Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts

Sunday, August 04, 2024

HBCU First LOOK Film Festival Announces 2024 "I Aspire" 100

The second annual HBCU First LOOK Film Festival (HBCUFLF), announced its 2024 festival dates, November 8 – 10th  and  the premiere  of the 2024 HBCU First LOOK "I Aspire" 100. (2024 HBCU First LOOK 100)

The HBCU First LOOK "I Aspire" 100 is a curated collective of notable HBCU alumni who are inspiring the next generation of content creators across film, television, and digital platforms. This year's list includes MSNBC President Rashida Jones (Hampton University); Former NFL Player and Sports Commentator Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State University); actress and singer Fantasia Barrino Taylor (Central State), actress Lynn Whitfield (Howard University);  Anthony Anderson (Howard University), and Keisha Knight Pulliam (Spelman College); film, network and studio executives, directors, and producers Will Packer (Florida A&M University), Spike Lee (Morehouse College), Aisha Summers Burke (Howard University), Robert Boyd (Morehouse), and Risha Archibald (Lincoln University); award-winning hairstylist and makeup artist Mia Neal (Jackson State University); stage and media influencer K. J. Rose  (Florida A&M University); and many more. The 100 list honorees are invited to "pay it forward" by posting their "I Aspire" message highlighting a movie and/or person who inspired their career and use the hashtag #IAspire2024

The HBCU First LOOK "I Aspire" 100 list was inspired by the inaugural 2023 HBCU First LOOK Film Festival and Initiative which highlighted the rich culture and diverse talent within the HBCU community. 

Following in the footsteps of its inaugural year, which featured a star-studded presentation of the Obamas' Netflix film, Rustin, the 2nd Annual HBCU First LOOK Film Festival (HBCUFLF) will take place on November 8-10, 2024, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. This year's HBCU First LOOK Film Festival's theme: "A Celebration of Black Cinema X Activism will highlight some of Hollywood's most influential classic films and HBCU alums in arts and entertainment who have built bridges for the next generation.

HBCU First LOOK App will be the one stop source for festival activations that include the announcement of three grand prize winners of the HBCU First LOOK Film Challenge; panel discussions and masterclasses with entertainment industry leaders and filmmakers, film screenings; with interactive Career & Vendor Lounge.

Sponsors and media partners include AARP, Café Mocha Network, HBCUGO.TV, Howard University Department of Television + Film, Howard University Television (WHUT), Howard University Radio Network, HBCU SiriusXM Channel 142, and Impact Media.  

For more information, visit HBCUFirstLook.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:   Jalila Larsuel - J L Media PR - Jalila@JLMediaPR.com

HBCU First LOOK Film Festival: Sheila Eldridge – CEO - Sheila@milesaheadentertainment.com 

SOURCE Miles Ahead Entertainment

Sunday, March 19, 2023

THE AFRICAN DIASPORA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: March 24 – 26, 2023

The African Diaspora International Film Festival Women’s History Month presents a selection of 10 films centering on women of color from various social backgrounds in the USA, Egypt, Peru, India, Senegal, Puerto Rico and Burkina Faso.

Highlights include:

Ludi by Edson Jean (USA/HAITI).
After a half truth lands her under immense financial pressure, Ludi Alcidor embarks on a frantic scour through Miami's private care-taking world in an increasingly desperate attempt to send money to her family in Haiti.

Ticha Shaher Hona / City Personified by Rasika Agashe (INDIA)
This Mumbai-based story follows Archana, a professional woman leading a routine life who meets confident and vocal house help Kiran. Tragically, Kiran dies in a road accident witnessed by Archana, who is left shattered. This incident changes Archana's perspective and life forever.

Colorism in Latin America: White Like the Moon by Marina Palmier & Angelica by Marisol Gómez-Mouakad (USA / Puerto Rico).
In White Like the Moon, a Mexican-American girl struggles to keep her identity when her mother forces her to bleach her skin. In Angelica, a young Black woman returns to Puerto Rico when her father suffers a stroke, forcing her to confront her strained relationships with family members who judge her for her skin color.

Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun by Sam Pollard (USA)
A documentary about the pioneering novelist and anthropologist who established African American vernacular as an important voice in American literature. This definitive film biography captures her complexity, presenting her as a gifted, flamboyant, and controversial yet fiercely original figure in the American literary canon.
Q&A with writer / producer Kristy Andersen after the screening!

ADIFF Women’s History Month Program will be at Teachers College, Columbia University - 525 W 120th St. Room 408 Zankel. Tickets are $11 and $13. Weekend Pass is $45.
WEB SITE: http://www.NYADIFF.org
For more information about the African Diaspora International Film Festival, to receive links and high resolution images please contact Diarah N’Daw-Spech at (212) 864-1760/ fax (212) 316-6020 or e-mail pr@nyadiff.org.

The African Diaspora International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization.


SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

ADIFF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH COMPLETE LINE-UP

Friday, March 24
7:30pm Ludi by Edson Jean (USA)

Saturday, March 25
1:00pm Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story by Yousry Nasrallah (Egypt)
3:30pm Angels on Diamond Street by Petr Lom (USA)
5:20pm Rosa Chumbe by Jonatan Relayze (Peru)
7:00pm Ticha Shahar Hona (City Personified) by Rasika Agashe (India)

Sunday, March 26
1:00pm Colorism in Latin America: White Like the Moon by
Marina Palmier + Angelica by Marisol Gómez-Mouakad (USA)
3:20pm The Silent Monologue by Charles Van Damme and Khady Sylla
(Senegal/Belgium)
4:30pm An Uncommon Woman by Abdoulaye Dao (Burkina Faso)
6:30pm Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun by Sam Pollard (USA)


The African Diaspora International Film Festival WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM is made possible in part thanks to the support of the following institutions and individuals: ArtMattan Productions; the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Community Affairs, Teachers College, Columbia University; the New York City Council in the Arts and WBAI.

ABOUT THE AFRICAN DIASPORA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Established in 1993, the African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) is a Harlem based minority-led not-for profit international film festival that presents, interprets and educates about films that explore the human experience of people of color all over the world in order to inspire imaginations, disrupt stereotypes and help transform attitudes that perpetuate injustice.
The mission of The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) is to expand the traditional views and perceptions of what the Black experience is by showcasing award-winning socially relevant documentary and fiction films about people of color, from Peru to Zimbabwe, from the USA to Belgium and from New Zealand to Jamaica. Visit nyadiff.org for details about the festival.

Sunday, January 09, 2022

12 Black actors nominated for Golden Globe Awards

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced nominees for their annual Golden Globe Awards,. Twelve of those nominated in the acting catergories for both film and televison are Black Or African American. This inlcludes Denzel Washington, Ruth Negga, Issa Rae, Anthony Anderson, and more.

FILM CATEGORIES

Best Actor in a Drama:

Mahershala Ali ("Swan Song")

Will Smith ("King Richard")

Denzel Washington ("The Tragedy of Macbeth")

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama

Aunjanue Ellis ("King Richard")

Ruth Negga ("Passing").

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Actress in a drama

Uzo Aduba, “In Treatment”

Actor in a drama

Billy Porter, “Pose”

Omar Sy, “Lupin”

Actress in a comedy or musical

Issa Rae, “Insecure”

Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black-ish”

Actor in a comedy or musical

Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish”

Actress in a limited/anthology series or TV movie

Cynthia Erivo, “Genius: Aretha”

Saturday, December 11, 2021

‘The Harder They Fall' Tops African American Film Critics Association List Of 2021

'The Harder They Fall' headlined the African American Film Critics Association's annual list of the top 10 films of the year. The film, directed by Jeymes Samuel, and produced by rap mogul Jay-Z, stars Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Regina King, Zazie Beetz and Lakeith Stanfield portraying historical Black figures Rufus Buck, Nat Love, Trudy Smith, Stagecoach Mary and Cherokee Bill, respectively.

