BY THE PEOPLE THE ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA
NOVEMBER 2009
SEPTEMBER 23-27 | NYC | 2009
ESSENCE
Proud Supporter of the 13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival
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MAGAZINE
ONLINE
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Festival Sponsors & Media Partners
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Founder / Staff
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Festival Welcome
6
Presenting Sponsor Welcome
9
Schedule Of Events
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Venues Map
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Festival Panels
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Screenplay Readings
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UK In Focus Collaboration
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Special Screenings
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Narrative Features
35
Documentary Features
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Narrative Shorts
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Documentary Shorts
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Festival Jurors
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Screening Schedule
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Print Source Index
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Acknowledgements
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
PRESENTING SPONSOR
FOUNDING SPONSOR
MEDIA PARTNERS
BENEFACTOR SPONSORS
4 | FESTIVAL SPONSORS & MEDIA PARTNERS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
FOUNDER Stacy Spikes EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Gabrielle Glore FESTIVAL STAFF
Director Of Programming & Festival Producer
Panel & Jury Producer
Coordinating Producers
Director Of Live Screenplay Readings
Website Producer
Public Relations / Press
New York PR / Press
Registration Manager
Theater Managers
Production Team
Brittany Ballard Derrick Jones Samantha Debicki, Theresa O’Neal, Damien Smith Tracey Moore Paul Aftanas DVAPR – Ava DuVernay, Ellene Miles, Tilane Jones Theresa O’Neal Tanya Frazer Tereek Frazier & Jaime Siordia Ohene Cornelius, Jemmel McDufy, Trayd’on Turner
Script Readers
Chanelle Benz, Christine Chambers, Kelley Girod, Rehana Mizra, Nancy Vitale, & Kyle Wilamowski
Graphic Designer
Kodi Seaton, The Un Group
Website Consultant
Root & Madison
BET NETWORKS STAFF
EVP & Chief Marketing Officer
President of Programming
Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing
SVP, Executive Creative Director, Brand Strategy
Vice President, Off Channel Marketing & Promotions
Vice President, Creative Director
Public Relations / Press
Sr. Director, Strategic Planning & Analysis
Interactive Producer, BET Digital
Janet Rollé Loretha Jones Alvin Bowles Kendrick Reid Brucetta Williams Ola Kudu Tracy McGraw, Tricia Newell, Danielle Spigner Monique Ware Christine Chambers
The Urbanworld Film Festival extends a heartfelt thank you to its many volunteers.
Urbanworld Foundation, Inc. 375 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10013 212.941.3845 (T) www.urbanworld.org
FOUNDER / STAFF | 5
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER WELCOME
Welcome to the 13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival! It is such an honor for the Urbanworld team to deliver this experience each year in celebration of independent film. New York City has provided an amazing backdrop for convening unrivaled studio premieres, exceptionally talented filmmakers, committed industry veterans, and avid film enthusiasts who anticipate the unwavering programming quality on which Urbanworld has built its reputation. While Urbanworld serves as a platform to expose and elevate the filmmaking community, it is “powered by” two partners that share a common vision around encouraging the diverse portrayal of stories, characters, and cinematic style. Our presenting sponsor, BET Networks, returns and continues to illustrate their allegiance to independent film created by and about communities of color. In the beginning, there was HBO, our founding sponsor, who each year remains steadfast in their support of the festival and the filmmakers it impacts. BET Networks and HBO are cherished supporters and collaborators whose investments of money, executive resources, ideas, and inspiration all contribute to the immense success of Urbanworld. This year’s festival is situated in a time of transformation, as we undergo change in the film industry, in the finance and business sectors, and in politics. With this change comes the opportunity to recalibrate and innovate as content creators. We are particularly proud of our Official Selections for this year’s film slate, as it continues the Urbanworld tradition of presenting diversity and excellence in filmmaking. The uncompromising themes addressed, the complexities conveyed, and the brilliance manifested is a testament to how vital our community’s voice is to independent cinema. In addition to underscoring our tremendously talented roster of filmmakers, we are excited to also celebrate Director F. Gary Gray, who will receive a Career Achievement award for his industry accomplishments. With film classics including Friday, Set It Off, and The Italian Job, F. Gary Gray has consistently shared compelling content with his audiences and delivered commercially viable franchises to his distributors. He continues his acclaimed work with his newest film, Law Abiding Citizen, which kicks off Urbanworld on Opening Night. Other festival highlights include the Closing Night film, Mama I Want To Sing, inspired by the hit Off-Broadway play that left its indelible imprint worldwide; a conversation with independent film titan Bob Berney, whose unprecedented success with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Passion Of The Christ, and Pan’s Labyrinth created new industry case studies; and the inaugural “UK In Focus” series, executed in partnership with b3 Media, featuring artistic works from across the pond. Urbanworld continues to provide a critical “road map” for the filmmaking community through our lineup of industry panels and networking events. Urbanworld is made a reality not only by our corporate partners, but also by the immeasurable dedication of our fantastic staff and volunteers. Thank you to everyone who has shaped and supported this festival. Without your efforts, we would not continue to thrive as a grassroots movement that continues to make an impact. We wish all of our 2009 festival patrons an extraordinary Urbanworld experience!
Yours In Purpose & Possibility,
Gabrielle Glore Executive Producer 6 | FESTIVAL WELCOME
It’s your film,
and you want the best.
“
“
With the DGA in my corner, I don’t have to wrestle for my creative rights.
Darren Aronofsky directing Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
The Directors Guild of America is a powerful force that can help you realize your vision regardless of budget. Find out what the DGA is all about. Call: East Coast: (212) 581-0371 s 7EST #OAST (310) 289-2067 Taylor Hackford, President * Jay D. Roth, National Executive Director
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
PRESENTING SPONSOR WELCOME
Friends, We’re so excited to have you with us at the 13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival, presented by BET Networks. This is the second year we’ve been a part of this incredible event, and we’re looking forward to building on last year’s success and bringing you even more great entertainment. The Urbanworld Film Festival celebrates the works and achievements of our talented brothers and sisters in independent and mainstream media, and showcases their creativity and skills to the world. We applaud Urbanworld for supporting our rising filmmakers, and we’re so proud of the up-andcoming talent featured in this week’s events. All of the filmmakers have poured their hearts and souls into their projects, and thus have brought their best work to this year’s film festival. All of us are in for a big treat! Again, thank you so much for joining us – it’s wonderful to have your support. I’d also like to send a special thank you to everyone on the team who has worked so hard on this year’s event. Here’s to a fantastic festival!
Cheers,
Debra L. Lee Chairman & Chief Executive Officer BET Networks
PRESENTING SPONSOR WELCOME | 9
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September 2009 Dear Friends: It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Urbanworld Film Festival in New York City, the independent film capital of the world. The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting is committed to diversifying the City’s film and television industry so that it more accurately reflects our vibrant population. Recently, in collaboration with IFP, we launched the “Made in NY” Mentorship Program, which works toward building and strengthening the professional networks of diverse New Yorkers working below-the-line in entertainment through mentorship relationships, job placement, and monthly workshops. Created more than four decades ago, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting is the one-stop shop for all production needs in New York City. It’s never been easier to film in New York with the premier customer service provided by our agency, including free permits, locations, and police assistance. We also offer the “Made in NY” incentive program, which includes the “Made in NY” marketing credit, which provides free advertising for films and television shows that shoot here, and the “Made in NY” Discount Card Program, which offers discounts to productions at almost 900 local businesses. Our website - www.nyc.gov/film - contains a wealth of information about filming in the City. There you can download the required permit forms, learn more about the “Made in NY” incentive program, sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter, check out weekly listings on Reel Jobs, and view our Hot Shots Photo Library, a digital catalog that features City-owned properties around the five boroughs. I encourage you to contact my office at 311 or 212-NEW-YORK to find out just how easy it is to film in New York. Best wishes for a successful and enjoyable week,
Katherine Oliver Commissioner, Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
12:00pm - 5:00pm 7:30pm
Festival Registration.................................................................................. Hilton Times Square Hotel Opening Night Screening: LAW ABIDING CITIZEN.................................. AMC 34th Street Theater
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 10:00am - 5:00pm 10:00am – Midnight 11:00am – 12:30pm 3:30pm – 5:00pm 7:00pm 9:30pm
Festival Registration.................................................................................. Hilton Times Square Hotel Film Screenings.......................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater PANEL I...................................................................................................... Hilton Times Square Hotel Making Better Films: The 20 Things You Need To Know PANEL II..................................................................................................... Hilton Times Square Hotel I’ve Made My Film... Now What? Spotlight Screening................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Without Bias (Presented By ESPN Films) Spotlight Screening................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Shifty (UK In Focus Series)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 10:00am – 5:00pm 10:00am – Midnight 11:00am – 1:00pm 12:00pm – 1:00pm 1:00pm – 3:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 10:00pm
Festival Registration.................................................................................. Hilton Times Square Hotel Film Screenings.......................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Live Screenplay Readings.......................................................................... By Invitation Only PANEL III.................................................................................................... Hilton Times Square Hotel A Conversation With Bob Berney DGA Director’s Luncheon.......................................................................... By Invitation Only Spotlight Screening................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Pressure Cooker (Presented By BET Networks) Spotlight Screening................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Celebrity Habla (Presented By HBO) Spotlight Screening................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Skin Spotlight Screening................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Hush (UK In Focus Series)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 12:00pm – 5:00pm 10:00am – Midnight 5:30pm 8:00pm
Festival Registration.................................................................................. AMC 34th Street Theater Film Screenings.......................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Spotlight Screening................................................................................... AMC 34th Street Theater Good Hair Closing Night Film: Mama I Want To Sing (World Premiere)................... AMC 34th Street Theater
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
11:00am – 1:00pm
Awards Brunch Ceremony......................................................................... By Invitation Only
*SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
14 | SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
DIRECTIONS BY SUBWAY: AMC 34TH STREET THEATER A/C/E to 34th Street & 8th Avenue; 1/2/3 to 34th Street & 7th Avenue – walk West 1 block; B/D/F/N/Q/R/V/W to 34th Street & 6th Avenue – walk West 2 blocks. HILTON TIMES SQUARE HOTEL A/C/E to 42nd Street & 8th Avenue – walk East ½ block; 1/2/3 to 42nd Street & 7th Avenue – walk West ½ block; B/D/F/N/Q/R/V/W to 42nd Street & 6th Avenue – walk West 1 ½ block.
1 2
AMC 34th Street Theater 312 W. 34th Street (Between 8th & 9th Avenues)
Hilton Times Square Hotel
234 West 42nd Street (Between 7th & 8th Avenues)
VENUES MAP | 15
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
MAKING BETTER FILMS: WHAT ARE THE 20 THINGS I NEED TO KNOW? Thursday, September 24, 2009 11:00AM - 12:30PM | Hilton Times Square Hotel • Conference Center Floor Making a film is more than picking up a camera and capturing dialogue between characters. Every element must communicate the story the filmmaker intends to tell. Flaws in the lighting, sound, directing or acting often detract from the story and undermine a film’s potential for critical and/or commercial success. In your haste to get your project completed and seen, you may overlook one (or several) of these steps and bring all of your hard work to a screeching halt. This session will outline key areas that filmmakers should focus on to ensure the highest quality end product and success outcome with their project. Industry veterans will share insights to help better prepare filmmakers in the everchallenging industry and consumer marketplace. KEIJA MINOR Editor-In-Chief Uptown Magazine MODERATOR Keija Minor graduated from Howard University School of Law cum laude in 1999. Despite always harboring an interest in magazine publishing, she put that pursuit on the backburner, and upon graduation joined the New York office of Bryan Cave LLP, where she practiced corporate law for four years. In 2003, her passion for publishing was too great to ignore, so she quit her job to become an intern at the then-start-up (now defunct) magazine, Travel Savvy. Over the next two years, she worked her way up from intern to editor in chief. In 2005, she left the magazine to join Niche Media as managing editor of Aspen Peak and LA Confidential. In 2006, she became editor-in-chief of Niche Media’s flagship publication, Gotham magazine. In January of 2008, she joined Len Brunett and Brett Wright, to help expand and become editor-in-chief of Uptown, the premiere luxury lifestyle magazine for affluent AfricanAmericans.
MALCOLM LEE Filmmaker
Writer-director-producer Malcolm D. Lee has been working professionally in the industry since age 17 as a production assistant, apprentice film editor, casting associate, assistant director, and director’s assistant. After completing his undergraduate studies at Georgetown University in 1992 with a BA in English and Fine Arts minor, Lee accepted a year-long fellowship in screenwriting from Walt Disney Studios. Following his early Hollywood experience, he gained entry to New York University’s Tisch School Of The Arts, and honed his craft as a director and writer. Lee made his directorial debut with THE BEST MAN, distributed by Universal Pictures, which opened #1 at the box office and received rave reviews by critics and audiences alike. Lee’s subsequent films directed include UNDERCOVER BROTHER with Eddie Griffin, ROLL BOUNCE for Fox 2000 and Fox Searchlight, WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS with Martin Lawrence, and SOUL MEN with Samuel L. Jackson & Bernie Mac. Aside from directing commercials for various clients (Verizon, Toyota, and The US NAVY) and shooting episodes for Chris Rock’s EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS television series, Lee is currently writing and developing several feature screenplays.
16 | FESTIVAL PANELS
FRIDA TORRESBLANCO Filmmaker
At Lolafilms for 5 years, Frida was responsible for all international productions, including THE DANCER UPSTAIRS, directed by John Malkovich. In 2001, Frida moved to New York to head filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón’s newly established production company. She served as Executive Producer and creative on-set Producer for the film THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON, directed by Niels Mueller and starring Sean Penn. In 2005, as Head of Esperanto, she produced PAN’S LABYRINTH, directed by Guillermo del Toro, which won three Oscars at the 79th Academy Awards. Her latest project, RUDO Y CURSI, directed by Carlos Cuarón and starring Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, debuted at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and was subsequently released by Focus Features. In 2007, The Hollywood Reporter named Frida one of the 50 most powerful Latinos in Hollywood, and she was number 13 in the same magazine’s Hispanic Women Power 25 List.
