Reel Sisters Journal 2015

Saturday, October 24, 2015 Sunday, October 25, 2015

Across the Tracks

Winner, Reel Sisters Best Narrative Award

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Festival Director Carolyn A. Butts

“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You can not win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there,” Emmy award-winning actress Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder.

Dear Friends, Welcome to the 18th Annual Reel Sisters of the Diaspora and Lecture Series.

We’re proud to present the first Reel Sisters Hattie McDaniel Award to actresses Ebony JoAnn and Jessica Williams. We renamed our Pioneer Award to honor Hattie for refusing to let her light be dimmed by the limited roles for Black women in her era. Through perseverance, she paved the way for other women of color to follow.

It has been an incredible year for women of color in film and television. Viola Davis won the first Emmy for an African-American actress in a drama written by Shonda Rhimes, a Black woman with three top rated television shows on a major network.

Women directors in the independent film community are creating excellent stories for our actresses. We must encourage celebrity actors and actresses to partner with indie filmmakers by supporting them in theaters presenting their films.

Films like Across the Tracks, Shadow Man, Lia, Daddy Duty and Roubado offer a chance for marquee name talents to fulfill their desires for three dimensional roles while giving our directors opportunities to expand their audience.

Join Reel Sisters in establishing an alternative space where we can share our stories and create a successful model for distributing films outside of mainstream media.

Thank you for your support!

Peace & blessings, Carolyn A. Butts Reel Sisters Founder/Festival Director Follow: @africanvoices + @reelsisters 2

Sponsors

Reel Sisters is supported, in part, by New York State Council on the Arts, Brooklyn Arts Council, Council members Jumaane Williams (45 C.D.) and Laurie Cumbo (35 C.D.), Centric and LIU Brooklyn.

Community Partners

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AFRICAN VOICES BOARD Carolyn A. Butts, Publisher/Editor Jeannette Curtis-Rideau, Board Chairperson Kenneth Meeks, Board Treasurer REEL SISTERS FILM FESTIVAL COMMITTEE 2015 Carolyn A. Butts, Founder/Festival Director Patrice Bradshaw, Lecture Series Director/Founding Member Rodney Hurley, Co-founder Reel Sisters & Managing Director, Kumble Theater Kara Ford, Festival Curator Jennifer Heslop, Festival Coordinator Clairesa Clay, Founding Curator & Guest Host Rhonda Haynes, Stage Manager Kojo Ade, Advisory Board Member Kim Singleton, Advisory Board Member Nicole Franklin, Advisory Board member Janice Johnson, Advisory Board member Jackie Reason, Volunteer Coordinator Michael Fequiere and Rose-Ann Green, Technical Assistants Pittershawn Palmer, Journal Design LIU Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts Staff Rodney Hurley, Managing Director Holly Ko, Assistant Production Manager Ricardo Frias, Box Office Manager JURY MEMBERS Curtis John, Maeshay K. Lewis, Louise Fleming, Robin Shanea Williams MEDIA SPONSORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS Walk Tall Girl Productions, SYM-Magazine, Harlem World Magazine, Calabar Imports, Haiti Cultural Exchange, Caribbean Film Academy, National Black Programming Consortium, Amsterdam News, Black Documentary Collective, ImageNation Cinema Foundation, AfroPunk, motivateArt, New York Women in Film & Television, 651 Arts, BRIC, Women Are Talking TV (BRIC Media), The Documentary Forum at CCNY and LIU Brooklyn.

VOLUNTEERS 2015 Special thanks to all our volunteers!