"Selections for this year's Top 10 speak to history's importance in informing who we are, as a people and as a community," said AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson. "Although our top film 'The Harder They Fall' from Netflix is a fictionalized Western, it introduced the world to an incredible array of real-life Black cowboys and cowgirls who helped to transform the West, prompting many to discover the prominent role Black people played in that storied chapter of American history that has long been a Hollywood go-to genre."

"With Richard Williams in 'King Richard' and Aretha Franklin in 'Respect,' you get an examination of two figures who have left an indelible mark on society and world culture. Mr. Williams, through the cultivation of the talent of his daughters, Venus and Serena, has forever transformed tennis. Their success has become a door-opener by which others can enter a sport that has historically been very closed to them," Robertson continued. "Obviously not enough can be said about Ms. Aretha Franklin who shaped and transformed the world through her music. These films, along with the rest of AAFCA's Top 10 films of 2021, celebrate culture, history and history-makers. AAFCA is thrilled to recognize their contributions to cinema."

The full list of AAFCA'S Top 10 Films of 2021:

  1. The Harder They Fall

  2. King Richard

  3. Respect

  4. The Tragedy of Macbeth

  5. Passing

  6. Belfast

  7. Who We Are

  8. House of Gucci

  9. The Power of the Dog

  10. West Side Story

As previously announced, AAFCA will reveal winners of the 13th Annual AAFCA Awards honoring outstanding achievement in film in 15 competitive categories on Jan. 17,2022. An in-person celebration in Los Angeles will follow on March 2.

For more information on the AAFCA Awards and the organization's other programs and activities, visit http://AAFCA.com.

[SOURCE: BROADWAY WORLD]

Sunday, February 07, 2021

Chadwick Boseman Makes History With Four SAG Award Nominations

The late Chadwick Boseman scored four 2021 SAG Award nominations on Thursday, becoming the first person to earn four Screen Actors Guild film nods in a single year.

Boseman earned a nomination in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role category for his performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and a nod for male actor in a supporting role for his part in “Da 5 Bloods.”

He also scored two ensemble nominations for both films in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category.

The 27th annual ceremony for the Screen Actors Guild Awards is set to air on TNT and TBS on Sunday, April 4, at 9 p.m. EST.

[SOURCE: HUFFPOST]

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Spike Lee, President of the Jury at the 73rd Festival de Cannes

The American director Spike Lee is to serve as President of the Jury at the next Festival de Cannes. He becomes the first Black person to lead the jury.

At 62, the filmmaker, who is also a screenwriter, actor, editor and producer, has made numerous films that have become cult objects, and he brought the questions and contentious issues of the times to contemporary cinema. But he’s never lost sight of the public, setting out to raise their awareness of his causes in film after film.

Surrounded by his Jury, which will be announced in mid-April, Spike Lee will award the Palme d'or at the close of the 73rd edition, which will take place from 12 to 23 May 2020.