JONATHAN HOCK Filmmaker
Born in New York in 1964, Jonathan Hock is an eight-time Emmy Award winning director, writer and editor. Among his previous feature-length documentary films, “Through the Fire” premiered at The Tribeca Film Festival in 2005, and went on to earn multiple Best Documentary Awards at festivals over the next year. “Through the Fire” received national theatrical distribution in 2006. Hock wrote and directed “The Streak” (2008), an original ESPN documentary. Other credits include “Michael Jordan To The Max” (2000), an IMAX film that Hock wrote and edited. Hock founded The Reel People Film Project, a film workshop for atrisk youth in New York. It was there in 1995 that Hock met a 15-year-old student from Brooklyn named Alastair Christopher. Christopher, now 29, was Hock’s DP on :Through the Fire”, “The Streak” and “The Lost Son of Havana”.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
I’ve Made My Film...Now What? Thursday, September 24, 2009 3:30PM – 5:00PM | Hilton Times Square Hotel • Conference Center Floor After many months of writing, re-writing, shooting and editing, your project is officially “in-the-can”. Now, you want people to see it. It’s time to develop your post-production strategy to secure distribution and marketing, and commence leveraging your relationships. Before outreach begins, you have to decide if the next step you take is to reach out to a sales agent, a festival programmer or acquisition executive. It’s a critical decision and should be planned carefully based on the film you’ve made, the project’s budget, and the anticipated commercial success. Seasoned industry players will address how filmmakers best approach these critical decisions at this important juncture in their film’s life cycle. KEIJA MINOR Editor-In-Chief Uptown Magazine MODERATOR Keija Minor graduated from Howard University School of Law cum laude in 1999. Despite always harboring an interest in magazine publishing, she put that pursuit on the backburner, and upon graduation joined the New York office of Bryan Cave LLP, where she practiced corporate law for four years. In 2003, her passion for publishing was too great to ignore, so she quit her job to become an intern at the then-start-up (now defunct) magazine, Travel Savvy. Over the next two years, she worked her way up from intern to editor in chief. In 2005, she left the magazine to join Niche Media as managing editor of Aspen Peak and LA Confidential. In 2006, she became editor-in-chief of Niche Media’s flagship publication, Gotham magazine. In January of 2008, she joined Len Brunett and Brett Wright, to help expand and become editor-in-chief of Uptown, the premiere luxury lifestyle magazine for affluent African-Americans. LISA DAVIS Partner Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, & Selz
Lisa E. Davis was recently again named a New York-area “Super Lawyer” in the field of entertainment and sports by Law and Politics magazine (2009), and recognized by The Network Journal as one of the “25 Influential Black Women in Business” (2007). Ms. Davis represents feature and documentary filmmakers. She has served as counsel on such documentary films as “The Black List,” “Jonestown”, “Beyond Beats and Rhymes” and “9/11,” as well as features such as “Blackout” and several classic Spike Lee films including “Malcolm X” and “Jungle Fever.” Ms. Davis is on the Board of Directors of The Council of Urban Professionals, and serves as a member of the New York City Bar, The National Bar Association (Member, Intellectual Property Section), and the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association.
ANDREW HERWITZ President The Film Sales Company
Andrew Herwitz is president of The Film Sales Company, the New York based domestic sales agent/producer’s representative. The Company specializes in securing domestic and international distribution for English and foreign language finished films, as well as financing for English language packaged projects. His recent completed fiction films sold include 2009 Sundance Film Festival premiere “Adam” (Fox Searchlight), 2007 Sundance Film Festival sensation “Waitress” (Fox Searchlight); “Serious Moonlight” starring Meg Ryan and Timothy Hutton (Magnolia); and “Kontroll” (ThinkFilm). Prior to establishing this company, Herwitz was at Miramax for six years where he served as co-head of the film acquisitions department. Before that, he practiced entertainment law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison in New York City. STACY SPIKES Founder / Chairman Emeritus Urbanworld Film Festival
Stacy Spikes is considered one of the pioneers of minorityfilmed entertainment, currently serving as Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Urbanworld Film Festival. Launched in August 1997 with 35 films, the URBANWORLD Film Festival has become the largest internationally competitive festival of its kind, redefining the role of multicultural constituents in contemporary cinema by implementing programs and events that support the development and success of the urban filmmaking community. Over the years, Spikes’ goal of showcasing and celebrating filmmakers of color has successfully created a bridge in Hollywood between studio fare and independent films.
FESTIVAL PANELS | 17
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Urban Content For The Global Market …. Who In The World Wants To See My Film? Friday, September 25, 2009 12PM - 1PM | Hilton Times Square Hotel • Conference Center Floor A Conversation With Bob Berney Today, there are more ways to distribute a film, as well as more domestic and international buyers than ever before. Not to mention, movies are increasingly generating incremental ancillary revenue from non-theatrical distribution outlets, including airlines, schools, libraries, hospitals, and the military, as well as via the Internet and emerging technology markets, such as mobile and wireless devices. With such a fragmented global audience, it is critical to understand with whom your story resonates and the platforms where they are most likely to spend their leisure time watching your project. This session will dissect the myths and opportunities existing for urban film across global territories, coupled with a dialogue about which distribution platforms are most viable and valuable for your project. BOB BERNEY Co-Founder Apparition FEATURED GUEST
Bob Berney has been a preeminent force in the film world for more than two decades having founded and run some of the most influential companies dedicated to releasing independent productions, including Picturehouse, Newmarket Films and IFC Films. The films he has shepherded include LA VIE EN ROSE, PAN’S LABYRINTH, A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, MONGOL, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, MONSTER, WHALE RIDER, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and MEMENTO.
STACY SPIKES Founder / Chairman Emeritus Urbanworld Film Festival INTERVIEWER
Stacy Spikes is considered one of the pioneers of minority-filmed entertainment, currently serving as Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Urbanworld Film Festival. Launched in August 1997 with 35 films, the URBANWORLD Film Festival has become the largest internationally competitive festival of its kind, redefining the role of multicultural constituents in contemporary cinema by implementing programs and events that support the development and success of the urban filmmaking community. Over the years, Spikes’ goal of showcasing and celebrating filmmakers of color has successfully created a bridge in Hollywood between studio fare and independent films.
FESTIVAL PANELS | 19
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
SCREENPLAY READINGS Friday, September 25, 2009 11:00AM - 1PM
The Urbanworld Film Festival will present the 5 finalists in the Screenplay Category to festival attendees in an intimate event, where their works will be performed live. Each finalist will stage a performance of their chosen screenplay scene, with actors breathing life into each selected work. 145th STREET
AMERICAN DREAM
FAR AWAY FROM HERE
ROME
WINTER
145th STREET is a tapestry of stories, the interplay of which evokes the rich texture of a Romare Bearden collage. Most prominent is the tempest brewing between Peaches, 14, and Big Joe, who plans to marry Peaches’ mother. The screenplay is based upon “145th Street,” a collection of short stories by Walter Dean Myers.
A man from Nigeria enters the world of real estate in search of the American Dream. He gets more than he bargained for when he cuts one too many corners on his way to the top. Suddenly, he finds himself in a race against time to save everything, including his life.
Set against the backdrop of the Philadelphia soul scene, FAR AWAY FROM HERE is a romantic drama about rising star lawyer Mason Alexander, and his struggling musician girlfriend Lia Springs. Their ten year relationship is put to the test when her new single becomes an overnight sensation.
Forced to take the reins of her household after the death of her mother, 19-year-old Reagan Holly is going through the trial of her life. In order to keep her family afloat she must overcome the past and learn to lean on the last person she ever considered: her father.
WINTER is the story of four friends who committed an unconscionable crime as children. They have forgotten all about their evil deed for nearly a decade until one of them remembers. As the memories become stronger, the ghosts of the past make visits that become increasingly frequent and increasingly violent.
OLUGBEMIGA IDOWU (GBENGA) is committed
An unabashed fan of the big screen, DAPO ADESHIYAN is thrilled that Urbanworld has put him another step closer to realizing his dream of making great movies. The Writer’s Boot Camp alum has had scripts honored in festivals on both coasts. Whether through drama or comedy, his goal remains the same: crafting deeply human characters that leap off of the screen. Next up: a cop thriller and a toe in the directing waters.
CARMEN SCOTT made the move from her small Ohio hometown to New York City to pursue screenwriting in 2003. She got her start as an intern at Spike Lee’s 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks and spent two years as a writer’s assistant at “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” Her award-winning short film PRODUCTION will also be featured at this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival. ROME was inspired by Carmen’s stint as a middle school teacher in the Mississippi Delta.
James Peoples moved to NYC from Tennessee in order to pursue screenwriting full time. He has been involved in the entertainment industry for the past four years, but only recently decided to step out on his own to write his own projects. WINTER is his most recent screenplay.
CHARLES BURNETT, a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, grew up in LA. He received a B.A. and a M.F.A. from UCLA’s Film Department. In the course of his career, he has worked as a director, producer, writer, cinematographer and editor. His body of work includes such award-winning independent feature films as KILLER OF SHEEP and TO SLEEP WITH ANGER, as well as movies for television (including SELMA, LORD, SELMA and NIGHTJOHN), documentaries and numerous short films.
to making creative films that explore social injustice and multi-cultural issues, ultimately seeking the underlying truths that connect us all as human beings. He won the Best Screenplay Award at the San Francisco Black Film Festival and at the Visions Film Festival. WINTER’S END, his most recent screenplay, received finalist awards at the London Independent Film Festival and the Ivy Film Festival.
TRACEY MOORE
Director Of Screenplay Readings Tracey Moore is a celebrated acting coach, director, author, and teacher. As a casting director, her credits include a number of feature films and commercials. Tracey teaches a monologue/scene study class called The Spirited Actor; private coaching clients include Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, Eve, Nelly, Russell Hornsby, Faith Evans, Q-Tip, Darius Rucker, and Ludacris. She recently published her first book, The Spirited Actor: Principles for a Successful Audition. Tracey is currently working on rewrites for her first feature film, titled THE DEPARTURE, which was sold to Morgan Spurlock (SUPER SIZE ME). www.thespiritedactor.com
20 | SCREENPLAY READINGS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Urbanworld is proud to announce the inaugural year of UK IN FOCUS, a new partnership between the Urbanworld Foundation and the UK’s B3 Media (www.b3media.net). B3 and Urbanworld share a commitment to strengthening the role of multicultural constituents in contemporary cinema. B3 nurtures emerging filmmakers (as well as digital, visual, and sound artists) by providing ongoing support for the development, production, and distribution of their work as well as by fostering relationships between emerging and established industry personnel. In collaboration with Urbanworld, B3 has selected five films to present at this year’s festival. B3 has supported and executive produced two of the short films, ENTER THE PREACHER and MANALI CREAM, since their inception. These two films are the product of B3’s highly successful Blank Slate digital shorts film scheme, a UK-wide program produced in partnership with the UK Film Council that targets the UK’s multi-ethnic filmmaking community. The UK IN FOCUS films’ fresh approaches to storytelling take the audience to unexpected places and embody key attributes of Urbanworld films. They depict a diverse spectrum of cultures, characters, and conflicts. While ostensibly ‘urban,’ they feature compelling stories that are enhanced, but not defined, by their cultural diversity.
UK IN FOCUS films presented at Urbanworld Film Festival 2009 are listed below. For additional information and screening times, please refer to the films’ individual listings in the narrative features and narrative shorts sections of the program guide. Narrative Features
HUSH
Directed by Mark Tonderai
Narrative Shorts
SHIFTY
Directed by Eran Creevy
ENTER THE PREACHER Directed by Paulette James
HAIR WE ARE Directed by Daniella Blechner
MANALI CREAM Directed by Navdeep Kandola
*A B3 Media/Blank Slate scheme film. UK In Focus Collaboration | 21
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
OPENING NIGHT FILM USA/2009/108min/HDCAM/Color DIRECTOR: F. Gary Gray WRITER: Kurt Wimmer PRODUCERS: Lucas Foster, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Mark Gill, Kurt Wimmer & Robert Katz CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jonathan Sela FEATURING: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler & Viola Davis
Wednesday, Sept 23, 7:30pm AMC 34th St. Theater 9
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Nick offers one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast forward ten years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: Either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die. F. GARY GRAY is recognized as one of Hollywood’s most versatile directors, known for consistently pushing the envelope, spotting new trends and delivering innovative, exciting material to a diverse audience. With dynamic visuals and storytelling flair, he continues to showcase his passion for film with each new project. His film credits include the smash hit FRIDAY, the award-winning SET IT OFF, THE NEGOTIATOR and THE ITALIAN JOB, which grossed more than $175 million worldwide.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS | 23
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2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/53min/Color DIRECTOR: Alberto Ferreras PRODUCER: Trina Bardusco CINEMATOGRAPHER: Henry Adebonojo
Friday, Sept 25, 7pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9
CELEBRITY HABLA CELEBRITY HABLA, the 6th installment of the popular HBO Latino series, puts the faces and voices of U.S. Latinos on the screen like never before. CELEBRITY HABLA features prominent Latinos from television and film, fashion, business and more! Hear their funny, poignant and truthful stories about being Latino in the U.S. Alberto Ferreras is a New York City-based writer, filmmaker and performance artist. He created the critically acclaimed HABLA series for HBO, and his independent film work has been presented all over the world, including the prestigious Berlin Film Festival. As a performance artist he is known for playing “Doctor Truth,” a character who makes himself available in public spaces to answer any question with complete honesty. He recently published his first novel, B as in Beauty, for Grand Central Publishing.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS | 25
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2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/95min/Color DIRECTOR: Jeff Stilson WRITERS: Chris Rock, Jeff Stilson, Lance Crouther & Chuck Sklar PRODUCERS: Nelson George, Chris Rock & Kevin O’Donnell FEATURING: Chris Rock
Saturday, Sept 26, 5:30pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9
GOOD HAIR GOOD HAIR visits beauty salons, hairstyling battles, scientific laboratories and Indian temples to explore the way hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of the black community. Chris Rock’s raucous adventure was prompted by his daughter’s approaching him to ask: “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” Haircare professionals, beauty shop and barbershop patrons, and celebrities – including Ice-T, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Dr. Maya Angelou, Salt n Pepa, Eve and Reverend Al Sharpton – candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock as he searches for an answer to his daughter’s question. JEFF STILSON has received 14 Emmy nominations for comedy writing and producing on “Late Show With David Letterman,” “TV Nation,” “Politically Incorrect,” “The Chris Rock Show,” “The Osbournes,” and “Da Ali G Show.” He won Emmys in 1999 and 2002 for his work on “The Chris Rock Show” and “The Osbournes.” Besides having his own comedy specials on HBO and Comedy Central, Stilson has made regular appearances on Letterman, Conan, and Leno.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS | 27
“BLACK ENTERPRISE showed me how to build a brand by satisfying a gap in the market. Our features in the ‘Best of Everthing’ issue, and on the B.E. Business Report gave my company national exposure. In addition, granting me the opportunity to speak at the Entrepreneurs Conference was a blessing. BLACK ENTERPRISE is truly a part of the Samanta Shoes family!� SAMANTA JOSEPH DESIGNER & CEO SAMANTA SHOES BRONX, NY
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PUBLISHING INTERACTIVE
BROADCAST
EVENTS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
U.S. Premiere UK/2009/88min/35mm/Color DIRECTOR: Mark Tonderai WRITER: Mark Tonderai PRODUCERS: Zoe Stewart, Robin Gutch & Mark Herbert CINEMATOGRAPHER: Philipp Blaubach FEATURING: William Ash, Christine Bottomley & Andreas Wisniewski Friday, Sept 25, 10pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 10:30pm AMC 34th Street Theater 12
HUSH Tired and irritable, Zakes and Beth drive home along the M1, a familiar journey full of harshly lit service stations and bad coffee. When a white truck narrowly avoids hitting them, its back doors open to reveal a terrified, screaming woman caged up inside. Unsure if what he has seen is real, Zakes calls the police but drives on. Beth is furious that he hasn’t done more to help and at the next petrol station, she storms off. When she doesn’t return, Zakes slowly realizes that she, too, has been snatched by the white truck driver. He is forced to play a vicious game of cat-and-mouse with a ruthless killer who has terrifying plans for his human cargo. In 1999, MARK TONDERAI wrote, directed and starred in the BBC 2 sketch show UNCUT FUNK. This led to acting roles in BAFTA-nominated short CANDY BAR KID and Shekhar Kapur’s THE FOUR FEATHERS. In 2001, Mark wrote and starred in DOG EAT DOG, financed by Film Four. HUSH represents his directorial deut. Mark is currently working on the vampire film 10 HOURS FROM LIGHT (Lionsgate), the thriller THE TWELFTH PROPHET (Pathe Productions) and period drama STANCE (Nick Weschler Productions).
