense that soul food meant something very, very, very important to him. It ran really deep with him. And I think there was an emotional connection there, not just soul food, but food in general too, because soul food is just a launching off point to talk about larger issues around food. But I could really tell that there was something really deep about soul food that he just did not want to give up. And I think it was the emotional connection.
“So that was the inspiration for this film, not necessarily a condemnation of soul food en masse, but an exploration and a journey to have us question what and why we put certain foods into our mouths.”
Accordingly, “Soul Food Junkies” is far from a flat-out celebration of ethnic cuisine. More, it’s an in-depth examination of the food’s roots, appeal and impact on well-being.
- 8:00 pm – Q&A with Byron Hurt
- 8:30 pm – 1964 Classic film Nothing but a Man starring Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln - Nothing But a Man is a film made in 1964 and directed by Michael Roemer. The story is about a black railroad worker, who falls in love with a black school teacher, who is the town’s preacher’s daughter. The story depicts the struggle of their strife for “a meaningful place” in their society. It stars Ivan Dixon as Duff Anderson and Abbey Lincoln as Josie Dawson. It was originally a 1933 play, but was not made into a movie until 1964. According to The Washington Post, “Nothing But a Man is one of the most sensitive films about black life ever made in this country”.
Friday, 2/15:
- 5:00 pm – Men at Work, Detroit’s Underground (60 minutes) - Set in America’s most segregated city, this documentary profiles some of the creative and resourceful men struggling to survive in Detroit’s underground economy.
- 6:00 pm – Mouthpiece (60 minutes) - An urban “Entourage” meets “The Hangover” Matt, a young black filmmaker comes to L.A. to document his cousin’s, 3D’s, hot, new book on dating, The Laws. The Laws is a step-by-step guide that teaches any man to get what he wants: money, power and sex. It’s all about sales baby. Mouthpiece. You have to know how to sell it. Matt puts the laws to the test. Matt quickly joins the fast, raunchy, sexy, intoxicating nightlife of Hollywood. Sex, drugs and Hip Hop. Armed with the laws, and the Half naked Crew, (3D, Big Country, Cochise and Five Feet of Hell), Matt swims in the most bizarre, dysfunctional dating pool in America. Los Angeles. In a world of madness and illusion, can he find true love? Through misadventures, dates from hell, and being dumped time after time? Matt learns that in order to make it in Hollywood, you have to have game, you have to know the laws, you have to have
a “Mouthpiece.” - 7:00 pm – TunnelVision (82 minutes) - When a jury fails to convict the serial killer who savagely murdered his family, one man must rise above his desire for revenge and descend into the deranged world of a sadistic predator to uncover the truth and finally get justice. What begins as a classic revenge tale takes a dramatic turn into a haunting land of horror and murder.
FILMMAKER BIODELILA VALLOT is an American stage, film and television actress, dancer and director born and raised in Hollywood, California who has gained an aptitude for the art of film via years of self-study and osmosis. She has directed several experimental short films exhibited at the Egyptian Theater and the Independent Feature Film Market New York. Her current project, TUNNEL VISION, a suspense thriller, is her debut as a feature length director/producer. - 8:30 pm – Classic film St. Louis Blues starring Ruby Dee and Nat King Cole (105 Minutes) - Will Handy grows up in Memphis with his preacher father and his Aunt Hagar. His father intends for him to use his musical gifts only in church, but he can’t stay away from the music of the streets and workers. After he writes a theme song for a local politician, Gogo, a speakeasy singer, convinces Will to be her accompanist. Will is estranged from his father for many years while he writes and publishes many blues songs. At last the family is reunited when Gogo brings them to New York to see Will’s music played by a symphony orchestra.
Saturday, 2/16:
- 9:30 am – Getting Up, The Tempt One Story (72 minutes) -Tony ‘TEMPT’ Quan is a legendary LA graffiti artist, social activist and publisher. In 2003, he was diagnosed with ALS (also called Lou Gherig’s Disease), a degenerative nerve disorder which has rendered him unable to move, breathe or speak… But his mind and creative spirit are still intact. In 2009, Mick Ebeling and his Not Impossible Foundation brought a motley crew of international hackers and artists to Los Angeles to attempt the impossible: invent a low-cost, open source DIY device that allows Tempt to once again create art, using the only part of his body that still moves, his eyes.FILMMAKERS BIO
Caskey Ebeling is a director whose avant-garde vision draws inspiration from the beauty found in the bizarre and distorted details of ordinary life. With roots in advertising, content development and design, Caskey has combined her solid vision with a unique creative approach to tell stories across multiple distribution channels: film, broadcast, print, web, and wireless. GETTING UP: THE TEMPT ONE STORY is her first feature documentary.