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION (AAFCA) ANNOUNCES THE FIRST ANNUAL AAFCA TV HONORS



The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced the creation of the AAFCA TV HONORS, an annual awards fete celebrating outstanding achievement in television.  The first annual event will take place as a luncheon on August 11th at the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey and will hand out honors in seven categories, as determined by AAFCA’s awards committee including:
Drama of the Year
A drama series, limited series, documentary series, television movie or otherwise that stands out for its quality and cultural significance
Comedy of the Year
A comedy series, limited series, television movie or special that stands out for its quality and cultural significance
Discovery of the Year
This award may be given to an actor, creator or project that stands out as a groundbreaker or gamechanger in the television landscape
Actor of the Year
An actor whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary
Actress of the Year
An actress whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary
Icon Award
Recognizes a veteran of television who has forged a path in greatness
Inclusion Award
Recognizes a network or production entity that demonstrates a powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion
Recipients of the honors will be announced on June 6 via press release and on AAFCA’s website.
The AAFCA TV Honors joins the organization’s existing awards events that take place in the first quarter of each year — the AAFCA Special Achievement Luncheon which honors extraordinary individuals working in both film and television who represent the best of the entertainment industry including journalists, executives, storytellers and performers and the AAFCA Awards, now in its tenth year, which recognizes outstanding achievement in film.  Dates for both of these events will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We’re excited to expand on our established tradition of celebrating excellence across the Hollywood landscape,” stated AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson, “It’s a thrilling time for television in terms of quality and influence, especially as networks take huge strides forward in reflecting diversity and inclusion in their programming.  This new wave of innovative, thought-provoking storytelling is inspiring and deserving of celebration.”
ABOUT AAFCA
Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premiere body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment that includes the Black experience and storytellers from the African Diaspora. The organization’s primary mission is to cultivate understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contributions of African descended talent to cinematic and television culture – from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined breakthroughs of future generations.  AAFCA members are a geographically diverse cross-section of journalists, covering all genres of the cinematic arts, while representing multiple mediums – including print, TV, radio broadcast and online. Collectively, they reach a worldwide audience in excess of 100 million. As a non-profit organization, AAFCA is committed to numerous educational and philanthropic efforts, particularly those that foster and celebrate diversity and inclusion. For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit http://AAFCA.com.


Saturday, February 23, 2019

If Beale Street Could Talk wins 'Best Feature' at 34th annual Spirit Awards

Barry Jenkins film adaption of James Baldwin's If Beale Street Could Talk won the award for Best Feature at the 34th annual Spirit Awards. Watch Jenkins award speech below:

Barry Jenkins film also took home two more honors with Regina King winning the award for Best Supporting Female and Mr. Jenkins himself winning in the Best Director category.

The Spirit Awards were founded in 1994 to recognize the talent both in front of and behind the camera in independent films.

Check out a complete list of the winners here: https://www.filmindependent.org/blog/here-are-the-winners-of-the-2019-film-independent-spirit-awards/

Monday, December 17, 2018

"Eve's Bayou" to be inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry

The 1997 indie hit "Eve's Bayou," written and directed by Kasi Lemmons and co-produced by co-star Samuel L. Jackson has been named to a select group of America's most influential motion pictures to be inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress because of their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage.

The 1997 “Eve’s Bayou” was written and directed by Black female director Kasi Lemmons and co-produced by Samuel L. Jackson, who stars in this family drama. “It’s such an honor to return from production on my fifth film, ‘Harriet,’ to find that my first, ‘Eve’s Bayou,’ is being included in the National Film Registry,” Lemmons said. “As a Black woman filmmaker it is particularly meaningful to me, and to future generations of filmmakers, that the Library of Congress values diversity of culture, perspective and expression in American cinema and recognizes ‘Eve’s Bayou’ as worthy of preservation. I’m thrilled that ‘Eve’s Bayou’ is being included in the class of 2018!”

The Librarian makes the annual registry selections after conferring with the distinguished members of the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) and a cadre of Library specialists. Also considered were more than 6,300 titles nominated by the public.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Ava DuVernay making Prince documentary for Netflix

Ava DuVernay the director of both 13th and Selma is now making a documentary about music legend Prince for Netflix.

“Prince was a genius and a joy and a jolt to the senses,” the Oscar-nominated filmmaker told Deadline tonight of the Purple Rain star who died in April 2016. “He was like no other,” DuVernay added of the Oscar winner and eight-time Grammy recipient. “He shattered every preconceived notion, smashed every boundary, shared everything in his heart through his music. The only way I know how to make this film is with love. And with great care. I’m honored to do so and grateful for the opportunity entrusted to me by the estate.”