SPECIAL SCREENINGS | 29
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2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2008/99min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTORS: Jennifer Grausman & Mark Becker PRODUCER: Jennifer Grausman CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Marck Becker, Leigh Lacobucci & Justin Schein FEATURING: Wilma Stephenson, Fatoumata Dembele, Tyree Dudley & Erica Gaither Friday, Sept 25, 6:00pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9
PRESSURE COOKER PRESSURE COOKER profiles the lives of three high school seniors from Northeast Philadelphia, each with unique hardships but with the shared goal of winning scholarships to the country’s best culinary schools. Their unlikely hero is the irreverent culinary arts teacher, Mrs. Stephenson, whose teaching style is hilariously blunt. Mrs. Stephenson is both a surrogate mother and a culinary boot-camp instructor, as she pushes her kids to achieve beyond what anyone else expects from them. Before PRESSURE COOKER, JENNIFER GRAUSMAN produced six short films, including DEAR LEMON LIMA and SOLIDARITY, and was the production supervisor on the independent feature THE KILLING FLOOR. A graduate of the MFA film program at Columbia University, Jennifer recently co-produced the narrative feature THREE BACKYARDS. MARK BECKER produces, directs, shoots and edits documentaries in New York. As a filmmaker, Becker made ROMANTICO, which received two Independent Spirit Award nominations. Becker was co-editor of LOST BOYS OF SUDAN, winner of an Independent Spirit Award. He earned a Masters Degree from Stanford University’s Documentary Program.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS | 31
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
CLOSING NIGHT FILM WORLD Premiere USA/2009/120min/HDCAM/Color DIRECTOR: Charles Randolph-Wright EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Vy Higginsen PRODUCERS: Jeff Clanagan, Holly Davis Carter & Marvet Britto CINEMATOGRAPHER: Keith Smith FEATURING: Ciara Harris, Lynn Whitfield, Patti LaBelle, Juanita Bynum, Hill Harper, Billy Zane & Ben Vereen
Saturday, Sept 26, 8pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9
Mama, I Want to Sing! Raised in the church, Amara Winter is on the cusp of stardom. After her father’s untimely death, her mother steps into the role of preacher, which thrusts her into the limelight of the church-going community and catapults her to the top of a gospel TV evangelical network. Paralleling her mother’s success, Amara navigates the often treacherous world of celebrity while striving to remain true to herself and family. When tragedy unexpectedly strikes again, the two women work through their differences and grief, realizing that their journeys are not quite so different after all. CHARLES RANDOLPH-WRIGHT has built a dynamic and diversified career in directing, writing, and producing. As the writer and director of the film MAMA, I WANT TO SING!, he adds to the long list of already exceptional work he has created for film, tv and theatre. Probably best known for his award winning directorial film hit PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, Charles has also written and directed for Showtime and HBO, Walt Disney Pictures and many others.
32 | SPECIAL SCREENINGS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
UK/South Africa/107min/35mm/Color DIRECTOR: Anthony Fabian WRITERS: Helen Crawley, Jessie Keyt & Helena Kriel PRODUCERS: Anthony Fabian, Genevieve Hofmeyr & Margaret Matheson CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Dewald Aukema & Jonathan Partridge FEATURING: Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill & Alice Krige
Friday, Sept 25, 8pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11
SKIN Ten-year-old Sandra is distinctly African looking. Her parents are white Afrikaners and have lovingly brought her up as their ‘white’ little girl. When she is 17, Sandra defies her father and elopes to Swaziland with Petrus, a local black man. Now she must live her life, for the first time, as a black woman in South Africa — with no running water, no sanitation, and little income. Although she feels more at home in this community, she desperately misses her parents. As the years pass, the possibility of reunion appears increasingly remote. But Sandra carries her father’s advice with her wherever she goes: ‘Never give up!’ ANTHONY FABIAN has produced and directed five short films, four hour-long documentaries and over a dozen classical music programmes through his company, Elysian Films. A graduate of UCLA’s Film and Television School, Anthony worked as an opera director for a number of years. His award-winning 35 mm short JEAN was screened at over thirty festivals around the world. His most recent documentary, EMBRACING THE TIGER, charts the history, philosophy, and practice of tai chi.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS | 33
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/95min/Color DIRECTOR: Kirk Fraser WRITER: Kirk Fraser PRODUCERS: Sammy Steward, Kali McIver, Sam Bardley & Gregory Stewart EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Kirk Fraser, James Bias & Lonise Bias CINEMATOGRAPHER: Kirk Fraser
Thursday, Sept 24, 7pm AMC 34th St. Theater 9
WITHOUT BIAS From legend to tragedy. The name of former University of Maryland basketball superstar and Boston Celtics draft pick Len Bias still provokes powerful and visceral responses more than 20 years after his death. WITHOUT BIAS chronicles how one man’s meteoric rise to fame was derailed by a fatal decision that still reverberates throughout the sports world and the criminal justice system. Director, screenwriter and producer KIRK FRASER is a rising talent who independently released his first award-winning documentary, The Life of Rayful Edmond (2005) to high acclaim. His television credits include Against All Odds (2006), Lil’ Kim: Countdown to Lockdown (2006), American Gangster (2007) and Party Boyz (2009). In 2009, Fraser’s documentary film LEN BIAS (aka WITHOUT BIAS) won the coveted Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 13th Annual American Black Film Festival.
34 | SPECIAL SCREENINGS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
NEW YORK Premiere USA/2008/114min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Ryan Miningham WRITER: Don Wallace PRODUCERS: Don Wallace, Jamie Guest, Sid Sham, Ryan Miningham & Shannon Riggs CINEMATOGRAPHER: James Mann FEATURING: Don Wallace, Keith David, Henry Sanders, Daya Vaidya & Charles Malik Whitfield Thursday, Sept 24, 2:45pm AMC 34th St. Theater 9 Friday, Sept 25, 3:15pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11
BLUE Gary ‘Blue’ Meekins, a prize fighter from NYC’s Harlem, weathered the storm of the streets and put his past behind him. While keeping his eye on the prize, the middle weight championship of the world, he and his long-time trainer China Banks go through a series of emotional obstacles. As fate would have it, Blue finds unlikely love during the course of his journey with his neighbor Carmen Vasquez. Just when everything seems so right, life can go so wrong. The strength of a man is not when he stands tall on his feet, but when he is on his knees... RYAN MININGHAM attended film school at Temple University. After graduation, Ryan moved to Los Angeles, where he performed stunt work in the films Planet of the Apes and Men in Black 2, booked his first commercial for ESPN, and participated in The Groundlings. Ryan’s first screenplay, KNUCKLE SANDWICH, was made into a film that won the Best Picture award at Tupelo Film Festival (2007) and was distributed by Westlake Entertainment. His second feature, BLUE, was completed in 2008.
NARRATIVE FEATURES | 35
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/105min/35mm/Color DIRECTOR: Cruz Angeles WRITERS: Cruz Angeles, Maria Topete PRODUCERS: Maria Topete, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen & James Lawler EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Virgil Price, Ian McGloin, Jamie Mai & Charley Ledley CINEMATOGRAPHER: Chad Davidson FEATURING: E.J. Bonilla, Gleendilys Inoa, Gina Torres, Ricardo Antonio Chavira, Yareli Arizmendi, Damián Alcázar, Raúl Castillo & Adrian Martinez Thursday, Sept 24, 4:30pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11 Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theater 11
DON’T LET ME DROWN Lalo and Stefanie are Brooklyn high schoolers. Lalo comes from a Mexican immigrant family. His father, formerly a World Trade Center janitor, now works at Ground Zero cleaning up debris while his mother tries to make ends meet. Stefanie’s Dominican family has just relocated from Manhattan to Brooklyn after her sister’s death in the attacks. While her mother tries to hold the family together, her father is overwhelmed by the loss and cannot control his anger. Exactly one month after the WTC attacks, Lalo and Stefanie meet at a birthday party. Despite a bumpy start, their budding friendship evolves into a clandestine romance. Brooklyn-based filmmaker CRUZ ANGELES makes his feature film directorial debut with DON’T LET ME DROWN. He participated as a directing and writing fellow at the 2005 Sundance Institute Filmmaker’s Lab. He is also an Annenberg Film Fellow and a recipient of the 2006 NHK/Sundance International Filmmakers Award. An alumnus of NYU’s graduate film program, Cruz garnered various awards for his student short films, including a Director’s Guild of America Award.
36 | NARRATIVE FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
NEW YORK Premiere USA/2009/90minColor DIRECTOR: Edgar P. Davis WRITER: Edgar P. Davis PRODUCER: Edgar P. Davis EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Tanika Brown McKelvy CO-PRODUCERS: Tasia Sherel CINEMATOGRAPHER: Khamisi Norwood FEATURING: Dde Dionne Gipson, Alem Brhan Sapp, Antonio Ramirez, Tasia Sherel, Tanika Brown Mckelvy & Melissa D. Madison Thursday, Sept 24, 10:45pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9 Friday, Sept 25, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY A young actress kills her would-be date rapist and it’s up to the neighbors in her apartment building to protect her by any means necessary. EDGAR PATTERSON DAVIS earned his MFA in Film from Howard University, where he studied with mentor and friend Haile Gerima and served on faculty as Assistant Professor for seven years. Before leaving D.C., Davis completed two award winning short films: A JURY OF HER PEERS and B-MOVIE. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Davis has worked as Post Production Supervisor on the UPN sitcom ONE ON ONE and on Showtime’s WEEDS. Davis is now Project Manager for LaserPacific Media.
NARRATIVE FEATURES | 37
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
WORLD Premiere USA/2009/95min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Peter Spirer WRITER: Iain Kennedy PRODUCERS: Eric Tomosunas & Peter Spirer CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jeff Bolman FEATURING: Wood Harris, Jamie Hector, Ja Rule, Clifton Powell,Big Daddy Kane, Lil Scrappy, Trick Daddy, Petey Pablo, Esther Baxter, Inny Clemmons & Young Dre Thursday, Sept 24, 7pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11 Friday, Sept 25, 12:45pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11
JUST ANOTHER DAY JUST ANOTHER DAY follows a day in the life of two men living at either end of the music game. A successful rapper, A-Maze, is dealing with the pitfalls and trappings of his success and facing new challenges in the music business to get a check while the other, Young Eastie, is a young man struggling in a harsh world that is threatening to destroy him. PETER SPIRER’s credits include: NOTORIOUS B.I.G.: BIGGER THAN LIFE, RHYME & REASON, BLACK & BLUE: LEGENDS OF THE HIP HOP COP, BEEF I-III, THE ART OF 16 BARS, THE MC: WHY WE DO IT, THUG ANGEL, DUNSMORE AND BLOOD TIES: THE LIFE & WORK OF SALLY MANN. Nominated for an Academy Award® and an Emmy Award®, his films were official selections of the Sundance Film Festival in 1994 and 2000.
38 | NARRATIVE FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/120min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Tina Mabry WRITER: Tina Mabry PRODUCER: Morgan R. Stiff CINEMATOGRAPHER: Bradford Young FEATURING: Adam Clark, Malcolm Goodwin, Chasity Hammitte, Michael Hyatt, Malcolm David Kelley, Kylee Russell, Tonea Stewart, Jossie Harris Thacker, Tessa Thompson, Simbi Kali Williams & D.B. Woodside Friday, Sept 25, 12:30pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 5:45pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11
MISSISSIPPI DAMNED What’s swept under the rug rarely stays hidden. Taking place in 1986 and 1998 and based on a true story, three poor, black kids in rural Mississippi suffer the consequences of their family’s cycle of abuse, addiction, and violence. They independently struggle to escape their circumstances and must decide whether to confront what has plagued their family for generations or succumb to the same crippling fate, forever damned in Mississippi. Mississippi native TINA MABRY received her MFA from USC. Her award-winning short BROOKLYN’S BRIDGE TO JORDAN was accepted into over fifty film festivals and aired on Showtime and BET J. Tina co-wrote the screenplay ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival (2007). In 2008, Tina participated in the FIND Director’s Lab and was awarded the Kodak Film Grant. She was named among the 25 New Faces of Independent Film in Filmmaker Magazine (2009).
NARRATIVE FEATURES | 39
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Bahamas/2008/93min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Maria Govan WRITER: Maria Govan PRODUCERS: Maria Govan, Molly Mayeux, Francis Kuzler, Nathaniel Kohn & Pamela Kohn CINEMATOGRAPHER: Martina Radwan FEATURING: Renel Brown, Nicki Micheaux, Irma P. Hall & CCH Pounder Thursday, Sept 24, 10am AMC 34th Street Theater 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 8:30pm AMC 34th Street Theater 11
RAIN After the death of her grandmother, fourteen-year-old Rain forgoes the sheltered, simple life of her home on Ragged Island in the Bahamas to seek out her estranged mother in the big city of Nassau. Her dreams of a loving reconciliation are quickly shattered when she meets Glory, a scarred, proud, and guarded woman. Glory’s self-destructive lifestyle, characterized by drug abuse and prostitution, prevents her from being the mother Rain seeks. But Rain finds two new allies: an inspiring track coach and a charming, rebellious teenage neighbor. And in time, Rain’s spirit and talent for running take her to unimaginable heights. As a woman of Greek, Scottish and Bahamian descent, MARIA GOVAN’s creative voice is deeply rooted in a dialogue with her home, the Bahamas. Her first film, JUNKANOO: THE HEARTBEAT OF A PEOPLE, celebrates the spiritual and creative life force of Bahamian culture. Her film WHERE I’M FROM: HIV AND AIDS IN THE BAHAMAS, was an official selection at the Bahamas International Film Festival. RAIN is Maria’s debut narrative feature film.
40 | NARRATIVE FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/94min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Cesar De Leon PRODUCER: Cesar De Leon EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Kristina Koscal CINEMATOGRAPHER: Sibte Hassan FEATURING: Cesar De Leon, Casandra Escobar, Melina Lizette & Reymond Wittmann Friday, Sept 25, 5:30pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12 Saturday, Sept 26, 10am AMC 34th St. Theater 11
SALUD SALUD examines the relationship between an alcoholic womanizer named Carlos and his young son Junito. Carlos finds himself seven years too late in his attempts to reunite with Junito’s mother, Mimi, who divorced the young father for being unfaithful. When depression and disillusionment overtake him, he descends into a hazy spiral of booze addiction. Eight-year-old Junito’s refusal to lose his father to the bottle leads both father and son to discover the true and sometimes painful meaning of unconditional love. CESAR DE LEON was born and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn – the backdrop of his film. De Leon began his career as a film, television, and commercial actor. In 2005, he wrote, directed and starred in the short film JUNITO, which was subsequently awarded “Best Short” at the 2006 Rome Film Festival and “Best Shorty” at the NY International Latino Film Festival. SALUD is the feature-length extension of JUNITO and won “Best Feature Screenplay” at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.
