Selected Short Films Playing at Urbanworld 2015Posted by Wilson Morales
September 25, 2015
The 19th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (https://www.urbanworld.org), presented by BET Networks (BET) with founding sponsor HBO, is currently taking place September 23-27, 2015 at Manhattan’s AMC Empire 25 on 234 West 42nd Street.
Among the many short films playing at the festival, here are a few selected films worth seeing.
#AmeriCAN – Nate Parker – Director/Writer. James Lopez – Producer/Story By.
Kay Madsen – Director of Photography. Valerie Bleth Sharp – Producer. Mo McRae – Actor/Producer. Hernany Perla – Producer.
Featuring La La Anthony (Power, Think Like A Man), Andre Royo (The Wire, Red Tails), Mo McRae (Sons of Anarchy), Affion Crockett (Baggage Claim, The Wedding Ringer), Brian White (Hostages, Hawaii Five-0), Omar Benson Miller (CSI Miami, Miracle At St.Anna) and David Franzoni (Academy Award® winner; writer for Amistad, Gladiator and King Arthur; producer of Gladiator)
#AmeriCAN is a short film and public service announcement that comes in response to events that have divided the country over racial lines. With the influx of violence against black males in America over the past few years, the piece strives to offer a unique perspective in examining the value of lives of the country’s citizens. The intention of the message, “all lives matter,” is to pull people together from both sides of the disparity and inspire the kind of empathy and mutual understanding necessary to promote meaningful discourse and domestic reconciliation. The goal is to bring all people together, without exception to race, religion, gender or age, and send the message that all blood flows red.
BLACK CARD
2015/USA/14min/HD/New York Premiere
Directed by: Pete Chatmon
Written by: Tony Patrick
Produced by: Christina DeHaven, Tony Patrick, Dorian Missick, Dylan Verrechia, ELEW
Executive Producer: Pete Chatmon
Cast: Dorian Missick, Simone Missick, Hisham Tawfiq, Stephen Hill, Erika Myers, Malikha Mallette, April Matthis, Valence Thomas
BlackCard | Official Trailer from Double7 Images on Vimeo.
STANHOPE
2015/USA/18min/HD
Directed by: Solvan Naim
Written by: Solvan Naim
Produced by: Solvan Naim, Akshay Bhansali
Cast: Starring Malik Lockett, Johnnie Mae, Rob Morgan, Nedra McClyde, and Simeon Buresch.
Stanhope is a drama about a teenage inner-city kid from Brooklyn who gets caught up in a web of violence as a paid assassin.
About That
2015/USA/15min/New York Premiere
Directed by: Damien Smith
Written by: Damien Smith
Cast: Damien Smith, Crystal Cotton
Summer (played by Crystal Cotton) and Jonathan (played by Smith himself) are in love, but love isn’t enough for some people. Their relationship can only be described as pure bliss. Unfortunately, the world is uncomfortable with the pair and a series of events start to hint at Jonathan’s mental stability.
The Cycle
Director: Michael Marantz
Cast: Ade Otukoya, Kalili Turner
Forgiving Chris Brown
Written and Directed by Marquette Jones
Cast: Lodric D. Collins, Tami Jordan, Tanda Kerín
Tap Shoes & Violins
Directed by: Dax Brooks
Cast: Jessica Williams, Michael McCusker, Shannon Kane,Brandon Bell
Both Charlie and Scott often feel out of place but during a brief encounter at their favorite coffee shop they feel as if they might have just met someone special. But neither ask for the others phone number and return home wishing they can go back in time. They return back to the coffee shop hoping to run into each other once again but only continue to miss each other. When Charlie’s roommate and best friend Madison ironically meets Scott in her own pursuit to date a nice guy, and Scott finally asks a girl out after being hassled by his best friend Cole to stop being so picky, Scott and Charlie’s lives intertwine once again. Are they destined to finally meet or will the complexities of love cause each of them to give up all together?
