NeoBlackCinema

Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (August)

Founder: Floyd & Stephanie Rance

Renee Wilson (filmmaker, Crepe Covered Sidewalks), Harry Davis (writer, director, Joy Road) Crystyn Wright (executive editor, publisher,owner of NeoBlack Cinema Magazine), Ryan Richmond (writer, director, Money Matters), shorts filmmaker, Al Thompson (writer, actor, director, Three Blind Mice, Baby Daddy Memoirs), bottom Al Tejada (producer, 99 Ways, Joy Road), Jamal Porter (filmmaker, 99 Ways, Joy Road), Pierre Coleman (director, Hello My Name Is Trouble)

In August, my colleague and I set out to attend one of the most well-attended festivals, the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival. Trust me, getting to Martha’s Vineyard is no joke. What began as a ride to a Rhode Island port turned into an extended road trip after missing the last ferry. It continued though hours of traffic that forced us to go further and eventually leave from Woods Hole, MA. After a shuttle from the car to the steamship, a scenic 45-minute ride to the Vineyard, and a quick check-in at Martha’s Vineyard Resort, we were off to the white party and closing of Freedom Riders with Stanley Nelson. Stephanie and Floyd Nance were warm and inviting and registration staff was on point, even though they were very busy with festival work.  The festival had an ambiance of elegance mixed with comfort and culture that resonated in the films, venues and people. The after-parties at Lola’s Southern Seafood offered a mixture of hip-hop, R&B and live jazz to make everyone feel at home. The daytime screening venues were very cozy and most of the filmmakers were present, which made for great discussions following the screenings. It was easy to get around to the different locations, and the people were very helpful. My only regret is that I didn’t stay for a full week.

I enjoyed so many films, it’s hard to choose which ones to share, but it seems fitting to highlight a comedy, a drama and a documentary. So here they are:

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Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (Tabari Sturdivant) – was a hilarious romantic comedy about a single mom (Demetria McKinney) and her boyfriend (Kendrick Cross) who are just trying to get it right before taking those vows.  Lots of couples will see themselves in these two main characters whose chemistry is so strong, certain scenes were like being a fly on the wall in an actual couple’s bedroom. The film offered great dialogue and a story that illustrates relatable situations, yet rides on the characters for a more than colorful outcome. Through a series of events and a little help from their therapist, they are able to examine themselves and figure out if breaking up is worse than staying together.

Money Matters (Ryan Richmond) –this feature was Richmond’s directing in which he tells the story of a teenage girl, Monique “Money” Matters (Terri Abney). http://www.moneymattersmovie.com/ Money struggles to learn who she is as she grows up in unwarranted confusion. It was a coming-of-age story about drugs, school, peer pressure and sexuality—and a festival favorite. The complexities of  the mother/daughter relationship unfold as we learn more about why Money’s life is the way it is and how hope can make it so much better. The mother/daughter relationship seems to be a recurring theme in a number of the other films, but this one is quite unique. It offers an explanation of Money’s lifelong feelings of being unloved and unwanted. Money’s mom (Aunjanue Ellis) has a quick temper, a bad attitude and a secret that explains it all. The audience begins to learn the story behind the faces of so many young people, who have all the promise in the world, but come from a world we can never begin to understand.

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Crepe Covered Sidewalks (Renee Wilson) – this documentary started out about post Katrina New Orleans and turned into a family’s story of love, forgiveness and healing. Wilson explores the inadequacies of the government dealing with Katrina while showing how the tragedy exposed some wounds that eventually brought her family even closer.

One of These Mornings (Valerie Lymon) – An experiment turned cry-fest. Lyman gave a posted a number for people to call the day after Barack Obama won the election to express how they were feeling. With powerful music, gripping photos and heart-felt commentary from everyday people the audience was glued to the screen.

Three Blind Mice (Jade Holmes) – Questions of race relations, ethics and good character are all left dangling in this short that tells the story of three men on three drastically different paths, all with good intentions. In the blink of an eye each life is changed forever.