NARRATIVE FEATURES | 41
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
u.s. Premiere UK/2008/86min/35mm/Color DIRECTOR: Eran Creevy WRITER: Eran Creevy PRODUCERS: Ben Pugh & Rory Aitken CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ed Wild FEATURING: Iz Ahmed & Daniel Mays Thursday, Sept 24, 9:30pm AMC 34th St. Theater 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 10:30pm AMC 34th St. Theater 11
SHIFTY Four years after leaving his childhood home, Chris returns to catch up with his old buddy Shifty. Since his departure, Chris has settled into responsible adult life and is shocked to discover that Shifty has started dealing hard drugs. They spend the next 24 hours together, with Chris watching Shifty as he deals to an array of desperate customers from the community. Along the way, they are forced to confront the ghosts of the past that drove Chris away and the dangerous present that Shifty inhabits. Chris is once again given an opportunity to prove his loyalty to Shifty by saving Shifty from himself. ERAN CREEVY began his film career as a post-production runner, working his way up to assistant director roles on a variety of features. His credits include LAYER CAKE, SCOOP, LIFE AND LYRICS and WIMBLEDON. His directing career began on pop promos for Ashley Walters, Ministry of Sound, and the Audio Bullies before graduating onto commercials. Most recently, Eran helmed a four commercial European campaign for Nike Plus.
42 | NARRATIVE FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
NEW YORK Premiere USA/2009/104min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Emily Abt WRITER: Emily Abt PRODUCERS: Emily Abt & Susan Leber EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sarah Peter CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alan Jacobsen FEATURING: Louisa Krause, Sonequa Martin, Gaius Charles, Leslie Uggams, Silvestre Rasuk & Ally Walker
Saturday, Sept 26, 7:45pm AMC 34th Street Theater 12
TOE TO TOE A story of the friendship and rivalry between lacrosse mates Tosha and Jesse, two senior girls at a competitive Washington, D.C. prep school. Tosha is an African American scholarship student from Anacostia, one of Washington`s poorest areas, while Jesse is a troubled and promiscuous white girl from the ritzy suburbs of Maryland. The two forge a close and genuine bond on the field, but their friendship unravels as they navigate through race and class-related obstacles. When Jesse and Tosha discover that they’ve both been dating the same boy, the conflict becomes explosive. Recently selected as one of Variety Magazine’s “Top 10 Directors to Watch,” EMILY ABT is an award-winning fiction and documentary filmmaker. She is the founder of Pureland Pictures Inc. In 2004, Abt received her MFA in Film Directing from Columbia University. Her documentary feature ALL OF US premiered on the Showtime Network in 2008. TOE TO TOE premiered in the Dramatic Competition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and will be released by Strand and Regent this winter.
NARRATIVE FEATURES | 43
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Chile/2008 /105 min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Alicia Scherson WRITER: Alicia Scherson PRODUCERS: Alicia Scherson & Macarena López CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ricardo De Angelis FEATURING: Aline Kuppenheim, Diego Noguera, Marcelo Alonso, Viviana Herrera, Sofia Geldrez & Pablo Ausesi
Thursday, Sept 24, 2:30pm AMC 34th St. Theater 11
TURISTAS Cara hesitates. She is 37, married, possibly pregnant and supposed to be happy as she travels alongside her husband, a jet ski hooked to the back of their car. Perhaps she’d prefer to be hitchhiking with a random Norwegian backpacker, en route to a beautiful national park where they can stroll among tall trees and talk about birds and old pop songs with a park ranger. Yes, maybe that would be better. ALICIA SCHERSON was born in Santiago, Chile. She studied filmmaking in the Escuela de Cine de Cuba, EICTV and received her MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her first feature film, PLAY, received the Best Director Award at Tribeca Film Festival (2005) and fourteen other awards internationally. TURISTAS premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival 2009 and is currently touring festivals worldwide. Alicia’s latest project, THE FUTURE, is based on the novel by Roberto Bolaño.
44 | NARRATIVE FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/91min/Color DIRECTOR: Topaz Adizes PRODUCERS: Corinne Golden Weber & Topaz Adizes CINEMATOGRAPHER: Topaz Adizes Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th St. Theater 12 Saturday, Sept 26, 5:45pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12
AMERICANA AMERICANA explores American identity at home and abroad by juxtaposing the personal stories of Americans overseas and those of two teenagers in their last three months of high school before their U.S. Army enlistment. TOPAZ ADIZES has traveled to over 40 countries. He is fluent in English, Hebrew, Spanish and Swedish. Presently he has two films touring the festival circuit, AMERICANA (Cinema Du Reel, Morelia Int. FF) and TRECE Aﾃ前S (Sundance Film Festival, Aspen Shorts Fest, LA Film Festival). He is currently finishing his fourth feature script LOOK FOR THE LIGHT, and is pre-producing his next feature to be shot in the winter in Argentina.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 45
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2007/72min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Rachel Goslins PRODUCERS: Rachel Goslins CINEMATOGRAPHER: Caryn Waechter
Saturday, Sept 26, 10am AMC 34th St. Theater 9
‘BAMA GIRL ‘BAMA GIRL follows a black woman’s quest to become the 2005 Homecoming Queen at the University of Alabama, one of the great Deep South institutions. Homecoming has a rich history there, tied into centuries of privilege, old money, and racial exclusivity. We follow Jessica Thomas’ campaign for Queen, running against not only 15 other co-eds, but a strictly segregated Greek system, internal black politics, and, most ominously, a secret all-white association called ‘The Machine’ that has been controlling politics at the University for most of the past century. RACHEL GOSLINS is a documentary director and producer who has worked on productions for National Geographic, Discovery, PBS, A&E and the History Channel, among others. Her short film, ONDERDUIKEN, was acquired for incorporation into standardized civil rights curriculum for Northern California high schools. A former international copyright attorney, she is currently directing a feature documentary on Muslims who saved Jews from the Holocaust and serving as the Programming Coordinator for the Impact Film Festival.
46 | DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Myanmar/2008/84min/Color DIRECTOR: Anders Østergaard WRITERS: Anders Østergaard & Jan Krogsgaard PRODUCER: Lise-Lense Møller CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Simon Plum & The Burmese VJs
Thursday, Sept 24, 5:15pm AMC 34th St. Theater 9
BURMA VJ Anders Østergaard’s award-winning documentary offers a rare inside look into the 2007 uprising in Myanmar. While 100,000 people took to the streets to protest the country’s repressive regime, foreign news crews were banned and Internet access was shut down. The Democratic Voice of Burma, a collective of approximately 30 anonymous video journalists (VJs), recorded these events on handycams. They smuggled the footage out of the country, and it was broadcast worldwide via satellite. Risking torture and life imprisonment, the VJs document protestors’ brutal clashes with the military and undercover police – even as they themselves become targets. ANDERS ØSTERGAARD graduated from the Danish School of Journalism in 1991. Mixing documentary footage with staged shots has been a hallmark of Østergaard’s films. Awarded Best Documentary at Odense International Film Festival (1999) for THE MAGUS. Was writer-director on the internationally acclaimed TINTIN ET MOI (2003); made his first big impression on Danish cinemagoers in 2006 with a documentary about the rock band Gasolin. In 2008, Burma VJ was selected for Joris Ivens Competition and Movies That Matter, IDFA, Amsterdam.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 47
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2008/93min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Stacy Peralta WRITERS: Stacy Peralta & Sam George PRODUCERS: Baron Davis, Shaun Murphy, Cash Warren, Gus Roxburgh & Dan Halstead
Friday, Sept 25, 10pm AMC 34th Street Theater 12
CRIPS AND BLOODS: MADE IN AMERICA Directed by critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Stacy Peralta, CRIPS AND BLOODS: MADE IN AMERICA tells the story of the Crips and Bloods, South Los Angeles’ two most infamous African-American gangs. Combining unprecedented access into the worlds of active gangs, CRIPS AND BLOODS: MADE IN AMERICA offers a compelling, character-driven documentary narrative which chronicles the decades-long cycle of destruction and despair that defines modern gang culture. STACY PERALTA is a world champion athlete, director, writer and producer in video, television and feature documentary. His laurels include both a World Skateboard Championship and a Director’s Award at the Sundance Film Festival. His stilllingering love of the board manifested itself in the film Dogtown and Z-BoYS, a documentary film about the legendary skateboard team known as the Z-Boys, and Riding Giants, a 2004 documentary of the history of modern big wave surfing and tow-in surfing.
48 | DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Liberia/USA/2009/86min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Dee Rees PRODUCERS: Dee Rees & Nekisa Cooper EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Lynne Kirby & Ari Mark CINEMATOGRAPHER: Bradford Young Thursday, Sept 24, 2:15pm AMC 34th Street Theater 12 Saturday, Sept 26, 3:45pm AMC 34th Street Theater 12
EVENTUAL SALVATION This personal story of hope and redemption takes us from Jim Crow America to Liberia and back. Having barely escaped from Monrovia, Liberia with her life over a decade ago, the filmmaker’s American-born 80-year-old grandmother Amma returns to rebuild her home and community after the devastating Liberian civil war. EVENTUAL SALVATION is the story of Amma’s journey to help rebuild the country that gave her a second chance. Through Amma, we meet her circle of friends and walk with them as they search for personal salvation while Liberia itself struggles for deliverance from ten tumultuous years of civil war. Award-winning writer/director DEE REES is an alumna of New York University’s graduate film program and a Rockefeller Grant Recipient. She has written and directed several short films, including PARIAH, which has screened at over 40 festivals, including the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, and received 25 “Best Short” awards, including the Audience Award at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival. Dee was listed as one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film” for 2008.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 49
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/105min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Jonathan Hock WRITER: Jonathan Hock PRODUCER: Kris Meyer EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alastair Christopher FEATURING: Luis Tiant
Saturday, Sept 26, 3:30pm AMC 34th St. Theater 9
THE LOST SON OF HAVANA The Havana sun casts a golden, late afternoon light. The camera pulls back and reveals the silhouette of a man, rounded by age and good living, puffing on a cigar. Nothing about him would make you think that he was once one of the most beloved athletes in his adopted country, America, nor that he is the son of a mythical athlete-hero of his native country. At the age of 67, Luis Tiant has come back to Cuba, the island he had left at age 20 for a trip he thought would last a month and became nearly a half-century. But is this still home? JONATHAN HOCK is an eight-time Emmy Award winning director, writer and editor. His documentary feature THROUGH THE FIRE premiered at Tribeca in 2005, earned multiple Best Documentary Awards at festivals over the next year, and received national theatrical distribution in 2006. Hock wrote and directed THE STREAK (2008), an original ESPN documentary. Hock founded The Reel People Film Project, a film workshop for at-risk youth in New York.
50 | DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
West Africa/2009/62min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTORS: Barbara Attie & Janet Goldwater PRODUCERS: Barbara Attie & Janet Goldwater CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Brownscombe Thursday, Sept 24, 10am AMC 34th St. Theater 12 Friday, Sept 24, 1:15pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12
MRS. GOUNDO’S DAUGHTER MRS. GOUNDO’S DAUGHTER is the story of a West African mother’s fight for asylum in the U.S. to protect her two-year old daughter from female genital cutting. Shot in Philadelphia and Mali, the film explores the African tradition of female genital cutting, which dates back thousands of years, as well as the intricacies and frustrations of the asylum process. BARBARA ATTIE and JANET GOLDWATER have worked collaboratively since 1990, making widely acclaimed documentaries that have been broadcast nationally and internationally. In 2005 they were awarded the prestigious Pew Fellowship in the Arts. Their collaboration ROSITA (2005), was broadcast in Latin America on HBO/Cinemax as well as in Europe and Asia. ROSITA was selected to screen at INPUT 2007 and has been shown at film festivals worldwide, including the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival and Silverdocs. Attie and Goldwater’s 2002 ITVS production, MAGGIE GROWLS was selected to be the premiere program on PBS’s Independent Lens documentary series. Other Attie and Goldwater documentaries broadcast nationally on PBS include DARING TO RESIST: THREE WOMEN FACE THE HOLOCAUST (2000) and LANDOWSKA: UNCOMMON VISIONARY (1999). Attie earned an MFA in Film from Temple University, and Goldwater earned an MFA in Photography and Design from Boston University.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 51
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/80min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Nicole Opper PRODUCERS: Nicole Opper & Sharese Bullock EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Macky Alston & Sandra Itkoff CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jacob Okada
Thursday, Sept 24, 6pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12
OFF AND RUNNING Avery is an African American teenager and the adopted daughter of two Jewish lesbian moms in Brooklyn. OFF AND RUNNING follows Avery’s journey to uncover her roots and explore the bonds of family. NICOLE OPPER recently produced Linton Media’s five-part documentary series LSS for Here! Networks. She was line producer of Macky Alston’s Emmy-nominated The Killer Within, and associate producer of Peter Miller’s Sacco and Vanzetti. Her documentary short, Song of Hannah, is distributed by The National Center for Jewish Film and her short films have won multiple Best Short awards and screened internationally. Opper holds a BFA in Film Production from New York University and teaches filmmaking to high school students.
52 | DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/83min/Digibeta/Color Director: Gabriel Noble Producer: Marjan Tehrani Cinematographer: Gabriel Noble Featuring: Jesse Diaz, Priscilla Diaz & Solsky Diaz
Friday, Sept 25, 8pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12
P-STAR RISING P-STAR RISING is a documentary film about a single father who is determined that his 9-year old daughter become a rap star, thereby realizing his deferred dream. We follow the father-daughter duo for four intimate years through the grit and glamour of the music industry, the struggles of being a single dad with no means, and the sacrifices a child makes in order to make her daddy proud. GABRIEL NOBLE graduated from UCLA, where he founded Equal Opportunity Productions, an outreach organization that uses arts education to empower youth in Los Angeles, Cuba, and South Africa. Gabriel produced HBO’s Death of Two Sons and directed the feature documentaries AUTUMN’S EYES and MTV’s I WON’T LOVE YOU TO DEATH. He is in development as a writer/producer for a feature fiction film and continues to teach film production for the Pearson Foundation throughout the country.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 53
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
East Coast Premiere USA/2008/52min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Bethany Ward-Lawe WRITER: Bethany Ward-Lawe PRODUCER: Bethany Ward-Lawe CINEMATOGRAPHER: Bethany Ward-Lawe Thursday, Sept 24, 10pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12 Friday, Sept 25, 12pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12
SAMO: THE ART AND INFLUENCE OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT SAMO is an exploration of the life and influence of 80s art phenomenon Jean-Michel Basquiat. Although he was only on the ‘scene’ for a relatively short time, his impact on Pop and Contemporary Art is still being actualized and debated. Was Basquiat just an ‘Art Star’? Did his race help or hurt his popularity? Will he be considered a part of the Canon of Great American Artists? BETHANY WARD-LAWE is a documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, professional dancer, choreographer, performance artist and an award-winning burlesque performer. Since its premier in July 2001, her first feature length documentary, KISS MY GRITS: THE HERSTORY OF WOMEN IN PUNK & HARD ROCK, has screened all over the United States and abroad in “alternative” venues such as CBGB’s in New York and the Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle. She is obsessed with fashion and all that is frivolously fabulous.
