50 Cent, Mario Van Peebles, Lynn
Whitfield, Ray Liotta,
Melvin Van Peebles, Michael Clarke Duncan, Kiele Sanchez,
Taryn Manning, Tom Skerritt, Shabaka Henley,Ted Lange, Michael Lange, Jerri Lange and More
Grace the San Francisco Black Film Festival, June 17-19
San Francisco-"The San Francisco Black Film Festival, June 17-19, opens with the Mario Van Peebles directed film "Things Fall Apart" starring Curtis (50 Cent) Jackson III, Lynn Whitfield, Ray Liotta, Cedric Sanders, and Ambyr Childers. 50 Cent and Brian A. Miller wrote the screenplay and Randall Emmett produced the film. Also among the local, national and international films to be screened at the San Francisco Black Film Festival is "Black, White and Blues," written by Morgan Simpson and George Richards starring Michael Clarke Duncan, Kiele Sanchez, Taryn Manning, Tom Skerrit and Melvin Van Peebles and also directed by Mario Van Peebles.
"We are thrilled to have these great films in our line up," said Kali Ray, co-director of the San Francisco Black Film Festival. "There are so many positive subtexts to "Things Fall Apart" and "Black, White and Blues" being in the festival with their themes of overcoming challenges and redemption all on Father's Day Weekend with a father-son film industry connection with Mario Van Peebles and Melvin Van Peebles," added Ray, who took over the reigns of the San Francisco Black Film Festival after the unexpected and untimely demise of his mother founder Ave Montague, who was called the unofficial Mayor of the Fillmore.
"We're looking for to having as many as our stars as possible at the San Francisco Black Film Festival walking the Red Carpet," said Randall Emmett, producer of "Things Fall Apart."
"Congratulations to the San Francisco Black Film Festival as it provides a platform for known and accomplished filmmakers and actors and also emerging artists,” said Mayor Edwin Lee. "The festival is significant also because it gives people from around the world an opportunity to visit our multicultural City helping to stimulate our City's film industry."
The film festival also highlights local filmmaker Kevin Epps on Opening Night with his documentary "Straight Outta Hunter's Point 2," a follow up to his 2002 groundbreaking acclaimed documentary "Straight Outta Hunter's Point." Epps revisits the neighborhood for a look at the current state of the community and the myriad of social and economic issues. Among other local filmmakers in the festival is San Francisco native Jacquie Taliaferro, who recently returned from the Cannes International Film Festival promoting his film "10-10 Gotta Win" edited by Trey Houston that takes a look at the San Francisco District 10 Race for Supervisor and how it parallels similar themes of access to power, economic stability and education in other communities across the nation.
"It's an honor for me to work with a great group of volunteers on a project that opens the way for additional tourism in San Francisco," added Ray. "We extend a special thanks to Randall Emmett and Morgan Simpson ("Black, White and Blues" screenplay writer and star) for giving the ok for "Things Fall Apart" and "Black, White and Blues" to be screened in the San Francisco Black Film Festival."
"The Trajectory of the Black Family Through Film!" was a
pre-festival film series held at the Jazz Heritage Center in the Fillmore and
the thrust of that theme continues through the San Francisco Black Film
Festival as Bay Area families involved in the film industry will be honored
including the Lange Family, Director/Producer Michael, Actor/Director Ted and
writer Jerri Lange. Michael
recently launched a play in the Bay Area and The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre (with new Artistic Director Steven Anthony Jones and new General Manager Shirley Howard-Johnson)
recently honored Ted while their mother has lately been involved in the
promotion of Black female writers, writing an article for the Oakland Post
among other activities. Jerri Lange, a pioneer broadcaster and veteran
journalist, authored the book, "Jerri, A Black Woman's Life in the Media." Shabaka Henley and wife Paulina Sahagun of Latino descent will be on hand with son Miles as their joint project, "90404 Changing" directed and written by Michael Barnard is screened. It depicts the relationships between Blacks and Latinos as the Santa Monica, CA experiences redevelopment.
The festival has a video and essay contest "My Dad is My Hero." The public is asked to send in their 2-minute or less video or 500 words or less essay to honor their father or the father figure in their life both living or in memoriam. Entries should be sent in no later than June 10th to the San Francisco Film Festival P.O. Box 15490, San Francisco, CA 94115 or emailed to info@sfbff.org, attn: "My Dad is My Hero." The entries will be judged by a panel of community leaders and the fathers of the winning entries will be honored on Sunday June 19th.
The San Francisco Black Film
Festival is open to everyone. It's
an opportunity for all multicultural Bay Area residents and visitors to San
Francisco see the African Diaspora through a prism outside of the daily news media
as the festival also provides a platform for the Black community to reflect,
affirm and interchange ideas, concepts and insights. The San Francisco Black Film Festival partnered with the Landmark Theatres, Magic Box Films in May to screen "Viva Riva," the feature film debut of writer-director-producer Djo Tunda Wa Munga,
the first film made in the Democratic Republic of Congo in over two
decades, the first Congolese feature film in the Lingala language, and
the first Congolese feature distributed in the U.S. Landmark Theatre
engagement for "Viva Riva" (rated-R) begins June 24 in San Francisco and
Berkeley.
To find out more about the Urban Kidz Film Series, the Red Carpet Ceremony & Red Carpet VIP Reception, the films, the panels, and the "My Dad is My Hero" contest, visit www.sfbff.org. Family-friendly sales for tickets will begin in June.
The San Franciso Black Film Festival thanks sponsors: San Francisco Grants for the Arts, The Jazz Heritage Center, Rainbow Grocery, Lennar Urban, PG&E, Ray-Lax-Art-Org, Intersection for the Arts, KBLX, and LaHitz Media. For organization and corporate sponsorship opportunities contact Jackie Wright at 415.525.0410.
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About the San Francisco Black Film Festival
The San Francisco Black Film Festival was founded by Ave Montague with the artistic vision to provide a platform for Black filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors to present their art. As a competitive film festival, SFBFF identifies filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors that are emerging as talents and established artists who are contributing to the cinematic legacy of African Americans. SFBFF conscientiously expands the notions of "Black film-making" to a global perspective.