To see more photos go to Events http://www.neoblackcinema.com/festivals-events/

Crystyn Wright and Valery Lyman (One of these Mornings, producer)

Al Thompson, actor, producer, director (Johnny B. Homeless, Three Blind Mice, Lenox Avenue, Baby Daddy Memoirs), Crystyn Wright and Ryan Richmond (writer and director, Money Matters)

Renee Wilson (writer, director Crepe Covered Sidewalks) filmmaker

Sharise Randall (writer), Crystyn Wright

Urbanworld Film Festival (September)

Founder: Stacey Spikes

CEO of Reelblack film, production and promotion company, Michael Dennis, Moikgantsi Kgama, Founder & Executive Director of Image Nation and Crystyn Wright, Executive Editor & Publisher of NeoBlack Cinema Magazine

Urbanworld is always dear to my heart because it’s so close to home. Fall is approaching, New York weather is just right, and just a hop, a skip and a jump on the 2 Train and you’re right in the heart of NYC. Stacy Spikes’ Urbanworld Film Festival stays true to its name. It’s a mixture of the A-list actors of Hollywood, the best Indie producers and directors and the public supporting these magnificent indie films. Even with hundreds of attendees, registration is organized and the festival staff is on point, constantly ensuring that any changes in programming are noted. AMC’s 34^th Street theater is turned into a red carpet venue with stars, press and lines of fans. Somehow, though, it manages keep its down-to-earth feel. What more can you ask for?

I could go on and on about the films at 2010’s Urbanworld, but there were so many, I wasn’t able to see them all. Here are just a few that stood out among the others:

Grace (Steven Mondesir) – This short leaves the audience wanting a feature. A man (Alexander C. Mulzac) dealing with an unresolved issue from the past is forced to deal with someone (Loren L. Hankin) from his past who seems to have a knack for stirring up drama. Both lead actors give phenomenal performance through a culmination of lessons in understanding compassion, unyielding character flaws and healing. From their initial encounter, to the small exchanges of dialogue, you can almost watch this film without words and still feel the characters.

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I Will Follow (Ava Duvernay) – In this film we experience a day in the life of a woman (Salli Richardson)  mourning her beloved aunt, who she lost to cancer. As someone who lost a family member very dear to me to cancer, I could relate to the different emotions of blame, sorrow and yearning the different characters experience. I Will Follow purely captures what happens to a family as one of its members dies and after their death. It shows how relationships are often formed, broken and eventually mended in the process. Life and love are questioned, but spirit keeps everyone alive. Starring: Omari Hardwick, Michole Briana White, Tracie Thomas, Beverly Todd.

Katrina’s Son (Ya’ke Smith) – This film was heart-wrenching to watch, but you couldn’t look away. After the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, Ed (Herman Whitney III), a young boy, sets out in search of his mother, who hasn’t raised him, but has always promised one day she’s come. He represents the faces of so many of Katrina’s victims and shows how even though America has forgotten the victims, they are still experiencing the after-effects today. Smith has a knack for films with a heightened political and social consciousness. They cater to the humanity in people and the situations we all see from the outside, but choose whether we want to become involved or look the other way.

*Other Festival Favorites: Katrina’s Son (Ya’ke Smith) Night Catches Us (Tanya Hamilton), Good Intentions (Morocco Omari), Cuts (Rashaad Ernesto Green), Katrina’s Son (Ya’ke Smith), The Lottery(Madeleine Sackler), The Inheritance (Robert O’Hara), Grown in Detroit (Mascha Poppenck and Manfred Poppenk)

To see more photos go to Events http://www.neoblackcinema.com/festivals-events/

NeoBlack Cinema Executive Editor & Publisher Crystyn Wright, Actor Roger Guenveur Smith "Mooz-lum" and his daughter

Crystyn Wright, Executive Editor & Publisher of NeoBlack Cinema, and Director Morocco Omari of "Good Intentions"

Writer Naeemah Khabir and Crystyn Wright Executive Editor & Publisher of NeoBlack Cinema at the premiere of "Mooz-lum"

Hampton International Black Film Festival (September)

Founder: Angelique Monet

Crystyn Wright, Roderick Giles, director ("Deceptive") and Angelique Monet, writer, actor (Deceptive)

Traveling to a Labor Day weekend festival was quite gratifying with the anticipation of the onset of a new school year and New York City kids making their thunderous return from the South and the Caribbean. For Angelique Monet’s second annual Hamptons Black International Film Festival, the inclement weather did not stop the show. My “plus-one” and I barely made it through the storm, but once we arrived, Monet made sure that we were fed and that we had proper lodging. Monet, an actor/producer/businesswoman, made all festival attendees feel at home. She checked to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves, even offering shuttles back and forth to the City for those who did not have transportation. While the rooms were a little pricey (this the Hamptons, after all), the beach, the scenery and the venues made it all worth it. The nighttime screening gave the filmmakers, many of whom had come with their families, a chance to network and take photos between films. The quaint theater house was more than fitting for the morning and afternoon films. The closing event was an unforgettable beachfront screening filled with food and fun.