54 | DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
East Coast Premiere USA/UK/2009/73min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Nirit Peled WRITER: Nirit Peled PRODUCERS: Nirit Peled, Dave Hemmingway & Mamamess CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Dave Hemmingway & Nirit Peled Thursday, Sept 24, 9pm AMC 34th St. Theater 9 Saturday, Sept 24, 11:45am AMC 34th St. Theater 9
SAY MY NAME In a Hip Hop and R&B world dominated by men and noted for misogyny, the unstoppable female lyricists of Say My Name speak candidly about the influences of class, race, and gender on pursuing their passions. From Hip Hop’s birthplace in the Bronx to grime on London’s Eastside, emerging artists like Chocolate Thai, Invincible, Jean Grae and Miz Korona as well as world-renowned pioneers like MC Lyte, Erykah Badu, Estelle, and Monie Love demonstrate how they have made art from adversity. NIRIT PELED has been working in Amsterdam as an audio-visual artist for the last 8 years. She is a community-based cultural artist and film director, and co-founder of Mamamess, a production company she runs with her partner Dave Hemmingway. Since SAY MY NAME, she has worked on several film projects, including the sequel, SAY MY NAME IN AFRICA.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 55
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/78min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTORS: Axel Ebermann & Daniel Frei PRODUCERS: Axel Ebermann & Daniel Frei CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Axel Ebermann & Daniel Frei FEATURING: Johnny Nunez Friday, Sept 25, 9:30pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 10pm AMC 34th Street Theater 9
SHOOTING STAR(S): THE RISE OF HIP-HOP PHOTOGRAPHER JOHNNY NUNEZ This documentary tells the inspiring ‘American Dream’ story of Johnny Nunez, 36, a black orphan from Brooklyn who fought poverty and racism to become the world’s most prominent Hip Hop celebrity photographer. Now his wit, charm and tenacity are about to make him a celebrity in his own right. Filmmaker AXEL EBERMANN has directed numerous documentaries, filming along the way in settings as diverse as the monsoon heat of Shanghai and the eternal winter darkness of Norway’s Arctic Circle. Axel holds a BA in Fiction Film from the City University of New York. After working in the art department at Christie’s auction house, DANIEL FREI crossed over into the entertainment business. He has produced and directed a number of feature-length documentaries. In his feature film projects, he has collaborated with Adrian Grenier (HBO’s ENTOURAGE) and worked for producers such as Kit Golden (CHOCOLATE) and David Brown (JAWS). He has a B.A. in Film and Music from the City University of New York.
56 | DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
East Coast Premiere USA/2009/78min/HDCam/Color DIRECTORS: Alex Vlack & Damani Baker WRITERS: Alex Vlack & Damani Baker PRODUCERS: Alex Vlack, Damani Baker, Jon Fine, Andrew Zuckerman CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Edward Marritz, Damani Baker & Jon Fine FEATURING: Bill Withers, Kori Withers, Dr. Cornel West & Jim James Thursday, Sept 24, 8pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12
STILL BILL Bill Withers is an unexpected superstar. “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me,” “Lovely Day,” and “Just the Two of Us” are only part of a complex and fascinating character: an icon who left the industry behind but never gave up his soul. You know his songs. Now meet the man. Featuring a tribute concert, a soundtrack with previously unreleased tracks, and rare live performances. DAMANI BAKER was selected by Filmmaker Magazine as one of “25 New Faces in Independent Film.” Some of Baker’s documentaries include Grenada: A Dream Deferred and the award-winning Return. This year Baker directed music videos for Maiysha’s single “Wanna Be” and Morley’s “Women of Hope.” As a director, his commercial clients have included Nike/Wieden & Kennedy and their 2006 World Cup ‘Play Beautiful’ campaign. Baker is a guest professor at Sarah Lawrence College’s Film and New Media Department. ALEX VLACK co-founded Late Night and Weekends with director Andrew Zuckerman, where they make documentaries, commercials, branded content, books, media installations and narrative films. His credits include New York Times Television’s RAISING THE FLAG and NOVA’s BATTLE PLAN UNDER FIRE, advertising campaigns and content for Puma, BMW, and Wired; and a short film, HIGH FALLS, directed by Andrew Zuckerman, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won Best Narrative Short at the Woodstock Film Festival.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 57
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2008/70min/Color DIRECTOR: Melis Birder CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Melis Birder & Suat Kutlug EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: St. Clair Bourne & Sam Pollard Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theater 12 Friday, Sept 25, 3:15pm AMC 34th Street Theater 12
THE VISITORS THE VISITORS offers an unexpected look at the prison system through the eyes of the travelers who head to remote New York prisons every weekend to visit their loved ones. Their unique culture reflects the struggles of “living the prison life” on the outside while maintaining their dedication to love - as impossible as that might sound... MELIS BIRDER is a founder of inHouse projects, a producer of independent media works. After studying in her native Turkey, she moved to the USA and began working as an educator; she also created and produced video programs in the low-income neighborhoods of New York. She has directed documentaries for social service agencies and libraries. In 2005, Birder directed her first award-winning independent documentary: The Tenth Planet’s A SINGLE LIFE IN BAGHDAD, which she filmed in Iraq.
58 | DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
USA/2009/76min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Catherine Gund PRODUCERS: Catherine Gund & Tanya Selvaratnam CINEMATOGRAPHER: Miklos Buk FEATURING: Sadie Rain Hope-Gund & Safiyah Kai Riddle
Thursday, Sept 24, 4pm AMC 34th St. Theater 12
WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE? Filmed over the course of one year, WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE? follows two eleven-year-old African-American city kids as they explore their place in the food chain. Sadie and Safiyah take a close look at food systems in New York City and its surrounding areas. With the camera as their companion, the girl guides talk to each other, food activists, farmers, new friends, storekeepers, their families, and the viewer, in their quest to understand what’s on all of our plates. CATHERINE GUND, the founder of Aubin Pictures, is an Emmy Award-nominated producer, director, writer and organizer. Her media work — which focuses on arts and culture, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, and other social justice issues — has screened around the world in festivals and theaters, on PBS and the Sundance Channel, at community-based organizations, universities, and museums. She co-founded the Third Wave Foundation and was on the founding board of Working Films.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES | 59
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
AMAZON WOMEN Sexy, sassy Brie and her best friend Asha are in for a night they will never forget. After one too many romantic disappointments, Asha is at her wits’ end. When she seeks comfort from Brie, she discovers that the answer to her problems may be closer than she thinks. Her simple solution ends up causing them both more drama then they bargained for. Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2009/15min/Color DIRECTOR: Kiara C Jones WRITER: Kiara C Jones PRODUCER: Kiara C Jones CINEMATOGRAPHER: Kiara C Jones
KIARA C JONES began her professional life as a poet and Hip Hop artist and enjoyed an award-winning career in broadcast radio and television. Kiara currently studies filmmaking at NYU and also serves as the Proprietor of Cultivated Films LLC. She has produced 8 short films on various formats and Directed 4 award-winning shorts that have been featured in Film Festivals nationwide and on Lifetime Movie Network, PBS Reel Shorts and BET.
FEATURING: Frances Turner, Nicole Roderick, Jaime Lincoln Smith & Roger Payano
A BARBER’S TALE Based on a real conversation between writer/director Nelson A. George and an anxious barber, A BARBER’S TALE offers a glimpse into the dark side of cutting hair.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
U.S. PREMIERE USA/2008/4min/BetaSP/Color DIRECTOR: Nelson George WRITER: Nelson George PRODUCER: Nelson George CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nelson George FEATURING: Reg E. Cathey
60 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
NELSON GEORGE is an author, filmmaker and television producer. His latest book is CITY KID: A MEMOIR OF GHETTO LIFE & POST-SOUL SUCCESS (Viking). He produced GOOD HAIR, starring Chris Rock, which will be released theatrically in October by Roadside Attractions. He directed the HBO film LIFE SUPPORT, which won several NAACP Image awards and won Queen Latifah a Golden Globe. Nelson’s web site is www.nelsondgeorge. net.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
BIG BLACK GOOD MAN Adapted from Richard Wright’s short story, BIG BLACK GOOD MAN tells the story of Olaf, an old white hotel porter, who is challenged to face his deepest fears when a big black man wants to check in to his hotel. Raised in Istanbul, Turkey, USAME TUNAGUR has a BA degree in Mass Media from Temple University and an MFA degree in Film from Ohio University. Currently, Usame is working as a Producer at Ebru-TV whose mission is to create programming promoting diversity and multicultural celebration. Big Black Good Man is his thesis film.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2009/18min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Usame Tunagur Based on the short story by: Richard Wright WRITERS: Usame Tunagur & Archana Mahalingham PRODUCERS: Usame Tunagur & Benjamin Pascoe CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ryan Bajornas FEATURING: Jim Parsons, Derrick Jones, Kate Enger & Bob Rymer
BROTHERS INCORPORATED Philadelphia, 1963. Marcus Christenson is poised to take control of his father’s business – the Philadelphia Black Mafia. The problem is that Marcus’s heart lies with his music. The young guitarist must decide between pursuing his own dreams and fulfilling the dreams of his father. His choice will make him a man, but what kind of man will he become? Soon after graduating from Hampton University, MICHAEL JOHNSON was accepted into the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. In his first year at USC, he wrote and directed JAZZ SINGER, which premiered at the Arizona Black Film Showcase. He also produced the acclaimed short film LAST EXIT. BROTHERS INCORPORATED is his thesis film and was shot in his hometown of Philadelphia. The project received The Caucus Foundation Student Production Grant in 2008.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
WORLD PREMIERE USA/2009/23min/35mm/Color DIRECTOR: Michael Johnson WRITER: Michael Johnson PRODUCERS: Michael Johnson, Dan Eason, Larry Bryant, Simone Hawthorne, & Stephanie Stomel EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Curtis Johnson Sr. DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Collin Brink FEATURING: Atif R. Lanier, Brandon Jones, Franklin Ojeda Smith, Nakia Dillard, Nedra McClyde, & Rahman Johnson Sr.
NARRATIVE SHORTS | 61
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
ENTER THE PREACHER
Thursday, Sept 24, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 12 Friday, Sept 25, 1:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
U.S. PREMIERE UK/2008/10min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Paulette James WRITER: Paulette James PRODUCERS: Neigeme Glasgow-Maeda & Paulette James CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rob Wilton FEATURING: Cornell John, Cavin Cornwall, Aston Maddix & Diane Briscoe
A mysterious man arrives in town and encounters a gang of youths threatening a young woman. This man is Preacher, and he’s on a mission to teach respect. Preacher stops the attack and wins over the gang members, but he’s made an enemy of their leader, Johnson. When Johnson’s boss, Don, seeks revenge, Preacher must dig deep within himself for the strength to defend his reputation and self-respect. He challenges Don to a kung-fu showdown with everything at stake. PAULETTE JAMES’ first short film, SHANTELL TOWN, won Best International Short Film at The Images Of Black Women Film Festival 2007 and awards for Best Director and Best Actress at the BFM Film Festival 2007. ‘ROOTS, a short documentary about black hair, appeared on Current TV Autumn 2007. ENTER THE PREACHER was funded by B3 Media. Recently, Paulette produced and directed fourteen films about slavery abolitionists Equiano and Mary Prince for Future Histories website Trading Faces.
FATHER’S DAY
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
USA/2009/21min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Brian Rolling WRITER: Brian Rolling PRODUCER: John Reefer, Al Thompson & Lina Suh CINEMATOGRAPHER: Matt Mitchell FEATURING: Al Thompson, Lord Jamar Allah, Melissa Maxwell & Sasha Sloan
62 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
FATHER’S DAY is a coming of age tale about a young man struggling to deal with the challenges of raising a fiveyear-old son in the projects. Dee, a 21-year-old African American male, dreams of becoming a professional chef but faces pressures from both his mother and his girlfriend. When he is introduced to Rammel, the local drug dealer, Dee is forced to make a life-altering decision. Can he strike a balance between satisfying his passion for cooking and fulfilling his very real responsibilities as a father? BRIAN ROLLING is an award-winning filmmaker and graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. During his career at NYU, Brian received the prestigious WTC Johnson Fellowship. His senior year thesis film FATHER’S DAY is currently on the festival circuit and was awarded a Craft Award for best acting at the NYU First Run Film Festival. Brian currently acts as VP of productions for ValDean Entertainment, which produces the shows Johnny B. Homeless and Lenox Avenue.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
FRENCH FOR FOREIGNERS In a “French for Foreigners” course, a heated debate arises between two Muslim women over the right to wear a veil during class. KARTIK SINGH received a B.A. in Economics and International Studies from American University. Upon graduation, he moved to Paris and enrolled at the Sorbonne to study filmmaking. Since 2000, his narrative shorts have been shown in over 100 festivals worldwide. They can also be seen on television (Arte, Canal+, and SBS). His film SAVING MOM AND DAD received its world premiere at Urbanworld, won fourteen awards, and is the subject of a feature length version currently in development.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
WORLD PREMIERE FRANCE/2009/13min/DigiBeta/Color DIRECTOR: Kartik Singh WRITER: Kartik Singh PRODUCERS: Lorin Harel & Kartik Singh CINEMATOGRAPHER: Florent Duchaillut FEATURING: Behi Djanati Atai, Maud Buquet, Roland Bouvet & Momoko Fructus
GRACE A woman/mother/illegal immigrant with everything to lose finds hope. ALRICK BROWN holds an MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English and a Masters degree in Education. Alrick’s award-winning work has screened internationally in over thirty film festivals. Three of his films have played at Lincoln Center in New York. Recently, he was one of four NYU students featured in the IFC Documentary series FILM SCHOOL. In 2007 he addressed the Motion Picture Association of America on C-SPAN.
Friday, Sept 25, 5:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12 Saturday, Sept 26, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
U.S. PREMIERE USA/2009/8min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Alrick Brown WRITER: Julian Pimiento PRODUCERS: Tovah Leibowitz & Julian Pimiento CINEMATOGRAPHER: Daniel Patterson FEATURING: Debbie Nunez, Julian Pimiento, Rayland Vanblake, Holly Rokes, Kayla Pimiento & Stephanie Pimiento
NARRATIVE SHORTS | 63
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
HAIR WE ARE HAIR WE ARE follows two young Afro-Caribbean girls who explore and celebrate their identity through hair. Set in the 1980s, the film is a celebration of diversity and strength that seeks to empower the Afro-Caribbean female.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
UK IN FOCUS Series, Presented by b3 Media UK/2007/6min/Color/Beta SP DIRECTOR: Daniella Blechner WRITER: Daniella Blechner PRODUCERS: Andrina George & Daniella Blechner CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tunji Akinsehawa
DANIELLA BLECHNER won the 2007 Film Fund Award from Lewisham Film Initiative to complete HAIR WE ARE for the Black History Month Short Film Challenge. The film subsequently received the 3rd Best Film Award at the Images of Black Women Film Festival. It screened at Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, BAMKids Film Festival in New York, and the Pan African Film Festival. Daniella currently works with young people and has helped run film and TV workshops for “at risk” youth.
