HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
URBANOLOGY
African American Women in Cinema
F
By: W.A.Rogers
or the past 22 years, the African American Women in Cinema (AAWIC) has provided continuous support for talented female filmmakers. The organization used founder Terra Renee’s strong background in filmmaking to provide a platform for support for the work of women in 1998. Before she founded AAWIC, Terra studied
filmmaking and film directing at the School of Visual Arts. After completing her studies at SVA, Ms. Renee associate produced several independent films including Island Alicia, a feature, which was the official selection at the Cannes Festival UN Certain Regard Category. The mission of AAWIC is to showcase experienced and novice filmmakers, directors, producers, screenwriters, and actors. The organization’s focus has always been to expand, explore and create business opportunities for minority female filmmakers within a male dominated industry. It has always been a goal of AAWIC to give artistic women an opportunity to showcase their talents
among their peers and established professionals. This year, the annual showcase film festival was challenged due to the closing of theaters because of COVID. Matt McCoy CEO of the Soul City Network offered to support AAWIC by making the film festival an on demand pay-perview special on the Soul City Network www.soulcity.me from August 16st to the 31st. The festival will become part of SCN’s marketing and promotional support for the virtual HARLEM WEEK/Harlem Music Festival from August 16th to August 23rd(www. harlemweek.com). SCN will continue the HMF celebration with four days of programming that will also acknowledge the
100th anniversary of the first Harlem Renaissance. A portion of the pay-perview special will provide each of the film makers a much-needed grant. A portion of the festival will also support the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce’s Support Harlem Now initiative. This GHCC initiative provides over 1,300 meals during the week to families in need. They also repair and purchase laptops or computers for public school children who have been challenged by the lack of equipment for distance learning. The selected films for the festival are: “Fixed” directed by Ashley Ellis, “Life’s Checklist” directed by Shayla Racquel, “Wom-
en Outside” directed by Yolanda Ross, “Window Dressing” directed by Stacey Larkina, “Breathless” directed by Analls Cisco, and “Unto Me” directed by Nancy Vuu. Each film can be viewed with a $10.00 donation (go to www.soulcity.me to select the film you would like to watch). If you visit the AAWIC website at www. aawic.org, you can learn more about the films and the directors. This is an excellent way to support the creative film makers and an especially important Harlem community service. You can get additional information about the GHCC Go Fund Me program at www.supportharlemnow.com SCN will broadcast a
national economic summit, a special Hottest Poets reunion, and a great deal of musical performances for the 24th to the 27th of August along with the AAWIC film festival. You will find a schedule of HW/HMF virtual events at the Harlem Week website and on the Soul City website. The AAWIC festival will be the first on demand pay-per-view program featured on the new SCN multimedia platform powered by Verizon. Not only will the new SCN platform provide a wonderful selection of entertaining, educational and informative programming but it will provide community-based organizations fund raising options during special SCN on demand programming.
Harlem Community Newspapers | August 20. 2020
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