LaZette McCants & Volunteer Divas & Divos Plus, Volunteers for Arts & Culture & Community 4

MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES

NANCY GILES NANCY GILES is an Emmy Award-winning contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning. She also won a Theatre World Award for her Off-Broadway debhut in the satirical musical Mayor; won two Gracie Awards (from the Alliance of Women in Media) for talk radio’s Giles and Moriarty (with 48 HRS Erin Moriarty); was in the ensemble cast of TV’s China Beach for three seasons; and had small parts in big films with directors like Mike Nichols, Clint Eastwood, and Woody Allen. She co-created 3 solo shows with director Ellie Covan at her acclaimed Dixon Place in NYC; has been a long-time (and proud) volunteer with The 52nd Street Project; and continues to toil on a collection of true stories, Notes of a Negro Neurotic, because the nutty stories just keep coming.

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Performance by...

American Candy Created by Hollie Harper, American Candy is a smart and edgy sketch comedy show straight out of Brooklyn. The show’s creative team is a hilarious and talented bunch that creates raucous sketch and musical comedy in cheeky and naughty ways.

American Candy premiered in June 2009 at the famed Gotham Comedy Club in New York. They have since enjoyed dozens of sold out shows. Launching a new show each time, AMERICAN CANDY continues to develop a devoted and enthusiastic fan base.

Hollie Harper is the executive producer of American Candy and Playhouse Creatures, Megan O’Leary, Stephanie Bok, Keith Sage-EL, Daryl Tillman and Dumeha Vernice Thompson are co-producers. Jeff Jeudy is their musical

Cierra Irizarry Jones Fourteen-year-old Cierra Irizarry Jones has been singing from the moment she could speak. Blessed with talent that has already taken her overseas, Cierra has performed with such greats as the notable Al Jarreau, where she was handed the microphone to improvise with the jazz artist.

Recently, she was selected to sing with Coro Hispano de Philadelphia for the Pope on his recent visit to the U.S. A freshman at Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy in Camden, N.J., Cierra continues to hone her craft as a voice major while fulfilling her academic pursuits.

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Film Schedule Saturday, October 24, 2015 SPIKE LEE SCREENING RM. AGAINST THE ODDS — 1:00 pm-2:07 pm Big Time — My Doodled Diary, 11:30 min.

TeleSourd, 9:32 Across the Tracks, 15 min.

Lia, 19:32 min.

FROM BROOKLYN TO ZIMBABWE — 2:15 pm-3:19 pm Didn’t I Ask for Tea?, 23 min.

Shadow Man, 15:20 min.

My Home, 14:40 min.

LECTURE SERIES PANEL — 3:30 pm-4:30 pm Good Love! (Re) presentations of Love & Sex in Black Women’s Cinema LA BELLE VIE: THE GOOD LIFE — 4:35 pm-5:47 pm La Belle Vie: The Good Life, 62 min.

TRIFLING — 6:00 pm-7:06 pm Forgiving Chris Brown, 12 min.

Free Loader, 17:51 min.

Roommates, 11:35 min The Way You Love, 10 min.

Outta My Name, 4 min.

VENUE: LLC 109, LIU, BK TROUBLED YOUTH— 1:00 pm-2:16 pm Falling, 10:04 min.

Daddy Duty, 10:30 min.

America 1979, 14 min.

Safar, 14: 52 min.

The Youth, 15 min.

WEB SERIES — 2:30 pm-3:32 pm Host: Tilsa Wright, SYM-Magazine 7

Film Schedule VENUE: LLC 109, LIU, BK Star Boy, 9:06 min.

Everything I did Wrong In My 20s, 22 min.

MY HAIR-I-TAGE — 3:40 pm-4:47 pm “My Hair-i-tage” Screening of Hair Stories & Living Natural w/Panel Discussion Host: Aleathia Brown, Founder Unveiled Unlocked LA BELLE VIE: THE GOOD LIFE – 4:30 PM-5:42 PM VENUE: Spike Lee Screening Rm TABOO YARDIES — 5:00 pm-6:24 pm Taboo Yardies, 74 min.

Community Partner: Caribbean Film Academy WHO RULES THE WORLD — WOMEN — 6:35 pm-7:49 pm (re)Breathe, 5 min Out of a Jam, 58:44 min.