FEATURING: Effy Oyedoh, Ruth Longmore & Chyna Whyne
HOPE HOPE is the story of a fearful and timid child (Sean) from the projects of Queens. He witnesses the hopeless collapse of his father (Henry) after a sudden job loss. Sean, who hasn’t spoken since his mother passed away, sets out a on a personal journey and boards a bus for Washington, DC the day before the presidential inauguration. Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
WORLD PREMIERE USA/2009/15min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Justin Foran WRITER: Justin Foran PRODUCERS: John Solo, Nick Desai, Justin Foran CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ryan Bilsborrow-Koo FEATURING: Naim Omari, Charles Burks, Lena Nguyen & Johnny Solo
64 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
Upon graduating from NYU, JUSTIN FORAN developed LUNCH WITH OTIS, an alternative comedy show that enjoyed a successful run at Caroline’s Comedy Club and laid the foundation for the underground hit series BALLS, starring comedian DC Benny. Since then, Justin has directed and written a series of pilots. He is currently in pre-production for his first feature film, SEX-MAGIC, which will begin filming in January 2010. HOPE marks Justin’s short film directorial debut.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
HUG Drew is a virtuoso musical talent, with a music contract ready to sign. Asa, his friend and manager, must physically get Drew to the contract signing. When Asa realizes that Drew is off his meds, the morning commute turns troubling. KHARY JONES was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey. His latest short film, HUG, was an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the SXSW Film Festival, the Palm Springs International ShortFest, the AFI-Dallas Film Festival (where it won a Grand Jury Prize) and several others. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2008/16 min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Khary Jones WRITER: Khary Jones PRODUCER: Constance F. Kowtna CINEMATOGRAPHER: Aaron Kovalchik FEATURING: Jas Anderson, Phyllis Johnson & Usman Sharif
IN THE WIND Byron, having served his country abroad, has returned to his native shore: the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. He meets his younger brother, Shucky, at the home they grew up in, which is now a skeleton of what was. In Byron’s absence and in the wake of Hurrican Katrina, Shucky has become a solider of the streets. These two brothers, having survived their respective disasters, experience a “homecoming” in which they seek to reconnect to the past and what they once knew. As both a director and actor, MARTIN PAPAZIAN has developed an outstanding body of work, collaborating with some of the finest artists of our time. Martin made his directorial debut with the award-winning film IN THE WIND, adapted from the off-off-Broadway play THE BACK HOME SET by Sam Riley. The film was awarded Best Picture and Best Actor at the New Orleans “Big Easy” Film Festival and Best Picture at the Vail Film Festival.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
EAST COAST PREMIERE USA/2008/18min/Color DIRECTOR: Martin Papazian WRITER: Sam Riely PRODUCER: Paul Kanton CINEMATOGRAPHER: Steve Harnell FEATURING: A.K. Murtadha & Jamil Smith
NARRATIVE SHORTS | 65
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
LA OPERACION In 1937, a bill was passed in Puerto Rico allowing the sterilization of women on the island. One woman will have to make the life-altering choice of whether or not to go through with this procedure.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2009/15min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Victor Cruz WRITER: Victor Cruz PRODUCERS: Victor Cruz & Malcolm J. Goodwin CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gilbert Flores
The day before graduation from the Acting Conservatory at SUNY Purchase, VICTOR CRUZ landed his first major TV role on THE SOPRANOS. Recent acting credits include THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1:23 and Disney’s THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE. Cruz is also a standup comedian and a writer, producer, and director. LA OPERACION is an official selection (2009) of the NY International Latino Film Festival and the Hoboken International Film Festival. THE VICTOR CRUZ MORNING SHOW airs weekday mornings (E.S.T.) on www.urbanlatinoradio.fm.
FEATURING: Margarita Tavarez, Mauricio Bustamante & Melody Rose Vendrell
LIFE ON EARTH
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
EAST COAST PREMIERE USA/2009/21min/DigiBeta/Color DIRECTOR: Jeffrey Keith WRITER: Courtney Stephens PRODUCER: R. Kiplin Pastor CINEMATOGRAPHER: Benji Bakshi FEATURING: Trinecia Moore-Pernell, Jade Nicole, Sonya Maddox & Lisa Goodman
66 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
Set against the gritty backdrop of Los Angeles, LIFE ON EARTH is a story about Lea, an 18-year-old girl “aging out” of the foster care system. With no family or financial support, Lea and the other girls in her group home are instructed by their social worker to pursue menial service jobs. But when Lea finds inspiration in an unexpected place, she turns her new perspective into a rebellion that will bring hope to the other girls. JEFF KEITH graduated from Texas Christian University with a B.A. in Radio, Television and Film. For three years, he worked in television production for HDNet as a freelance Associate Producer and Camera Operator for the shows TRUE MUSIC and HIGHER DEFINITION. Jeff has directed music videos, documentaries, and short films, including WHAT’S COMING DOWN THE PIPE?, CHASING THE WIND, and THE GARDEN. He recently completed his MFA degree in Directing at the American Film Institute.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
LOCKS In Oakland, California, a young man wakes up with a heavy heart and decides to take a walk to a local barbershop. RYAN COOGLER is a graduate student in USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Born in Oakland, CA he did his undergraduate work at Sacramento State University and graduated in 2007. After his first semester at USC, Coogler was named a 2008 recipient of the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) scholarship for achievement in Directing and in 2009 he was named the recipient of the Dana and Albert Broccoli Foundation Scholarship for Filmmaking Excellence.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
USA/2008/6min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Ryan Coogler WRITER: Ryan Coogler PRODUCERS: Ryan Coogler & Francisco Kosterlitz CINEMATOGRAPHER: Francisco Kosterlitz FEATURING: Turen Robinson, Nia Warren, Frank Otis
MANALI CREAM Paul, Kal and Lola are a group of twenty-somethings on the Indian dance party scene. They float from London dubstep raves to Goan trance parties, and then through the cool mountain breezes of the Himalayas in search of the elusive Manali Cream. But along the way, Indian karma has a lesson for each of them. Nothing is ever as it seems. NAVDEEP SINGH KANDOLA studied anthropology at University College London and subsequently traveled to Punjab, India, where he began documenting a nomadic Sikh tribe, the Nihang; he has now been filming them for over ten years. Nav founded his own outfit, Hive Central, through which he produces and directs documentaries. He won the Best Film Award at Spinning Wheel Film Festival in Toronto for BHANG GOES DA GREEN REVOLUTION and received a UNICEF award for REMIX.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
WORLD PREMIERE UK/2009/15min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Navdeep Kandola WRITERS: Navdeep Singh Kandola, Charley Parkin & John Gordon PRODUCERS: Clare Cooke & Mahesh Mathai CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jerome Redfarn FEATURING: Sean-Paul Browne, Jennifer Matter & Asad Shan
NARRATIVE SHORTS | 67
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
MARIACHI A New York teen struggles to carve out his identity somewhere between that of his Mexican-born parents and his Brooklyn-bred peers. An unexpected accident and immigration investigation force him to explore uncharted territory, taking him further from home and closer to finding himself. Thursday, Sept 24, 12pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2009/13min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Elena Greenlee WRITER: Elena Greenlee PRODUCER: Shaka King CINEMATOGRAPHER: Christina Voros
ELENA GREENLEE studied documentary film at UCSC and in Havana, Cuba, where she directed her first documentary, HIGH SEASON. The film screened at festivals internationally. While living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Elena helped to run a program that provided free film training to impoverished teenagers. Since then, Elena has directed 5 short films, is developing her first feature, and is completing a MFA in Film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
FEATURING: Jeff Lima, Alexandria Snipe, Laura Patalano & Alfonso Ramirez
MEDICINE MAN
Thursday, Sept 24, 12pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
USA/2009/20min/Color DIRECTOR: Himkar Tak WRITER: Himkar Tak PRODUCERS: Craig Shilowich, Summer Shelton & Himkar Tak CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Simmonds FEATURING: Duane Burress, Irving Paradise & Cezar Williams
68 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
MEDICINE MAN is the story of Jimi, a 15-year-old kid who lives with his paraplegic father in the projects of Brooklyn, NY. Jimi comes across a fabled plant that was supposedly used by an Iroquois Medicine Man in the 1800s to cure paralysis in Civil War veterans. With the help of his best friend, he undertakes a journey deep into the Adirondack Mountains in search of the plant that, if found, it might give his recently paralyzed father the opportunity to walk again. American writer/director HIMKAR TAK got his start as an intern on Mira Nair’s NAMESAKE while attending NYU-Tisch’s Dramatic Writing Program. He has worked closely with award-winning filmmaker Ramin Bahrani on the critically acclaimed films MAN PUSH CART and CHOP SHOP and is currently setting up his feature film, KID CAN DREAM, the story of a group of kids in the projects of Brooklyn who one day stumble across a treasure map.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
NUEVA YORK NUEVA YORK interweaves the lives of different Hispanics residing in New York and depicts how they overcome, how they triumph, how they provide for their families, how intrinsically tied they are to their city, and how their Latino “know-how” helps them to survive. As they move about their lives and their city, their stories combine to create the rich tapestry in motion that is New York City. MANOLO CELI has been a waiter, a stock boy, a gofer, a writer, a producer, an actor, an agency producer, an executive assistant, a casting director, an assistant director, unemployed, a director of photography, a tennis instructor, an unlicensed psychologist to friends and family, and a rather profitable NYC subway musician. Above all and everything else: He is a filmmaker.
Thursday, Sept 24, 4:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
USA/2008/9min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Manolo Celi WRITER: Manolo Celi PRODUCERS: Heather Murphy & Manolo Celi CINEMATOGRAPHER: Sherman Johnson
OSVALDO’S Jerry Dominguez, a fifteen-year-old who has recently lost his mother, discusses with his father their plans for a special dinner. Later, he casually asks his eight-year-old sister, Glenda, for her opinion of the beautiful red-haired hairdresser at Osvaldo’s, their father’s barbershop. Glenda appears indifferent, but her curiosity is piqued when Jerry asks her to set four places at the dinner table instead of the usual three. When their father arrives home, Ana Daisy – the pretty redhead – accompanies him. Over the course of the meal, the Dominguez family must confront past pains as they attempt to forge a path towards the uncertain future. RANDY WILKINS earned a B.A. in English at Franklin and Marshall College. After graduation, Randy befriended legendary director Spike Lee and enrolled in NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts graduate film program. OSVALDO recently received a Screenwriting Award and Best Acting Award (Gina Rodriguez) from NYU’S First Run Film Festival. Randy worked as an assistant editor on Lee’s WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE and as a camera operator on MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
USA/2009/20min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Randy Wilkins WRITER: Randy Wilkins CINEMATOGRAPHER: Christina Voros PRODUCER: Kia Neal FEATURING: Lemon Andersen, Gina Rodriguez, Maria Acosta & Jeff Lima
NARRATIVE SHORTS | 69
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
OUT OF THE DARKNESS Anguished over her baby’s accidental death, homeless and teenaged Jess wanders through the streets. When she meets a little girl in a park, Jess’s hunger for love and affection propels her to kidnap the child. Will Jess find redemption by making amends, or will she succumb to her internal demons? Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2009/21min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Nikki V. Roberts WRITER: Nikki V. Roberts PRODUCER: Nikki V. Roberts CINEMATOGRAPHER: Adam Newport-Berra
NIKKI V ROBERTS’s background in painting, drawing, and photography has influenced her as a filmmaker. Her creative roots are in Baltimore, MD and Washington, D.C., but she learned the ropes in LA by working on music videos and commercials. Filmmaking is her focus, and her work has received the attention of ABC-Disney Talent Development Group, New York Women in Film & Television, the NFAA, and the NAACP (ACT-SO). She is currently writing a romantic comedy set in Baltimore.
FEATURING: Jessica Jade Andress, Quincella Swyningan, Sydney Melman & Brenda Cooney
POPOUS PANE AND THE KIDS HE LOVES TO HATE
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2009/14min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Derrick Anthony WRITER: Derrick Anthony PRODUCER: Amelia M. Winfree CINEMATOGRAPHER: Christopher Webb FEATURING: Jerome Preston Bates, Alford Rutherford & Stephen Hill
70 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
Two brothers unaware of each other’s existence have been living separate lives, until their father finally reveals the long-buried secret to his sons. The brothers, each remembering his father in a different way, develop a bond and join forces to confront the father who was not there for either one of them. DERRICK ANTHONY’s career has evolved from abstracting depositions to serving coffee to making movies. He began as an actor in Chicago and worked as a paralegal. After discovering his passion for writing and directing, Derrick relocated to New York to become a filmmaker in 2003. He honed his craft by taking any production job that he could find in order to learn from NY directors. He wrote, directed, and produced the short film SALIR and is currently developing a feature film.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
PRODUCTION Danielle feels like the littlest person in the room. Her job as the script coordinator for a wildly popular television drama sounds exciting, but with a job description of “copy, collate, repeat,” she doesn’t quite agree. When producers introduce plans to shoot an ill-conceived ‘urban’ episode of the show, Danielle finally feels compelled to use her voice. But will it be big enough? Lenny Payan began his film career as an intern at Forty Acres & a Mule Filmworks. He quickly moved into the role of production assistant and learned his craft on movies such as 25th HOUR and SHE HATE ME. He’s been working as an assistant director and editor since 2002, earning credits on numerous independent film projects. He co-founded Best Of 7 Films in 2007 and is making his directorial debut with PRODUCTION.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
EAST COAST PREMIERE USA/2008/18min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Lenny Payan WRITER: Carmen Scott PRODUCERS: Carmen L. Scott & Lenny Payan CINEMATOGRAPHER: Daniel Patterson FEATURING: Wilzette Borno & Peter Mele
SATURDAY MORNING BLUES Saturday Morning Blues is a coming-of-age story about a young girl trapped between adolescence and adulthood. The light of morning brings a sleepover and a friendship to an abrupt and painful ending, slamming 15-year Sonya against the constraints of her reality. YVONNE MICHELLE SHIRLEY recently completed NYU’s graduate film program. Her work has garnered various awards, including a Fox Television Scholarship and a Tisch School of the Arts Department Fellowship. Yvonne is preparing to shoot her thesis project, SOLD, for which she has been awarded a Warner Brothers Production Grant. In addition to working on her first feature-length script, she is co-producing the documentary 25 To LIFE, featured in the Tribeca All Access Program of the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 1:30pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
USA/2009/12min/Color DIRECTOR: Yvonne Michelle Shirley WRITER: Yvonne Michelle Shirley PRODUCER: Yvonne Michelle Shirley CINEMATOGRAPHER: Spencer Kiernan FEATURING: Emebeit Beyene & Iman Richardson
NARRATIVE SHORTS | 71
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
SECOND CHANCES A star football player is busted the night before a big game, but receives a second chance.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
WORLD PREMIERE USA/2009/8min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Moses Halley WRITER: Moses Halley PRODUCERS: James Sereno & Marilyn Mick CINEMATOGRAPHERS: David Sato & Jay Hanamura FEATURING: Moses Halley, Jonathan Kaiwi, Niko E., Alani M., Derek “Mac” McMoore, Sloane Ketcham, Rea Fox, Kalani Kailieha, Christian P. Hall, Paulette Franco & Wil Kahele
THE FALL
Thursday, Sept 24, 10:45pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Friday, Sept 25, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 9
U.S. PREMIERE USA/2009/19min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Aaron Wallace WRITER: Aaron Wallace PRODUCERS: Aaron Wallace, Mo McRae, Ta’Raun Dunnigan & Steve Reyes CINEMATOGRAPHER: Antonio Manriquez FEATURING: Mo McRae, Sherida Mulrowe & Jacqueline Rene
72 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
David is a successful businessman who owes much of his success to a previous relationship with an influential woman, Sheila. Once he begins moving up the ladder, he leaves Sheila for Jo, a nursing student. The effect of David’s decision on Sheila is devastating and drives her to resume the irrational behaviors of her past. As David relaxes after work one evening, he receives a frightening phone call from Sheila, who threatens to hurt herself. Fueled by guilt and arrogance, David races to Sheila’s home to address the situation. In 1995, AARON WALLACE and thirty other teens created COMMON BONDS, the first feature film ever written, produced, and directed by high school students. It screened at the Sundance Film Festival (1997) and was acquired by Encore/WAM. In 2003, Aaron and two other directors formed the collective Cineapse Pictures. Since then, he has become a prolific music video director in Los Angeles, while independently developing narrative projects. Aaron is currently developing the feature-length scripts THE BLUFF and THE TRACK.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
THE ROE EFFECT In a world frighteningly similar to our own, Dawn, a high school girl, and her girlfriend, Sam, are madly in love. But when Dawn falls victim to an unwanted pregnancy, a chain of events is set in motion that could reveal a powerful secret capable of destroying all that she holds dear. In the face of considerable challenges, Dawn must choose between exposing a painful truth and losing the girl she loves. KIEL ADRIAN SCOTT is an award-winning writerdirector, born and raised in New Orleans. His filmic works explore issues pertinent to the underserved and the disenfranchised; they have been exhibited and screened internationally. Kiel is currently developing two feature film projects. One is based on his award winning short film THE ROE EFFECT. The other, a tale of survival set in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, it is titled CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
NEW YORK PREMIERE USA/2009/20min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Kiel Adrian Scott WRITER: Kiel Adrian Scott PRODUCERS: Kiel Adrian Scott, Noelle K. Barnes & Kiara C. Jones CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alan Blanco FEATURING: Nia Fairweather, Cher Santiago & James Holloway
TRECE Aﾃ前S Guillermo Ivan returns to his family in Cuba for the first time in 13 years and experiences a greater divide than just distance. TOPAZ ADIZES has traveled to over 40 countries. He is fluent in English, Hebrew, Spanish and Swedish. Presently he has two films touring the festival circuit, AMERICANA (Cinema Du Reel, Morelia Int. FF) and TRECE Aﾃ前S (Sundance FF, Aspen Shorts Fest, LA FF,). He is currently finishing his fourth feature script, LOOK FOR THE LIGHT, and is pre-producing his next feature to be shot in the winter in Argentina.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 3pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
Cuba/USA/2008/8min/Color DIRECTOR: Topaz Adizes PRODUCERS: Corinne Golden Weber & Topaz Adizes CINEMATOGRAPHER: Topaz Adizes FEATURING: Esther Cardoso Villanueva & Guillermo Ivan Duenas Lazcano
NARRATIVE SHORTS | 73
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
WING IT When a drug deal goes wrong and a violent confrontation seems inevitable, two guardian angels must decide how far they will go to protect their wings.