One of the perks of traveling the film festival circuit is meeting the filmmakers. So here are some of the audience favorites that had producers, directors and actors all in attendance:

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Joy Road (Harry Davis)— a politically-packed feature that attacks the drug “game,” the government, and the pawns while developing the relationship between a brother (Wood Harris) and sister (N’Bushe Wright) that has gone sour as a result of his disconnect from the “hood” that raised him. This begins as story of siblings who choose different paths and the resulting tensions. However, it becomes a much larger tale of politicians and prison and their mutual dependency and the lives that are destroyed for political gain. Davis has brought the film on tour to several university’s to encourage the conversation about private prisons and the politics behind laws that increase conviction rates. Starring: Roger Guenvere Smith, Oba Babatunde, Jamie Hector.

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15 Minutes of Fame (Jo D. Jonz) – A comedic filmmaker’s film! Four roommates try to keep their friendship together while opening their house to a fellow filmmaker to shoot. As complete chaos ensues and everyone competes for their 15 minutes of fame, the guys must decide if the money is really worth the trouble. Filmmakers loved this film because the lingo, outlandish situations that occur on set during production, and the full filmmaking process are all incorporated in this film. As crazy as it gets, anyone who’s been on set will be able to see someone they’ve worked with on a film before. Starring: Markee Adams, Denise Boutte, Shiek Muhmad-Bey

Deceptive (Roderick Giles) – This thriller gives us a look into the life of a wife and mother (Angelique Monet) who is trying to cope with having a husband in the entertainment industry and still pursue her dreams. Meah Pace gives a breakout performance as the not-so-naïve songtress signed to big time producer’s  (played by Shiek Mahmud-Bey) label. There is so much deception no one knows who the “bad guy” is. By the end everyone seems to have gotten in deeper than they intended and true feelings start to surface… unfortunately, it may be too late for everyone to come clean.

*Other Festival Favorites: Wake (Bree Newsome), Hello My Name is Trouble (Pierre M. Coleman), Moth to a Flame (Rosalyn Coleman), The Big Wes (Damian Bailey)

To see more photos go to Events http://www.neoblackcinema.com/festivals-events/

Cast and production team of Joy Road and Angelique Monet (founder of Hampton's International Film Festival)

Angelique Monet (writer, actor "Deceptive"), Billy Flame (actor, Joy Road) and Meah Pace (actor "Deceptive")

Crystyn Wright and Jo D. Jonz director (15 Minutes of Fame)

Atlantic City Getaway Short Film Festival (June)

Founder: Ephraim “Fetti” Benton

Crystyn Wright with actors filmmakers and friends!

The first stop was Ephraim “Fetti” Benton’s Atlantic City Short Film Festival Getaway. This first-time shorts festival from NYC to AC offered quite a twist on the average Atlantic City excursion. We all met on 42^ndStreet thirsty for some bus-ride fun. For a more than reasonable price Ephraim promised beach play, gambling vouchers, good music, dancing and even libations. He kept his word. After watching the films and blasting a few mix-tapes, we arrived in Atlantic City and set off for the beach. Blankets, bikinis and barbecue were all in full effect. Food was distributed and quickly consumed, cameras were flashed and we were off to see how much money could be made at the slot machines. A “nightcap” offered even more food over candlelight at a hot nightspot on the beach with networking at its best.

Here are a couple of my picks for the shorts festival:

Kai (Fred Thomas) – At the beginning of this almost-dramedy, the audience is curious about a fiend’s (Tanya Alexander) drug of choice. Eventually, it is revealed along with her decision to face her addiction head on. This was a creative knee-slapping comedy that is sure to leave the audience on edge until the very end. Starring: Frank Brantley, Peppur Chambers

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Toilet Blunts (Marquis Smalls) –Toilet Blunts has all the makings of a cult classic. Everyone knows what it’s like to anxiously anticipate an event, everything else is planned around it. But what happens when something goes wrong, and no one is looking? We get to see Niko (Antwan Ward) and watch his day unfold. In the end, we have to ask ourselves, “What would we do if no one was watching?” Starring: Johnny Rivera.

*Other Festival Favorites:  Distractions (Michalina Almindo), Missing (Sabrina Moella) Real T’ (Ohene Cornelius), Color of Love (Kelley Janel Diaz)

To see more photos go to Events http://www.neoblackcinema.com/festivals-events/

Filmmakers and friends

Actor and Bobby Yan, director

Ephraim and the Bros