KUMBLE THEATER Jimmy Goes to Nollywood (Invited Feature Film)— 7 pm-8:30 pm Host: Atim Annette Oton, CEO, Calabar Imports Community Partners: Calabar Imports and Haiti Cultural Exchange.

SPIKE LEE SCREENING ROOM THE WRITING LIFE — 8:25 pm-9:53 pm The Art of Ama Ata Aido, 78 min.

Sunday, October 25, 2015 SPIKE LEE SCREENING ROOM VIOLATIONS — 1:00 pm-2:02 pm On Rape, 3 min.

The Reunion, 19:53 min 8

Film Schedule SPIKE LEE SCREENING ROOM Roubado, 18 min.

Acts of Nothingness, 11 min SOUL MUSIC — 2:10 pm-3:13 pm Mothership Opera, 7:17 min Amen: The Life and Music of Jester Hairston, 45 min.

MARY LOU WILLIAMS — 3:15 pm-4:32 pm Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings The Band, 61 min.

Changing the Face of Medicine — 4:40 pm-6:00 pm Hosts: Clairesa Clay and Michelle Materre.

Awards Ceremony, Kumble Theater, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm Honorees: Ebony Jo-Ann and Jessica Williams

Thanks to Reel Sisters from our cast and crew!

Outta My Name

Written & Directed by Cathleen Campbell Starring Cecelia Antoinette, Elena McGhee & Willie C. Carpenter

Follow Outta My Name on Facebook Contact us at outtamyname@earthlink.net

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Lecture Series Saturday, October 24, 2015 • 3:30 pm-4:30 pm

Good Love! (Re) presentations of Love and Sex in Black Women’s Cinema We will discuss the notions of love and sex in film and television as it relates to Black women and women of color. There have been too many films in which we are portrayed as not having diverse human thoughts and feelings when it comes to love and sex. This panel celebrates women of color filmmakers who are claiming spaces for us to solidly give and receive “Good Love”!

Moderator: Alexis Garrett Stodghill.

BIOS Alexis Garrett Stodghill is an award-winning, multi-media journalist.

Currently a segment and new media producer for MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts, previously she was a producer on the MSNBC show, The Reid Report, hosted by Joy Reid. Alexis was also the Living and New York editor for theGrio.com, formerly an NBC News site focused on African-American perspectives. She was part of theGrio.com news team noted by The New York Times as one of the first to report in-depth on the Trayvon Martin case. Alexis got her start in journalism and the Internet industry by developing leading sites such as BlackPlanet.com, which she co-produced from the ground up.

Michèle Stephenson pulls from her Caribbean roots and international experience as a human rights attorney to tackle documentaries on communities of color and human rights. Her work has appeared on PBS, Showtime and MTV. Her most recent film, American Promise, was nominated for three Emmy’s including Best Documentary; it has won honors at the Sundance and New York Film Festivals, the African American Film Critic’s Association and was awarded the PUMA BritDoc Impact Award.

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Lecture Series Nefertite Nguvu is a graduate of New York’s School of Visual Arts, where she obtained a B.F.A in Film. Her thesis project at SVA won the award for Outstanding Screenplay. Nefertite has written, produced, and directed two short films: “I Want You,” in 2007, and “The End of Winter,” in 2009, both of which screened at numerous film festivals. Amongst other web-based programming, Nefertite also directed a ten-part web series entitled “U.N.I.T.Y Reignited,” which chronicles the life of five aspiring female emcees hand picked by, and featuring Queen Latifah for Cover Girl and Flavor Unit Entertainment. As writer/director/ producer, Nefertite made her first feature film debut with In The Morning.

In The Morning debuted at the UrbanWorld Film Festival and won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. The film also won Best Narrative Feature at the BlackStar Film Festival.