Friday, Sept 25, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 9 Saturday, Sept 26, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 11
EAST COAST PREMIERE USA/2009/8min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTORS: Julio Quintana & Daniel Rezende WRITER: Julio Quintana PRODUCER: Marla Quintana CINEMATOGRAPHER: Julio Quintana FEATURING: Daniel Rezende, Nick Ellsberg, Lucas Quintana, T.J. Volgare & Chris Roldan
JULIO QUINTANA was born of Cuban immigrants and graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with the seemingly peculiar combination of degrees in RadioTelevision-Film and Religious Studies. He has said that Religious Studies taught him about the power of stories, and film has given him the medium with which to tell those stories. DANIEL REZENDE is a Brazilian film editor who won a BAFTA Award for Best Editing and was nominated for the Academy Award for Film Editing for his work on CITY OF GOD (2002). His editing is recognized worldwide, with films like MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (2004) starring Gael Garcia Bernal, TROPA DE ELITE (2007), winner of the Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear, and most recently BLINDNESS (2008), starring Julianne Moore.
urbanworld.org 74 | NARRATIVE SHORTS
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
A SENTENCE APART A SENTENCE APART weaves three intimate stories exploring the effects of incarceration on the family. This short film uncovers how people cope with having a family member in prison. The film traces these family members as they as they attempt to bridge broken relationships, diligently work to break the generational cycle of incarceration and seek to attain success in life. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Film and Digital Media, JASON SUSSBERG moved to San Francisco to produce and edit sports biographies for the San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors. Jason was an intern at Actual Films before enrolling as an M.F.A. student in Documentary Film at Stanford University. He is a digital media generalist who trains his lens on social and political topics ranging from jailed journalists to justice system reform.
Thursday, Sept 24, 12:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12 Friday, Sept 25, 3:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
EAST COAST PREMIERE USA/2009/12min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTORS: Theo Rigby & Jason Sussberg WRITERS: Theo Rigby & Jason Sussberg PRODUCERS: Theo Rigby & Jason Sussberg CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Theo Rigby & Jason Sussberg FEATURING: Cheyanne Torres, Linda Williams & Tamea Lundsford
BRONX PRINCESS Rocky Otoo is the Bronx-bred teenage daughter of Ghanaian parents, and she’s no pushover. She is a sassy high-achiever bound for college. With freedom in sight, Rocky rebels against her mother’s rules. When their relationship reaches a breaking point, Rocky flees to her father, a chief in Ghana. What follows is captured in Bronx Princess, a tumultuous coming-of-age story set in a homeland both familiar and strange. Her precocious — and very American — ideas of a successful, independent life conflict with her father’s traditional African values. Reconciling her dual legacies becomes an unexpected chapter in this unforgettable young woman’s education. YONI BROOK is a film director and photographer. His film A SON’S SACRIFICE won Best Documentary Short at the Tribeca Film Festival and Best Documentary Short at the International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards and was broadcast nationally on PBS. Brook’s photography has received the field’s highest honors at the Pictures of the Year International and Best of Photojournalism competitions. MUSA SYEED is an independent filmmaker and writer. After producing A SON’S SACRIFICE, he co-directed two films with Yoni Brook for national ITVS/PBS broadcast: THE CALLING, about young religious leaders, and BRONX PRINCESS (for P.O.V. on PBS). Syeed was a Fulbright Fellow in Cairo, Egypt, where he focused on experimental filmmaking. This year, he is a professor of documentary production at Williams College.
Thursday, Sept 24, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 12 Friday, Sept 25, 1:15pm AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
USA/2009/38min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTORS: Yoni Brook & Musa Syeed PRODUCERS: Yoni Brook & Musa Syeed CINEMATOGRAPHER: Yoni Brook FEATURING: Rockyatu Otoo
Both are alumni of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS | 75
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
HOODS TO WOODS
Thursday, Sept 24, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 11:45am AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
USA/2009/25min/Digibeta/Color DIRECTOR: Brian “Deka” Paupaw PRODUCER: Brian “Deka” Paupaw CINEMATOGRAPHER: Reid Van Renesse
HOODS TO WOODS is a documentary based on the story of Brian “Deka” Paupaw and his journeys from the inner city streets of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn to the deep powder back country mountains of North and South America. Through Brian’s self-told story, we experience how the culture of snowboarding transformed a life once stifled by the social constraints of the streets into an adventure only bounded by the edge of a mountain. BRIAN “DEKA” PAUPAW grew up in a single parent household in various Brooklyn housing projects. In 1996 he received a state scholarship through HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity Program) to attend the Parsons School of Design, where he received a BFA in 2001. At Parsons, he was introduced to snowboarding by classmates. After entering the field of broadcast design, Paupaw decided to dust off his nine years of snowboarding footage to share his story with his community.
KEEP ON STEPPIN’
Thursday, Sept 24, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 11:45am AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
NEW YORK Premiere USA/2008/29min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Christine Noschese PRODUCERS: Christine Noschese, Ben Carney & Elizabeth Sweetnam CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jon Smith FEATURING: Barbara Taylor, Glenna Rohan, Evelyn Rudder, Josephine Brown, Nancy Cummins & The Steppers
76 | DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
In KEEP ON STEPPIN,’ the filmmaker travels with The Steppers, a dance company of women aged 74-86, as they undertake a challenging schedule of performances in New York City. The company visits community and senior centers, churches, schools and hospitals and its members are diverse in race, class, and interests. What they share in common is the determination to be active performers and express their creativity, rather than allow age to restrict them. As they confront the physical challenges of aging, the death of husbands and personal tragedies, the Steppers inspire each other and their audiences to ‘keep on steppin.’ CHRISTINE NOSCHESE is a writer, director and producer of both documentary and fiction films. KEEP ON STEPPIN’ won Best Short at the NewberryPort Documentary Festival. Her film JUNE ROSES premiered at New Directors/New Films. Her documentary METROPOLITAN AVENUE was broadcast nationally on PBS, P,O,V. and on Channel Four in Great Britain; it also received a theatrical run at the Film Forum in New York.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
A SONG FOR OURSELVES A SONG FOR OURSELVES is an intimate journey into the life and music of Asian American Movement troubadour Chris Iijima. Struggling to make sense of their father’s early death, his teenage sons learn that during the 1970s, when Asians in America were still considered “Orientals,” Chris’s music and passion for social justice helped an entire generation to uncover its voice and identity. Through animated photographs, intimate home movies, archival footage of Chris’s introduction to nationwide television by John Lennon and Chris’s own songs, his life takes on bigger meaning than his sons had ever dreamed of. Tadashi Nakamura is a 28-year-old, fourth-generation Japanese American and second-generation filmmaker. When he was 9 days old, he made his first and last onscreen appearance in HITO HATA: RAISE THE BANNER (1980), the first feature-length narrative film produced by Asian Americans. The film was directed by his father, award-winning filmmaker Robert A. Nakamura. Besides carrying on his parents’ work – his mother is writer/ producer Karen L. Ishizuka – Nakamura seeks to share his community’s history with a new generation.
Thursday, Sept 24, 10am AMC 34th Street Theatre 11 Saturday, Sept 26, 11:45am AMC 34th Street Theatre 12
USA/2009/35min/Beta SP/Color DIRECTOR: Tadashi Nakamura WRITER: Tadashi Nakamura PRODUCERS: Karen Ishizuka & Robert Nakamura CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tadashi Nakamura FEATURING: Chris Iijima, Nobuko Miyamoto, Jane Dickson Iijima, Christopher Iijima & Alan Iijima
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NARRATIVE FEATURES JURY DORI BEGLEY Director of Acquisitions Magnolia Pictures Dori Begley began her career with Sony Pictures Classics in 2000, where she acted as the Manager of Acquisitions through 2006, working on an eclectic slate of titles from directors such as Pedro Almodovar, David Gordon Green, Nicole Holofcener, Spike Lee, Terry Zwigoff, Stacy Peralta, Larry Charles, Robert Altman and more. After a stint as Associate Programmer for the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, Begley joined Magnolia Pictures, where she currently serves as Director of Acquisitions in New York, acquiring titles for Magnolia Pictures, Magnet Releasing, Magnolia Home Entertainment and Magnolia International. Recent films include MAN ON WIRE, FOOD INC, WORLD’S GREATEST DAD, ONG BAK 2: THE BEGINNING and RED CLIFF. SCOTT SHOOMAN Vice President Production & Acquisitions Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group Scott Shooman is currently Vice President of Acquisitions & Production for Sony’s Worldwide Acquisitions Group. He also overseas production on films at the new Sony banner, Stage 6 Films. He has acquired or overseen films that include THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, THE GOSPEL, SERAPHIM FALLS, SOUTHLAND TALES, REVOLVER, THE FALL, THE TAKE, RESCUE DAWN, THE SPIRIT, A PERFECT GETAWAY and many others. Films he is currently working on include BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY – a sequel to the original cult classic and BOOK OF ELI – a Denzel Washington starrer that Sony has picked up international rights on. In 2008, he became an adjunct professor for Carnegie Mellon’s Masters in Entertainment Industry Management program. JAE KIM Sr. Director, Original Programming BET Networks Jae Kim is Senior Director of Original Programming for BET, where he oversees the development and production of both scripted and non-scripted programming. Before joining BET, Jae was Vice President of Development & Production for the TV division of The Mark Gordon Company, where he was instrumental in the development and production of Lifetime’s hit show ARMY WIVES, as well as the CW 78 | FESTIVAL JURORS
series REAPER. Prior to that, Jae served as Manager of Original Programming for Showtime Networks Inc., where he helped develop and oversee a number of the network’s shows, including the dramas BROTHERHOOD and DEXTER and comedies FAT ACTRESS and BARBERSHOP. Jae is a graduate of USC’s Annenberg School For Communication. FELIPE TEWES Acquisitions HBO Currently a Manager of Film Programming at HBO, focusing on the acquisition of Latino and Spanish-language films for HBO Latino, Felipe was previously at Focus Features, working directly under CEO James Schamus. There, he participated on the production and releases of such wideranging films as Sin Nombre, Milk, Coraline, Burn After Reading, and Atonement, as well as worked first-hand on the production and development of Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock. Previous to Focus, Felipe took part in the Agent Training Program at the William Morris Agency. He holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Harvard University, where he was President of the Pan-Latino student organization Fueza Latina, as well as founder of the annual Latin American cultural performance show, Presencia Latina. MARK GRANDE President Little Grande, Inc. Mark Grande is an innovative media executive with 11+ years of experience in growing and managing multi-million dollar traditional and new media businesses. Most recently, he was Executive Producer / Head of Entertainment for commercial production company, Hungry Man, where he identified, produced, distributed and marketed a string of successful online series including, Undercover Cheerleaders. Prior to HM, he was Director of Development at The Howard Stern Production Company, where he oversaw business, creative and production operations for the burgeoning film and television company. Mark also spent time in Los Angeles under prominent television executive producer David Eick, helping to develop such critically acclaimed dramas as Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi), The Agency (CBS) and Cover Me (USA).
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES & SHORTS JURY VALLERIE WATTS MERAZ Vice President, Content Acquisitions Showtime Networks Valerie Watts Meraz is currently the Vice President of Content Acquisitions at Showtime Networks Inc. where she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the independent film acquisitions process. She also leads the network’s search for stand-up comedy specials, documentaries, and acquired series. Prior to joining Showtime in 2000, Valerie worked in feature film development at Disney’s Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group. She began her career at 20th Century Fox in Exhibitor Services and was soon promoted to a position in International Theatrical Promotions before leaving the studio to pursue a graduate degree. Valerie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications from UCLA and an M.F.A. in Motion Picture Producing from the Peter Stark Program at USC.
KEITH CLINKSCALES SVP, Content Development and Enterprises ESPN As head of ESPN Content Development, Clinkscales launched a new ESPN incubator media lab, designed to develop and create new sports-driven content for all ESPN media platforms; expanding the ESPN Content Development brand. Under Clinkscales’ direction, ESPN Content Development has created and aired Varsity Inc. and E:60, among others, as well as managed The ESPYs, X Games, and ESPN’s Peabody winning documentary “Black Magic”, to name a few. Additionally he is responsible for ESPN RISE, a multimedia brand dedicated to engaging the 14- to 18-year-old audience with compelling high school sports content across all of ESPN’s platforms -- publishing; digital media; programming; news and information; and events: as well as ESPN Home Entertainment, ESPN Media Packaging and the ESPN Zones.