As part of the development of the film, the estate has granted the ARRAY founder full access to the vast trove of archives recordings and, perhaps most immediately important to Prince’s global fanbase, the unreleased material by the prolific musician. The early stages of the project already have seen DuVernay, editor Spencer Averick and other members of her core production team visit Prince’s Paisley Park home and studios repeatedly during the past several months.

[SOURCE: DEADLINE]

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Ryan Coogler Signs on to Write and Direct 'Black Panther' Sequel

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the filmmaker behind Marvel’s landmark Black Panther has quietly closed a deal to write and direct the sequel.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Jordan Peele to Receive CinemaCon Director of the Year Award


Jordan Peele, the breakthrough writer/director of Universal Pictures’ smash “Get Out,” will receive the “CinemaCon® Director of the Year,” it was announced today by CinemaCon Managing Director, Mitch Neuhauser. CinemaCon, the official convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), will be held March 27-30, 2017 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Peele will be presented with this special honor at the “CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards” ceremony, which takes place on the evening of Thursday, March 30, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, hosted by the Coca-Cola Company, the official presenting sponsor of CinemaCon.

“With the phenomenon known as ‘Get Out,” Jordan Peele has instantaneously become a force to reckon with as a gifted and enormously talented director and filmmaker,” noted Neuhauser. “He has audiences and critics around the globe enamored and spellbound, dare I say hypnotized, with his wildly inventive directorial debut, and we are ecstatic to be honoring him as this year’s ‘Director of the Year.’”

In Universal Pictures’ “Get Out,” a speculative thriller from Blumhouse and the mind of Jordan Peele, when a young African-American man visits his white girlfriend’s family estate, he becomes ensnared in a more sinister real reason for the invitation.

Now that Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of dating, she invites him for a weekend getaway upstate with Missy (Catherine Keener) and Dean (Bradley Whitford).

At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he could have never imagined.

Equal parts gripping thriller and provocative commentary, “Get Out” is produced by Blumhouse’s Jason Blum, as well as Sean McKittrick, Edward H. Hamm Jr., and Peele. The film also stars Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, Milton “Lil Rel” Howery, Betty Gabriel, Marcus Henderson and Lakeith Stanfield.

Among its many accolades, the film has earned a 99% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Previously, Emmy Award winner Peele was the co-star and co-creator of Comedy Central's “Key & Peele”. The hit series garnered more than 1 billion online hits, and in addition won a Peabody Award, an American Comedy Award, and earned 12 Emmy Award nominations during its five-season run. Peele also recurred on the Emmy Award-winning FX series “Fargo”, was a series regular on FOX's “MADtv” and received an Emmy Award nomination for his music video “Sad Fitty Cent.” Peele starred in the New Line feature “Keanu,” alongside Keegan-Michael Key, which Peele also produced and co-wrote with Alex Rubens. Upcoming in TV, Peele is executive producing the new Tracy Morgan comedy show for TBS."


Sunday, March 12, 2017

Get Out crosses the $100 million dollar mark

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

The Jordan Peele directed movie Get Out which is an allegory of African-American strengths being siphoned for the benefit of white people, disguised as a run-of-the-mill horror flick crossed over into blockbuster status this weekend. The movie which cost $4.5 million to make has now grossed over $111 million at the box office. No matter what happens from here on out it will be most of the most profitable movies of the year.

Per BoxOfficeMojo

Universal and Blumhouse's Get Out finished third this weekend, once again outperforming expectations as it dropped just 25.4% for an estimated $21 million for a domestic cume that now stands at $111 million. Coming up with comparisons for Jordan Peele's breakout thriller is near-impossible as its week-over-week performance is mind-blowing as it is already Blumhouse Productions' second highest grossing release of all-time and showing absolutely no signs of stopping. And it can't be said often enough, the film's budget was a mere $4.5 million.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Hidden Figures crosses into blockbuster status!