Yoruba Richen is an award-winning documentary filmmaker who has directed and produced films in the U.S. and abroad including Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Her last film, The New Black, aired on PBS’s Independent Lens in 2014 and her previous film Promised Land, was broadcast on PBS’s POV. Yoruba won the Creative Promise Award at Tribeca All Access and was also a Sundance producers’ fellow. She is a 2014 featured TED Speaker and a Guggenheim Fellow. Yoruba was chosen for the 2014 Root 100 list of African Americans 45 years old and younger who were responsible for the year’s most significant moments and themes. She is Director of the documentary program at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

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Lecture Series Saturday, October 24, 2015 • 3:40 pm-4:47 pm

My Hair-i-tage Screening of “Hair Stories” w/Panel Discussion Aleathia Brown: Founder Unveiled Unlocked Hair Stories by the late Yvette Smalls covers dialogue on the age-old emotional charge on women of color regarding their hair.

Ms. Smalls discovered the vulnerabilities and experiences carried over generations, economics, history, science and intellectually when it came down to the core of a woman’s identity, self worth and evolved being on how she is about herself and her hair. Aleathia and Carla Brown, cousins featured in this film, have pioneered in the beauty industry to educate, transform and pave new perspectives in the minds and attitudes of communities globally. Aleathia Brown, founder of Unveiled Unlocked, celebrates Hair 2 Hair-Free. The intent is to illuminate the “Bare Head” Woman and Man namely of color and define self so others call you by the name you choose.

My Hair-i-tage Bios Patricia Nefertiti Arthur is an African American female who was born and raised in Harlem. Her cultural background includes influences from Barbados, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. She’s currently the Executive Assistant to a manager and producer of Jazz Artists. Previously, Patricia has worked as an Administrative Assistant for 20 + years. Ms. Arthur has also worked as an Assistant Customer Service Manager in retail, a Case Manager for the Agency for Children Services, an Assistant Cash Officer and a Customer Service Rep, a Receptionist for a Criminal Law Firm and a Teacher’s Aide. Patricia is currently training to be a Doula and has future interests in massage therapy.

Aleathia Brown graduated Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art for Fine Art and earned her BFA at the School of Visual Arts for Media Arts and Art Education with a minor in Graphic Design. Aleathia 12

completed a Certificate program for Commercial Art at Parsons School of Design and is listed with The National Museum of Women in the Arts Archives. Ms. Brown’s works have been in permanent collections as well as collected nationally and internationally by patrons and organizations.

As career visual artist, arts educator and entrepreneur Aleathia has professionally served communities nationally and internationally for 26 years! This Bronx resident and Harlem artist identifies art as healing force for change.

Thando Kafele is one of the most decorated forces in the natural hair industry, internationally acclaimed as a master stylist and instructor. He has served as the national spokesperson for Jane Carter Solutions, and has consistently raised the professional standard of the genre for over two decades. Brooklyn’s own Thando Kafele was the winner of the Taliah Waajid Natural Hair Show for twelve years straight, and in 2011 became the first natural hair stylist to win a “Hair Oscar.” Essence and Ebony sought the best in the business, featuring Mr. Kafele as a credible source of knowledge and experience. His many styles can be seen in popular books including Authentic Hair by Ademola Mandella and Embracing Your Roots

by Nahbila Sonia Tutuwan Thames.

Mishon Mishon Natural Hair Care Artist has made a name for herself by innovating and creating and defining concepts of African beauty globally.

For More than 30 years as a culture keeper Mishon has been committed to ancient art of hair styling and the black family hair care needs.As cofounder of Brooklyn’s first natural hair salon. Mishon has dedicated her life and time to braiding, locking, twisting, coiling hair as a reinforcement of Africa traditions throughout her community and the Diaspora to embrace our cultural identity historically.

Paul Stewart: Born and raised in the South Bronx and Harlem, I like to say that I’ve lived many lives. I’ve had careers as a Legal Word Processor, IT Professional and Health thru Fitness Guru. Currently, I’m developing my writing skills as a Reporter/Account Executive with the Mount Vernon Inquirer. And thanks to my good friend, Aleathia Brown, I’m finally sharing my Classical/Spanish Guitarist skills with a wider audience.

