[ back ]
Black Film Festival opens tonight
NEWARK
The Newark Black Film Festival (NBFF) will open at 7 o’clock tonight, Wednesday, June 25, at the Newark Museum with "The Promised Land" episode of the highly acclaimed civil rights movement documentary series, "Eyes on the Prize."
The Newark Museum is located at 49 Washington St. in the Downtown/Arts District of Newark, just three blocks from NJPAC and 10 miles west of New York City.
Additional venues will be the New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, June 26, and Asbury Park High School, Asbury Park, June 27.
The festival, now in its 34th year, also will be introduced for the first time this year at the Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts – Rutgers University, Camden, from Sept. 11 through Sept. 26.
The film will be followed by a discussion on "Black Leaders/Black Ideas – The King Legacy," with former N.J. Assemblyman William Payne, Winthrop McGriff, and Dr. Clement A. Price in Newark; Giles. R. Wright in Trenton; and the Rev. Gilbert Caldwell in Asbury Park.
"Eyes on the Prize," created and executive-produced by the late Henry Hampton at Backside Inc., aired in 14 segments on PBS. Through archival photography and footage, it chronicles the American civil rights movement within the context of two time frames, 1954-1965 and 1965-1985.
"The Promised Land" segment covers the years 1967 and 1968, focusing primarily on the activities of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The festival will screen adult and children’s films in all four cities, concluding on July 30 in Newark, July 31 in Trenton, Aug. 1 in Asbury Park and Sept. 26 in Camden.
The remaining programs are as follows:
n "Back to Africa": A full-length feature telling the poignant story of Sade, a beautiful 24-year-old African-American woman, on a spiritual quest to Nigeria in search for her father who was forced to leave her mother and her when she was two years old; July 2, Newark Museum; July 3, N.J. State Museum; July 8 Asbury Park High School; and Sept. 11-Sept. 26, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts.
Post-Film Discussion: "Nollywood, Contemporary African Filmmaking." Screenwriter/Director Anthony Abulu will discuss the making of the film following all the screenings.
n "Blackout": A captivating film about the summer 2003 blackout, the largest in United States’ history, and its impact on the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 9, Newark Musuem; July 10, N.J. State Museum; July 11, Asbury Park High School; September 11 – 26, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts.
Post-Film Discussion: "Brother Behind The Camera," with Screenwriter/Director Jerry LaMothe and actor Tobias Truvillion.
n "Hallelujah!": The first sound film created by the famed King Vidor, Hallelujah! was one of the first all-black films shot by a major studio. Produced by MGM in 1929, it was intended for general audiences and won Vidor an Oscar nomination; July 16, Newark Museum; July 17, N.J. State Museum; July 18, Asbury Park High School; Sept. 11-Sept 26, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts.
Post-Film Discussion: Film historian and author Donald Bogle is the guest speaker.
n "The Ditchdigger’s Daughters": A Family Channel original movie chronicling ditchdigger Donald Thornton’s passionate efforts to motivate his daughters to become well educated; July 23, N.J. Institute of Technology, Newark; July 24, N.J. State Museum; July 25, Asury Park High School; Sept. 11-Sept. 26, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts.
Post-Film Discussion: Conversations are with Dr. Yvonne Thornton, an accomplished OB/GYN and one of the daughters.
Since its introduction in 1974 by The Newark Museum, the NBFF has provided a forum for hundreds of emerging writers, directors, producers, performers, and film patrons who enjoy black cinema.
The goal of the festival is to present programs that reflect the full diversity of the black experience both past and present, encompassing a wide range of forums and formulas, from documentary to the avant-garde.
In the past 33 years, the Newark Black Film Festival has screened 650 films to an audience of more than 147,000 adults and children from throughout the northeast region.
All screenings are free and open to the public. Films in Newark and Asbury Park will begin at 7 p.m. and at the State Museum in Trenton, at 6 p.m. Seating for all screenings is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once the theater is filled to capacity, additional seating will not be provided. Group seating is limited to two groups of 25 for each screening.
To reserve group seating, in Newark, call 973-596-6550; in Trenton, 609-292-6464; Asbury Park, 732-212-1890/Ext 3.
A Family Channel original movie chronicling ditchdigger Donald Thornton’s passionate efforts to motivate his daughters to become well educated; July 23, N.J. Institute of Technology, Newark; July 24, N.J. State Museum; July 25, Asury Park High School; Sept. 11-Sept. 26, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts.
A Family Channel original movie chronicling ditchdigger Donald Thornton’s passionate efforts to motivate his daughters to become well educated; July 23, N.J. Institute of Technology, Newark; July 24, N.J. State Museum; July 25, Asury Park High School; Sept. 11-Sept. 26, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts.
[ back ]