Whether it’s surfing a wave, launching an award-winning production company, or continuing the altruistic traditions of his family – MICK EBELING recognizes the importance of social responsibility, tackles the so-called impossible, and makes it possible. That is why he founded the emerging non-profit organization the Not Impossible Foundation (NIF).
- 11:00 am – Doin’ It In The Park (60 minutes) – Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC is an independent documentary directed by Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau. The film explores the definition, history, culture, and social impact of New York’s summer b-ball scene, widely recognized as the worldwide “Mecca” of the sport. n New York City, pick-up basketball is not just a sport. It is a way of life. There are 700+ outdoor courts, and an estimated 500,000 players, the most loyal of which approach the game as a religion, and the playground as their church. “You can play high school or college for four years. You can play Pro for a decade. You can play pick-up … for life.”
Doin’ It In The Park lovingly uncovers this movement through the voices of playground legends, NBA athletes, and most importantly the common ballplayer who all day looks forward to calling “next” game at their local schoolyard.
- 12:00 pm – Hip Hop Is Bigger Than The Occupation (60 minutes) - The documentary revolves around a ten day journey of artists traveling through Palestine, teaching and performing Non Violent Resistance through the arts.The tour included M1 of Dead Prez, Shadia Mansour, Marcel Cartier, Mazzi of Soul Purpose, DJ Vega Benetton, Lowkey, Jody McIntyre and Trinidad, Brandon and Lavie from the South West Youth Collaborative/University of Hip Hop Chicago. Staying in the heart of Balata Refugee Camp @ the Yafa Cultural Center in Nablus the group witnesses night raids, toured places like Hebron where there are roads for the Arabs and roads for the Jews, they meet families of shaheeds as well as young Palestinians who have been jailed, shot, humiliated, the group visits Bi’lin where they get shot at and tear gassed and experience first hand what it felt like living under occupation.
- 1:00 pm – Why Do You Have Black Dolls? - Why Do You Have Black Dolls?, is a film inspired by a question asked of an 8-year old girl. It explores the history, the beauty, and the pride that is the black doll. Through its characters, a little-known community of black doll enthusiasts, it reveals that the black doll is more than a plaything; it is a cultural artifact that represents the history of the people it depicts.
- 2-4 pm – Short Films
- 4-5:30pm – Panel Discussion on African Americans in the Film Industry. Where are we In the 2lst Century…
- 6:00 pm - Keeper of the Flame (30 minutes) – In hurricane-ravished New Orleans, the enigmatic Mardi Gras Indian culture serves as a pillar in the community and a symbol of strength in the midst of adversity. When the Big Chief of a prominent Indian tribe dies unexpectedly, he passes the leadership of the tribe on to an unlikely candidate: his young grandson Michael, who has the heart of a warrior but the appearance of a sheep. Unhappy with his father’s decision to pass him up for the younger Michael, Michael’s uncle Tré forms his own tribe and challenges Michael’s position as a Chief and his role as a man in general. In this coming-of-age story, a young boy must decide how important it is to keep the flame of his ancestors burning and whether he is willing to do what it takes to show that he is worthy of his calling.
- 7:00 pm – Grace Running – a Short Film (15 minutes)
- 7:30 pm – Record Play – a Short Film (10 minutes)
- 8:00 pm – The Love Section (90 minutes) – A New film from this area’s own Ronnie Warner who produced This Christmas…
- 9:30 pm – UrbanErotika – Documentary – An Odyssey of Eros on Film is a documentary that brings 10 years of Mo Beasley’s UrbanErotika from stage to screen. (90 minutes)UrbanErotika is a monthly, live performance series celebrating erotic love through poetry, spoken word, music, dance and theatre, as expressed by the diverse cultures of New York City.
Each performance is composed with four Suites of Eros and starts with the most soft and sensual, ending with the most wild and explicit. The Infatuation Suite, Seduction Suite, Sweet Bliss, and the Raw Suite are the full spectrum of romantic and sexual love at UrbanErotika
UrbanErotika is perhaps one of New York’s most diverse artist showcases.
Over the years, the theater-styled performance series has manifested its eclectic intentions by featuring Puerto Rican tap dancers, Korean folk singers, West African dancers, Jewish musicians, South African singers, Caribbean poets and singers, as well as the tri-state area’s best known African American poets, dancers, and musicians.
National slam poets and Def Poetry Jam poets such as Post Midnight, Ainsley Burrows, Shawn Randall, Brother Earl, Tantra & Fisiwe, Butta Fly Soul, Sister Nzingha, Mahogany Browne, and others have performed at UrbanErotika.