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Lecture Series Sunday, October 25, 2015 • 3:40 pm-4:47 pm • Spike Lee Screening Room

REEL SISTERS, LUMINAL THEATER & CREATIVELY SPEAKING

PRESENT CHANGING THE FACE OF MEDICINE Clairesa Clay, co-founder of Luminal Theater, will host a film conversation on Changing The Face of Medicine with Crystal Renée, Dr. Aletha Maybank and Michelle Materre. Excerpts from the film will be screened.

Community Partners: Luminal Theater and Creatively Speaking.

Community Partners: Luminal Theater and Creatively Speaking.

Synopsis: Changing the Face of Medicine presents an alternative to mainstream media and the educational and healthcare workforce disparities. It provides images of positive role models of color, counteracting the perpetuation of stereotypes of people of color in media. The stories in this film are stories that need to be told.

GUEST SPEAKERS Crystal Renée Emery’s professional background spans more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry as a producer, writer, director, filmmaker and activist. She has worked in a variety of capacities with both stage and screen productions throughout the United States and Europe. Ms. Emery earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Connecticut, and was handpicked to be included in a small group of young directors who were given the opportunity to work directly with theater director icon Lloyd Richards (“Piano Lesson”).

She also polished her craft under the tutelage of film industry giant Bill Duke (“A Rage in Harlem”). She recently received her Master of Arts in Media Studies from the New School for Public Engagement. Ms. Emery is currently the Executive Director of URU, The Right To Be, Inc., a non14

profit organization established in 1995 to foster communication and understanding through the arts among diverse racial, social and economic groups across the country.

Dr. Aletha Maybank currently holds the position of Associate Commissioner, NYC Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene. Her areas of expertise include preventive medicine, food and fitness, maternal and child health, cancer, HIV/AIDS, community health, and health inequities.

She is board certified in both pediatrics and preventive medicine/public health.

Michelle Materre is Associate Professor of Media Studies and Film at The New School. Ms. Materre is also an independent media consultant, advising filmmakers and organizations on fundraising, distribution, marketing nd exhibition strategies. Her critically acclaimed film series, Creatively Speaking, has been a premiere forum for presenting works by and about women and people of color is currently celebrating its twentieth consecutive season.

HATTIE MCDANIEL AWARD HATTIE MCDANIEL AWARD About Hattie McDaniel — 1893-1952 Actress Hattie McDaniel was born on June 10, 1893, in Wichita, Kansas. By the mid-1920s, she became one of the first African-American women on radio. In 1934, she landed her on-screen break in the film Judge Priest. She then became the first African American to win an Oscar in 1940, for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind. Then in 1947, after her career took a downturn, she starred on CBS radio’s The Beulah Show. She died on October 26, 1952, in Los Angeles, California.

The Reel Sisters Hattie McDaniel Award is a dedication to a true pioneer in film, radio and Broadway.

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Hattie McDaniel Award Recipient

Jessica Williams

Jessica Williams is a young writer/performer out of Los Angeles’ UCB system and a former cast member in The UCB Sketch pilot for Comedy Central. She grew up in Torrance, CA and starred in the Nickelodeon show Just For Kicks as a teenager. While she was studying Film and English at Cal State Long Beach and doing improv as a member of “ComedySportz: The College Team,” she landed the role as the newest correspondent for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Recently she was featured on Variety’s “Top 10 Comics To Watch” and this year will recur in the upcoming third season of HBO’s Girls.

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Hattie McDaniel Award Recipient

Ebony Jo-Ann

Ebony Jo-Ann, an award winning actress and acclaimed vocalist from New York to South Africa, just released her latest CD Please Save Your Love For Me. She has a unique dynamic singing and performing style, which draws capacity crowds wherever she appears.