Who would have thought that a historical drama featuring three black women as leads would knock Star Wars: Rogue One from the top spot, be the #1 movie for two weeks, get a best movie Academy Award nomination, and make more than $100 million dollars at the box office? Well Hidden Figures has done just that by passing the $100 million mark this weekend.

Hidden Figures grossed $13 plus million this weekend to push it's total to over $103 million in it's six weeks of release.

Hidden Figures stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe. Octavia Spencer has been nominated for a best supporting actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Dorothy Vaughan.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Octavia Spencer, Hasty Pudding's Woman of the Year

Octavia L. Spencer is about to have a new award on her shelf, right up there next to her Oscar statuette and Golden Globe trophy.

Spencer was named the 2017 Woman of the Year by Hasting Pudding Theatricals Thursday afternoon, an annual award given to a performer who has made lasting contributions to the entertainment world. Spencer's perfo

rmance as an actress in "The Help" earned her several awards in 2012, including an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award among others. Just a few days ago, Spencer was named an Oscar nominee for her role in "Hidden Figures."

[SOURCE: the crimson.com]

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Ava DuVernay's documentary "13th" nominated for an Academy Award

Lost in the hoopla around La La Land's 14 Academy Award nominations and that a record number 6 African American actors received nominations is the news that Director Ava Duvernay's documentary 13th received a nomination in the "Best Documentary" category.

13th, directed by Ava Duvernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation's prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans.

Ava Duvernay released the following statement on the film's nomination:

My thanks to the Academy for amplifying the injustices of mass criminalization and mass incarceration that we chronicle in '13th.' Now more than ever, it is important to educate ourselves, explore our shared history and elevate our awareness about matters of human dignity.

It’s an honor be included in a category with such fine documentarians and to be nominated in a year that truly embraces and celebrates inclusion within our creative community.

13th was directed by Ava DuVernay and produced by DuVernay, Spencer Averick, Howard Barish.

The searing look at mass incarceration in the United States is now airing on Netflix.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Free screening of "13th" in Hillside NJ

On November 4, 2016 there will be a free screening of Ava DuVernay's acclaimed documentary "13th" at Hillside High School, 1085 Liberty Avenue in Hillside NJ. The screening begins at 6:30 PM and will be followed by a panel discussing the film. Admission is free.

This event is sponsored by Supreme Strategies Inc, The First Baptist Church of Hillside, and the Hillside Board of Education. Any inquires can be directed to Anthony Salters at anthonysalters@aol.com

SYNOPSIS: Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation's prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Taraji P. Henson & Octavia Spencer film 'Hidden Figures' to get earlier release

Looks like Twentieth Century Fox will be releasing the movie 'Hidden Figures' one week earlier than initially announced.

The site Hollywood Reporter reports that:

The movie focuses on the untold story of three African-American women (Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae) who worked behind the scenes on key space programs.

Fox confirmed Friday that it would in fact give its Taraji P. Henson- and Octavia Spencer-starring NASA drama Hidden Figures a limited, Oscar-qualifying release on Christmas Day.

The movie, which was previously set to hit theaters on Jan. 13 of next year will instead go wide on Jan. 6.

Hidden Figures, directed by Theodore Melfi, focuses on the untold story of three brilliant African-American women working at NASA who served as the brains behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit in 1962. The biographical drama shows how the trio, rounded out by Janelle Monae, battled stereotypes and defied expectations as they made history.

HIDDEN FIGURES TRAILER

Wednesday, October 05, 2016

New Documentary: "Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America"


Head Not The Tail Productions (HNTT Productions) is excited to announce the forthcoming screening of its important and timely documentary titled Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America. The film, directed by Melody Shere'a and executive produced by Monica Simmons, is a powerful and inspiring documentary that is the result of a year-long research study interviewing black professional women in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. Invisible Women uncovers and addresses issues around racism that profoundly affect black women in the corporate workplace. The women share respective experiences of disappointment and rejection when simply trying to earn a living and/or compete against white, Asian and women of other races for a higher step on the corporate ladder. Invisible Women will screen Wednesday, October 12, 2016 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Valley Center for the Performing Arts, a unique performance facility that exists in the Oakland Hills on the scenic campus of Holy Names University (3500 Mountain Blvd., Oakland, CA). The evening will encompass the film viewing, reception and panel discussion. Tickets are $20 through Oct. 2; $30 thereafter.