JULIE ANDERSON Executive Producer Program Development CNN Julie joined CNN as Executive Producer of Program Development in April of 2008, where she created the iReport Film Festival featuring short films made during the Election campaigns. She developed and Executive Produced “Meet the Faith”, hosted by Carlos Watson for BET and then was recruited by ESPN to develop and Senior Produce their new investigative magazine show “E:60”, which was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Journalism in its inaugural year. Julie was the director of documentary programming at HBO where she worked closely with Academy Award nominee Spike Lee (“Four Little Girls”), Emmy Award winner Alexandra Pelosi (“Journeys with George”), and Academy Award winner Maryanne Deleo (“Chernobyl Heart”), among others.
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NARRATIVE SHORTS JURY SMOKEY FONTAINE Chief Content Officer InteractiveOne Mr. Fontaine oversees the creation and development of the third largest online social network in the world (BlackPlanet.com), all 52 radio station websites of the Radio One network, five unique online content verticals serving African-Americans and the editorial of GIANT magazine. His mandate—to engage and empower the full and diverse range of urban communities—is at once a programming, technology and brand-building achievement that has cross-platform (online, radio, TV, print) executions and unparalleled scale, reaching > 82% of the US AfricanAmerican population. Mr. Fontaine is also a featured news correspondent on CNN, and a repeat guest on The Today Show, The Early Show, FOX News, the BBC and VH-1. SALLY COONAN Head of Sales Moxie Pictures Coming from 4 years at Ridley Scott Associates, Sally Coonan has worked with Moxie Pictures for just over a year now as their Head Of Sales. Ms. Coonan represents commercial direction talent and matches them with advertising campaign opportunities. She generates work for her roster of directors, whilst being constantly involved in managing and collaborating with them on the growth of their careers. Moxie Pictures is best known for its representation of feature directors in the commercial arena, including strong players like Wes Anderson, Jim Sherdian, Kevin Smith, Cameron Crowe, Errol Morris and Todd Philips. Drawing from such names, Moxie has produced commercials for top clients such as Amex, Nike, Fed Ex, Gap and Apple, while their pool of talent continues to grow in the newer forms of interactive media.
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ESSIE CHAMBERS SVP, Original Programming and Development CENTRIC Essie Chambers is the Senior Vice President of Original Programming and Development for CENTRIC, a new BET/MTV Networks channel premiering in October 2009. She oversees the development and production of the network’s original and music programming. Before joining BET Networks, Chambers spent 12 years at Nickelodeon Networks, where she served in roles ranging from creative exec at Nickelodeon’s Creative Lab, VP of Nickelodeon Original Movies, to VP of Development for The N; yielding a slate of critically acclaimed, award-winning programming. Prior to her tenure at Viacom, Chambers worked in promotion for the television newsmagazine show American Journal, and as a freelance writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. NANCY SPEARS Acquisitions & Product Management WB Home Entertainment Nancy Spears is executive director of acquisitions for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. In her role she identifies and evaluates non-theatrical and select film projects for worldwide home video and digital distribution, including Kids, Sports, Games, TV, Music, Documentary, Special Interest and other Made for Video product. Prior to her career in acquisitions, Spears spent 9 years in brand marketing, building some of the best-known brands in the world, including classic Warner Bros. cartoons like Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera, DC Comics, as well as Hot Wheels and Nickelodeon-branded toys during her tenure at Mattel.
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
SCREENPLAY JURY TINA ANDREWS Writer / Producer TAO Entertainment Tina Andrews is a playwright, screenwriter, producer, and author. Her nonfiction book, Sally Hemings An American Scandal: The Struggle To Tell The Controversial True Story (Malibu Press), won the 2002 NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Literary Nonfiction.” The book was based on her award-winning CBS miniseries, Sally Hemings: An American Scandal, which she wrote and Co-Executive produced, and which was the highest rated, most watched miniseries of 2000. Miss Andrews was also the writer/executive producer for the CBS miniseries, Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and wrote the Warner Bros. film, Why Do Fools Fall In Love? starring Halle Berry. ALETA CHAPPELLE Filmmaker
CHRISTIAN GAINES Director of Festivals Withoutabox / IMDB A seasoned film festival executive, Christian possesses diverse experience in the areas of administration, communication, and programming, at festival including the Cannes Film Festival and the Hawaii International Film Festival. Christian was appointed Film Programmer at the Sundance Film Festival, where he was part of the team that programmed the 1995 and 1996 festivals. He also served as Director of New Media for the Sundance Institute and a consultant for the Sundance Channel. As Director of Festivals at the American Film Institute (AFI), he oversaw several festival and film programming projects, including the annual AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival. Most recently, Christian joined Withoutabox, a division of IMDb. com, as the Director of Festivals, where he is overseeing the global development of the film festival side of IMDb’s non-traditional distribution initiatives.
Aleta began her career in the film business working with Francis Coppola at Zoetrope Studios in the Casting Department. She assisted on THE OUTSIDERS, RUMBLE FISH, TUCKER, PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED and THE COTTON CLUB. Most recently, Aleta managed the New York casting for Sofia Coppola’s film SOMEWHERE. She cast TRADE starring Kevin Klein and LIFE SUPPORT starring Queen Latifah for HBO, with both films premiering to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. Her feature film directing credits include GOOSED, starring Jennifer Tilly, which premiered on Showtime, and FIRE, a micro-budget Action/Love Story, which enjoyed a limited theatrical release in the USA. She is currently developing the feature film project MACBETT, which she wrote and will direct. This modern day adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is set in the Caribbean and stars Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Harry Lennix, Danny Glover, and Blair Underwood.
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82 | SCREENING SCHEDULE
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PRINT SOURCE A Barber’s Tale Nelson George Urban Romances 648 Broadway #601 New York, NY, 10012 info@nelsondgeorge.net
Blue Shannon Riggs, Frenetic Media Shannon@freneticmedia.com Fight or Die Productions 1019 W. Edgeware Road Los Angeles, CA 90026
A Sentence Apart Jason Sussberg Pictures 479 3181 16th St. SF, CA, 94103 friendofdurutti@gmail.com
Bronx Princess Highbridge Pictures LLC PO BOX 91 New York, NY 10013 phone: 646.502.5265 info@bronxprinccess.com
A Song for Ourselves Robert Nakamura UCLA Center for EthnoCommunications robertnakamura@asianam.ucla.edu
Brothers Incorporated Michael Johnson Director 510 S. Spring St. Apt 606 Los Angeles , CA, 90013 micahel.johnson@gmail.com
Amazon Women Kiara C Jones Cultivated Films 1425 Amsterdam Ave #8F New York, AL, 10027 kiarajones@mac.com Americana Topaz Adizes 51 W. 83rd St. New York, NY, 10024 topazadizes@mac.com Bama Girl Rachel Goslin 3 Leo Productions 3006 Porter St NW Washington, DC, 20008 rg@3leo.com Big Black Good Man Usame Tunagur 318 Carriage Hill Dr. Athens, OH, 45701 Turkey tunagursam@yahoo.com
84 | PRINT SOURCE INDEX
BURMA VJ Jonathan Howell Oscilloscope Laboratories 511 Canal St., 5E New York, NY 10013 212.219.4029, Ext. 29 212.219.9538 Fax jonathan@oscilloscope.net CRIPS AND BLOODS Abigail Sample Verso Entertainment 11812 Gorham Ave. PH 1 Los Angeles, CA 90049 323.951.0442 Don’t Let Me Drown Cruz Angeles Rollin’ Deep Productions 1567 East 38th Street Brooklyn, NY, 11234 cruz@rollindeep.com
Enter The Preacher Paulette James 70A Arlingford Road Brixton London, SW2 2TA United Kingdom wow@paulettejames.demon.co.uk Eventual Salvation Northstar Pictures, Inc. c/o Nekisa Cooper 65 Pine Avenue #375 Long Beach, CA 90802 323.544.1499 The Fall Aaron Wallace Cineapse Pictures 3940 Laurel Canyon Boulevard #954 Studio City, CA, 91604 cineapse@gmail.com Father’s Day Brian Rolling 255 18th St. Apartment 208 Brooklyn, NY, 11215 brian.rolling@gmail.com French for Foreigners Kartik Singh Director; Producer 31 rue de la Procession Paris, 75015 France skartix@yahoo.com The Good Neighbor Policy Edgar Davis 807 Mariposa St. Apt. B Glendale, CA, 91205 epdfilm@gmail.com Grace Alrick Brown 306 Orange Place Plainfield, NJ, 07060 orionpax1@hotmail.com
2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
Hair We Are Daniella Blechner Conscious Dreams Productions United Kingdom danni-louise79@hotmail.co.uk
Keep On Steppin’ Christine Noschese 31 Crosby Street New York, NY, 10013 cnoschese@aol.com
Hoods to Woods Brian Deka Paupau Hoods to Woods Foundation 831 Putnan Ave Brooklyn, NY 11221 646.644.2030 brian@hoodstowoods.com
La Operacione Victor Cruz Victor Cruz Entertainment www.victorcruzentertainment.com 646.247.8645
Hope Justin Foran How Dare You Productions 58 E. 3rd Street Apt 2 New York, AK, 10003 foranj1@yahoo.com Hug Khary Jones Native American Studies Program Dartmouth College, 6152 Sherman House Hanover, NH, 03755 khary.jones@gmail.com Hush Justin DiPietro IFC Films 11 Penn Plaza, 18th floor New York, NY 10001 jdipietro@ifcfilms.com In The Wind Martin Papazian Papazian Broz Entertainment 8341 W. Manchester Ave. #2 Playa Del Rey, CA, 90293 thesonofapriest@hotmail.com Just Another Day Peter Spirer Rugged Entertainment 7119 Sunset Blvd, Suite 431 Los Angeles, CA, 90046 pspirer@ruggedentertainment.com
Life on Earth Jeff Keith Kips Pastor 2385 Fellowship Park Way Los Angeles, CA 90039 202.271.1811 www.lifeonearththemovie.com Locks Ryan Coogler University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts 3420 Clinton Avenue Richmond CA 94805 rynokeefilmworks@gmail.com The Lost Son of Havana Phillip Aromando phila@hockfilms.com MAMA I WANT TO SING Tamu Curtis Codeblack Entertainment 111 Universal Hollywood Dr., Ste: 2260 Universal City, CA 91608 818.209.9377 Tamu@codeblack.com Manali Cream Marc Boothe B3 Media 3b Electric Avenue London, SW9 8JY, UK marc@b3media.net Mariachi Elena Julia Greenlee Neon Pictures Inc. 310 Windsor Pl. Apt 30 Brooklyn, NY, 11218 ejg234@nyu.edu
Medicine Man Himkar Tak Director; Producer 101 W 24th St NY, NY, 10011 himkart@hotmail.com Mississippi Damned Tina Mabry Morgan’s Mark 5777 W. Century Blvd. Ste. 1747 Los Angeles, CA, 90045 tnmbry@hotmail.com Mrs. Goundo’s Daughter Barbara Attie Attie & Goldwater Productions 16 Levering Circle Bala Cynwyd, PA, 19004 Nueva York Manolo Celi Olo Films 202 W. 83rd St. #2F New York, NY, 10024 manolo@olofilms.com Off and Running Nicole Opper Nicole Opper Productions 43 North Oxford Street Brooklyn, NY, 11205 nicoleopp@gmail.com Osvaldo’s Randy Wilkins 140 Casals Place Apt. 33B Bronx , NY, 10475 natureboy2001@hotmail.com Out of the Darkness Nik Roberts 3921 Lumo Circle Baltimore , MD, 21133 nickel7o7@earthlink.net Pressure Cooker Yelena Rachitsky Participant Media 335 N Maple Dr., Suite 245 Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Yelena@participantmedia.com
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P-Star Rising Gabriel Noble www.GabrielNoble.com noble.arts@gmail.com Popous Pane and The Kids He Loves To Hate Derrick Anthony ChiYork Productions NY, USA danthony5@mac.com Production Lenny Payan Carmen Scott bestof7films@gmail.com Rain Maria Govan Rain Films 11 Ruby Ave, P.O Box CB 12755 Nassau, Bahamas www.rainafilm.com info@rainafilm.com The Roe Effect Kiel Scott OmniAmerican Pictures 3630 N. Johnson St. New Orleans, LA, 70117 kieladrian@gmail.com Salud Cesar De Leon Salud Films 160 South 1st St. Apt.10 Brooklyn, NY, 11211 czanyc@yahoo.com Samo: The Art and Influence of Jean-Michel Basquiat Git Yourz Productions 726 S. Santa Fe Ave #307 Los Angeles, CA, 90021 gityourz@earthlink.net
86 | PRINT SOURCE INDEX
Saturday Morning Blues Yvonne Michelle Shirley Director; Producer 419 Hancock St. #4 Brooklyn, NY, 11216 yvonneshirley1@gmail.com Say My Name Kristen Fitzpatrick Women Make Movies 462 Broadway, Ste 500 New York, NY 10013 Second Chances Alex Munoz FYI Films 8320 Lincoln Blvd. #202 Los Angeles, CA 90045 Shifty Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh, Producers Between the Eyes 50 Frith Street, London, W1D 4SQ UK www.shiftyfilm.com Shooting Stars Daniel Frei Preview Production, LLC 330 Rodney Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 Skin Mike Thomas 7754 Fountain West Hollywood, CA 90046 USA Still Bill Alex Vlack Late Night and Weekends 508 West 26 Street #6C New York, NY, 10001 Toe to Toe Verso Entertainment 11812 Gorham Ave. PH 1 Los Angeles, CA 90049 323.951.0442
Trece Anos Topaz Adizes. 51 W. 83rd St. Garden Studio New York, NY. 10024 Turistas Alfredo Calvino LATINOFUSION Parque de las Estrellas 2755, Jardines del Bosque CP 44510, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico The Visitors Melis Birder 4201 Catheral Ave Apt 501W NW Washington, DC, 20016 melisbirder@yahoo.com The Witness Adam Pertofsky Rock Paper Scissors 2308 Broadway Santa Monica, CA, 90404 What’s On Your Plate? Tanya Selvaratnam Aubin Pictures PO Box 214 NYC, NY 10012 Tanya@aubinpictures.com WITHOUT BIAS Kirk Fraser May 3rd Films 1328 U Street, N.W., Suite 3W Washington, DC 20009 kirk@may3rdfilms.com Wing It Daniel Rezende Fallen Matador Productions 1908 Willow Creek Dr. Apt. 201 Austin, TX, 78741 juliomquintana@gmail.com
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2009 URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 609 Film Center Topaz Adizes Diana Ahn Stephanie Allen Johnathan Ambros Julie Anderson Philmore Anderson Tina Andrews Tracey Austin b3 Media Chuck Baker Sarah Barnes Dori Begley Chunjee Bell Donyshia Benjamin Bob Berney Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Marc Boothe Tamara Briggs Kenard Bunkley Len Burnett Victor Burt Angela Burt-Murray Christine Jean Chambers Essie Chambers Aleta Chappelle Jeff Clanagan Keith Clinkscales Codeblack Entertainment Chautaqua Collins Lisa Cooper Alissa Constable Jocelyn Cooley Sally Coonan Kristin Cotich Rose Crichton John Dahl Lisa Davis Justin DiPietro Brian Dodson Ava DuVernay Michelle Ebanks ESPN Films David Fenkel Robbie Fernandez
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