There have also been special guest appearances by dancers from leading companies such as Jazz Ain’t Dead and Danse 4 Nia.The series’musical features have included Maritri, The SoulFolk Experience, Sabrina & Giorgio, Renee’ and The Derelicts, Shelton Garner, Shelley Nicole’s blaKüshe, Masauko Chipembere, Brilliant Coroners, Digital Gypsy, Silk $ Bills, and more
Sunday, 2/17:
- 11:00 am – Life On Four Strings - Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings is a compelling portrait of an inspiring and inventive musician whose virtuoso skills on the ukulele have transformed all previous notions of the instrument’s potential. Through intimate conversations with Shimabukuro (she-ma-BOO-koo-row), Life on Four Strings reveals the cultural and personal influences that have shaped the man and the musician. On the road from Los Angeles to New York to Japan, the film captures the solitary life on tour: the exhilaration of performance, the wonder of newfound fame, the loneliness of separation from home and family.
- 12:00 pm – Peace Process and Short Films from Katina Parker
The Truth and Hope Poverty Tour (29 minutes) - Produced by CashWorks HD Productions, cameras ride with the NCNAACP as it visits the poorest counties in North Carolina, listening to citizens and their stories of pain and struggle. Written and directed by Cash Michaels.“POGO JOE: FIGHTING THE GAME” (12 minutes) – Produced by Thunderball Films Ltd. and CashWorks HD Productions, this mini-doc traces the story of former NBA/ABA professional basketball player “Pogo” Joe Caldwell, and how he got kicked out of the game he loves because he refused to be treated like a slave. Written and directed by Cash Michaels. (12)
“CAROLYN COLEMAN: PORTRAIT OF A LEADER” (12 minutes) – Produced by CashWorks HD Productions, this tribute retraces the life and accomplishments of one of North Carolina’s finest civil rights leaders, and the challenges she faced. Written and directed by Cash Michaels.
- 1:00 pm – The Truth and Hope Poverty Tour; Pogo Joe: Fighting the Game; Carolyn Coleman: Portrait of a Leader
- 2:30 pm –Trigger Warning – Documentary – Trigger Warning is a socially aware documentary which explores the existence and subsequent consequences of rape jokes in the popular media. By encouraging individuals to sit down and discuss the matter in a group setting, Trigger Warning promotes a thoughtful environment wherein both the viewers and those within the film can intelligently consider and ultimately recognize the problem at hand.The filmmakers’ first and foremost mission is to promote awareness for this issue. The presence of rape jokes in the popular media is simply one aspect of a rape culture. We wish to get this film into as many outlets as possible in order to encourage healthy dialogues across the globe.
A rape culture is defined by a complex of beliefs that encourages male sexual aggression and supports violence against women. It is a society where violence is seen as sexy and sexuality as violent. (Transforming a Rape Culture)Trigger Warning enables a universal conversation about the issue that will hopefully allow others to consciously think about the messages they are fed through the media. With the help of others, we hope to reach many an audience with this film.
- 4:00 pm – Mr. Cao Goes to Washington (72 minutes) – What Happens when a naivete of a political rookie clashes with the realitries of racial and partisan politics of the South? Mr. Cao Goes To Washington Is A Fascinating character study of Congressman Joseph Cao, a Vietnamese American Republican elected by surprise in an African American Democratic district in New Orleans. Will Cao make it through his term with his idealism intact?
- 5:30 pm – Let Clay Be Clay - The mission of the film, LET CLAY BE CLAY is to give a voice to mothers of murdered children, combat juvenile crime and end the “stop snitching” code, which is destroying communities.When one Mother’s son, kills another Mother’s son, we all loose. When one Mother’s daughter, kills another Mother’s daughter we all loose. It should not take a racist act to call attention to what has been happening in the urban communities for the last 40 years, black on black crime!
- 7:30 pm – Awards Ceremony
- 9:00 pm – Closing Film: Starting at the Finish Line - His name is Al Buehler. Chances are you don’t know him. When you watch this film, you will wish you did, whether you care about track or field or not. Al Buehler has touched…and enriched…the lives of thousands of athletes including Olympians Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Carl Lewis, and Joan Benoit and Duke icons Grant Hill, Shane Battier, and Coach K. And the lives of thousands more who’ve never owned a pair of track shoes. Duke University is his home. His heart, his wisdom, his leadership, his strength made everyone…on or off campus… who met him feel at home. For 55 years, Al Buehler has inspired countless athletes and met enormous challenges — breaking new ground in race relations, women’s athletics and international sport. Now, Al Buehler faces his latest challenge — an inoperable benign brain tumor. “Starting at the Finish Line” – the story of Al Buehler, the leader, the inspiration, the man everyone who’s ever known him loves to call simply “Coach.”Except for the Opening Film which is Free, all Films are $7. Students are offered a discount at $5 with a student I.D.
