All Things Fall Apart Added To Urbanworld Film Festivalby Wilson Morales
September 8, 2011
The 15th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (www.urbanworld.org), presented by BET Networks has added Mario Van Peebles‟ All Things Fall Apart to its lineup. The film, starring Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in a transformative role as a star college football player, joins a diverse slate of nearly 60 films that will be featured at the New York-based festival from September 14-18, 2011 at AMC 34th Street in midtown Manhattan.
The screening of All Things Fall Apart takes place Friday, September 16 at 7:30pm, followed by a Q&A with director Peebles and actress Lynn Whitfield.
Additionally, comedian Chris Rock will be in attendance to support the world premiere of Diane Paragas’ and Nelson George’s Brooklyn Boheme (Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Branford Marsalis, Rosie Perez, Saul Williams), Urbanworld’s Opening Night Selection.
Festival-goers this year will enjoy a variety of shorts and features dealing with relevant hot topics such as human rights (Kinyarwanda), war (Make a Movie Like Spike), prison (Love Lockdown), and the various perspectives of a “New York state of mind” (Brooklyn Boheme).
On Friday, Sept. 16, BET Networks will sponsor Live Screenplay Readings at the Paramount Screening Room. Directed by veteran acting coach Tracey Moore, the Screenplay Readings will be performed by Urbanworld’s Acting Ensemble, who will deliver scenes from Urbanworld’s five screenplay finalists.
Moreover, for the second year, HBO® will host Urbanworld Digital, a one-day seminar on September 14 featuring seasoned industry players who will discuss topics such as web content creation and distribution, social media marketing, and digital promotions. New to the festival is Urbanworld Music, a series of performances and live entertainment from emerging and established artists that will take place at various venues throughout the week.
“Urbanworld Music is an opportunity to showcase the diverse talents of some of NYC’s best performers,” said Forrest Renaissance, creative director of Urbanworld Music. “We’re excited to add this new entertainment element to a festival that for 15 years has honored the creativity of our culture’s unsung artists.”
Indeed, Urbanworld has a lot to celebrate this year, including a special honor from NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who in June honored Urbanworld founder Stacy Spikes along with the likes of Academy Award winner Matt Damon, actor John Leguizamo and the late director Sidney Lumet at the “Made in NY Awards” at Gracie Mansion. The “Made in NY Awards” are given to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to New York’s entertainment and new media industries.