Ms Jo-Ann is the proud recipient of six Vivian Robinson AUDELCO Awards. As well as the National Action Network’s WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE award 2014 for her continuing and outstanding dedication through her artistic talents as well as her contributions to civil and human rights. Ms. Jo-Ann appeared in the role of Mama Ronzoni in Adam Sandler’s blockbuster movie GROWN UPS as well as the sequel GROWN UPS 2.

Other released films are NOISE with Tim Robbins, KATE & LEOPOLD, MARCI X, THE ORPHAN KING, POOTIE TANG with Chris Rock, EDDIE with Whoopi Goldberg, THE OTHER BROTHER, OUR TIME AT LAST (African Burial Ground Museum) and FREDERICK DOUGLASS: AN AMERICAN LIFE, in the role of Harriet Tubman.

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Awards Ceremony Bios Presenters Marcia Pendelton has worked as an arts management professional for over 20 years. Since founding Walk Tall Girl Productions, Inc. in 2000, she has provided marketing, group sales, audience development, communications, producing, and education services for both commercial and nonprofit ventures, with special emphasis placed on the theater. Her work in has been highlighted by the media including: The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, Newsday, The Positive Community Magazine, ABCNews.com, Black Enterprise. com, Centric’s Leading Women series and Rolling Out Magazine.

Phoebe Robinson is a stand up comedian, writer, and performer living in NYC. She has appeared on Comedy Central’s Broad City, FX’s Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, NBC’s TODAY and Last Comic Standing. Behind the scenes, she’s a writer for MTV’s Girl Code and VH1 pilot Chateau Buteau.

When not working on television projects, she’s a Glamour.com writer and contributes to The New York Times, VanityFair.com, xoJane.com, Bitch Magazine, and TheDailyBeast.com. If you’re in NYC, you can catch her at 9:30 p.m. on the last Tuesday of every month at UCB East hosting Blaria LIVE!, the show that spawned from her popular and Huffington Postapproved blog Blaria — aka Black Daria.

Camille Yarbrough is an award-winning performance artist, author, and cultural activist. With a career that spans over fifty years, several continents, countless awards and accolades, and a few generations, Nana Camille has earned legendary status. She continues to inspire audiences today via her local, long running television show (Ancestor House), via her popular musical CD (also entitled Ancestor House), and via performances and lectures about poetry, music, Black art and culture. She champions the beauty and greatness of African people wherever they are in the world.

Her mission is to raise their glory and in so doing vibrate that thread of humanity that links all. Nana Camille is an educator at heart and for 12 years was faculty at City College of New York.

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Council Members Jumaane Williams

Reel Sisters Honorary Ambassador Since being elected in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 to represent the 45th District in the New York City Council, Jumaane D. Williams has been a tireless advocate for his constituents. In the wake of the devastating Haitian earthquake of January 2010, he helped coordinate the 45th District Haitian Relief Effort, a mobile clinic that provided economic and legal assistance to those affected and their families. As chair of the Oversight and Investigations Committee, Jumaane co-chaired hearings in all five boroughs to probe the city’s failed response to the blizzard of December 2010. He is also a member of the Higher Education, Housing and Buildings, Immigration, Land Use, Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses and Youth Services committees. Additionally, Jumaane serves as co-chair of the Gun Violence Task Force, vice chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and is a founding member of the Progressive Caucus.

Laurie Cumbo

Laurie A. Cumbo was born and raised in Brooklyn, where she attended and graduated from the Berkeley Carroll Day School in Park Slope and Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene.

After graduating Spelman College in Atlanta, GA with a degree in Fine Art, she returned to Brooklyn and received her Master’s Degree in Visual Arts Administration from New York University.

As a cultural leader, entrepreneur, activist, college professor, educator, lecturer and small business owner working in the not-for-profit sector, she has dedicated her life to community development. Ms. Cumbo has led an effort to turn public housing into an ideal venue for cultural events, in which she privately raised $150,000 to provide monthly cultural programming by world-class musicians and performers in the community centers and outdoor spaces.

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