"For the production of Invisible Women, we interviewed black women of varied professional levels who generously shared their previously untold stories and feelings around race-related issues on the job," said Shere'a, HNTT Productions founder and CEO. "In conducting the research, we found the corporate practice of discrimination to be a common harsh reality faced by countless women of color. We also interviewed experts who provide employment reports and statistical data on this topic."
Shere'a, the film's director and executive producer Simmons are talented sisters. They have each personally experienced workplace race and gender discrimination throughout their corporate careers, which is how they conceived the idea to develop this documentary.
HNTT Productions partnered with non-profit organizations BlackFemaleProject.Org and Center for Talent Innovation to dig into the issues, look at the facts, explore the reality of working in corporate America as a black woman and delve into ways to improve the environment for tomorrow's young black corporate professionals.
While there is certainly lobbying at local, state and federal levels for gender equality and diversity in the workplace, women's discrimination remains a troubling issue that as yet has not been adequately addressed. Though numerous entities address the issue by hiring and promoting more women into management positions and corporate executive roles, a considerable recognition/advancement gap still exists for black women.
The playing field isn’t level and well-qualified black women are too frequently denied the opportunity to explore similar career growth opportunities as their white and other female counterparts. The facts and details you will learn from this documentary will surprise you.
About News noted in a May 2016 report that although black women only make up 12.7 percent of the female population in the country, they consistently make up over 50 percent—and sometimes much more—of the number of blacks who receive postsecondary degrees. Percentage-wise, Black women outpace white women, Latinas, Asian/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans in the education arena. However, a recent study found black women make up just 8% of private sector jobs and 1.5% of leadership roles.
Shere'a has a passion for empowering and mentoring young girls, and is a "Woman of Impact" member for Girls Inc. Alameda County. A portion of the event proceeds will be donated to the following organizations: Black Female Project, Girls Inc Alameda County, Girls Who Code and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. To contribute directly to the fund, visit IndieGoGo crowdfunding page.
ABOUT HEAD NOT THE TAIL PRODUCTIONS (HNTTP): 
HNTT Productions, founded in 2016 by Melody Shere’a, is located in the heart of Oakland, California. The company creates, develops, produces and invests in film, television and documentary projects. The entertainment industry veteran possesses more than 10 years acting, print modeling and voice-over experience. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Shere’a graduated from Cal State Hayward, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree, and later pursued an MBA in Finance at Holy Names University in Oakland.
Monica Simmons is the Executive Producer of the documentary and head of production and film development for HNTT Productions.
Shere'a, HNTT Productions CEO states, "For too long our stories have been left behind. It is HNTTP's goal is to bring forth the change needed in the entertainment industry by becoming the 'Head and Not The Tail' in this business".    HNTTProductions.com

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Southside with You: Movie about Barack & Michelle's first date

Some may have heard of a new movie titled Southside with You is being released this Friday August 26,2016 about the first date of Barack Obama and then Michelle Robinson, but I'm sure many more have not. The film has John Legend as an executive producer and stars Parker Sawyers (Zero Dark Thirty, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) as Barack and Tika Sumpter (The Haves & the have Nots, Sparkle) as Michelle. Sumpter is also a producer of the film.

Inspired by Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date, SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU recounts the eventful summer day in 1989 when a young law firm associate named Barack Obama tried to woo lawyer Michelle Robinson during a daylong date that took them from the Art Institute of Chicago to a screening of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing to the site of their first kiss outside of an ice cream parlor. Watch the trailer below.