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)