The Hollywood Black Film Festival 2011 Lineupby Wilson Morales
October 4, 2011
The Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF), recognized as one of the leading black film festivals, has announced its 2011 lineup of 51 films … 9 Features, 12 Docs, 27 Shorts, and 3 Student films.
Held on October 27-30, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA, HBFF is an annual celebration of Black Cinema drawing together established filmmakers, popular film and TV stars, writers, directors, industry executives, emerging artists, and diverse audiences from Hollywood and around the world. Attracting such stars and industry insiders as Academy Award® winners Sidney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, John Singleton, Spike Lee, George Tillman, Tina Andrews, Reuben Cannon, Cedric The Entertainer, Anthony Anderson, Blair Underwood, Sanaa Lathan, Antwone Fisher, Ice-T, Rev. Run, Bill Duke, Loretta Devine, Rockmond Dunbar, Lamaan Rucker, directors Tim Story, Preston Whitmore, Rob Hardy, Oz Scott, Benny Boom and Jeff Byrd, and producer Will Packer, the festival has become a hotbed for the Black Hollywood community.
Director/producer: Tim Alexander
Cast: Rolanda Watts, Julian Starks, Amentha Dymally, Salina Duplessis, Beth Payne, Buddy Lewis, and Vanessa Williams
Regina Reynolds (Rolonda Watts), is a strong black woman in the truest sense! But her taste for the good life didn’t necessarily include her husband Marcus (Julian Starks) or her daughter Monica (Salina Duplessis). It truly takes “A Mother’s Love” from Georgia (Amentha Dymally) to pray her down to earth!
BILLY
Writers: Ernesto Griffith, Winston Washington Moxam
Direcror: Winston Washington Moxam
Producer: Ernesto Griffith
CHANGING THE GAME
Director: Rel Dowdell
CHICKEN & BEEF PRESENTS MONKEY GANG THE MOCKUMENTARY
Writers: Montaigne Massac, Casey Gane-McCalla
Director: Montaigne Massac
FISH ABOVE SEA LEVEL
Writer/director/producer: Hazim Bitar
THREADING NEEDLES
Writer/producer: Michael Barketey
Director: Jamal Hodge
ROCKSTEADY
Writers: Kevin Shine, Stephen Hays
Director: Mustapha Khan
SHORT FILMS
14085
Writer/director/producer: Olli Koivula
BATHROOM VANITIES
Director: Christopher Cherot
Producer: Dele Ogundiran
BURNED
Writer: Joseph Caston
Director/producer: Phyllis Bancroft
CALL FOR BACK-UP
Writer/producer: Tiffany Black
Director: Keisha Ansley
EMPTY SANDBOX
Writer/producer: Melissa Maria Gibson
FOREVER NO MORE
Writer: Nkechi Okoro
Director/producer: Earnest Rhea
GRACE IN SARA
Writer: Todd Senturia
Director: Ming Lo
Producer: Martin Jones
HARRIET RETURNS
Writer: Tamu Favorite
Director/producer: Marquis Smalls
HEAR ME
Writer/director/producer: Kenn Michael
Director/producer: Darrick Patterson
I WAS HER
Writer: Athena Haley
Director: Anthony Perkins
Producer: Ken Lawson
KISSED BY THE DEVIL
Writer: Michael D Brown
Director: M. Legend Brown
Producer: Sharice Henry Chasi
LOVER
Writer/director/producer: Roy Hurst
MISSION:MOM-POSSIBLE
Writer/producer: Diandra Lyle
Director: Morocco Omari
NBA
Writer/director/producer: Larry Thigpen
NOSE CANDY
Writer/producer: Lydia Martinelli
NUMBER 37
Writer/director/producer: Dion Strowhorn
OKECHUKWU
Writer/director/producer: Anayo Amuzie
REDEEMER
Writer/director: Erma Elzy
Producer: Robin T. Daniels
SILENT NIGHT
Writer: Ryan Gibson
Director/producer: Red Carter
SPARE CHANGE
Writer: Skye Dennis
Director/producer: Lionel Anthony Cook
THE ENCOUNTER (II)
Writer/director: Angela Matemotja
Producer: Dele Ogundiran
THE STREET PREFORMER
Director/producer: Lamont Stephens
THE SWITCH
Director: Marc Williams
THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GUMMY BEARS
Director: Raafi Rivero
Producer: Jason Pollard
TRANSFORMATION
Writer/producer: Michael Francis
Director: Eric Richardson-Hagans
UNDERGROUND
Director/producer: Akil DuPont
WOLF CALL
Director: Rob Underhill
STUDENT FILMS
Weiter/producer: Monique Reed
Direcror: Cesar PalacisosKENYA BOYS
Writer/director/producer: Alvin Shen
THE RISING COST OF COSMETICS
Writer/director: Garen Thomas
Producer: Brian Frager
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Writer: Haran Jackson
Director: Roger MelvinBAD FRIDAY: RASTAFARI AFTER CORAL GARDENS
Director/producer: Deborah Thomas
BOB MARLEY: THE MAKING OF A LEGEND
Producer: Esther Anderson
BURN: THE EVOLUTION OF AN AMERICAN CITY
Director: Harold Jackson III
LESSON BEFORE LOVE
Writer/director/producer: Dui Jarrod
MYSTERY OF BIRDS
Writer/director/producer: Nnaemeka Madueke
CLOSE TIES: TYING ON A NEW TRADITION
Director: Gemal Woods
I AM A DREAM CHASER
INFILTRATING HOLLYWOOD: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR
MAMA SWEETIE
PHUNNY BUSINESS: A BLACK COMEDY
Writers: Raymond C. Lambert, John P. Davies
Director: John P. Davies
Producers: Raymond C. Lambert
REASON TO HOPE
Director/producer: Regge LIfe
THE START OF DREAMS
Director/producers: The Horne Brothers
THEY ARE NOT ALL LOST
Writer: Dawn Kirk-Alexander
Director: David Massey
HBFF 2011 SCREENING SCHEDULE RELEASED
Since being founded in 1998 by its executive director, Tanya Kersey , HBFF has screened a total of 823 independent films including 151 features, 429 shorts, 128 documentaries, 86 student films, 14 animated films and 11 music videos, from all across the United States, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Canada, France, the UK and the Continent of Africa. It has held 402 world premieres, 15 U.S. premieres, 93 West Coast premieres and 60 Los Angeles premieres. Over 50,000 people have attended and enjoyed the diversity of Black Cinema through the festival.
Films that have screened at HBFF include director John Singleton’s box office blockbuster, “2 Fast 2 Furious,” the critically-acclaimed “The Hurricane” (starring Academy Award® winner Denzel Washington), director Kasi Lemmons’ “The Caveman’s Valentine” (starring Samuel L. Jackson), and director Reggie Rock Bythewood’s “Dancing in September.”
