Marley Movie Tralier (Video)

MARLEY will make its North American premiere at SXSW. Magnolia Pictures will release theatrically and on VOD on Friday, April 20th.

[Preview] Hole In the Head: A Life Revealed

Growing up in one of the most historic towns for African Americans in this country, Vertus Hardiman hid a shocking secret under a wig and beanie for over 80 years. He was experimented on at age of 5 by a county hospital in Indiana during 1927. Vertus was one of ten children, all experimented on with radiation that day. This film tells his amazing story of strength,courage, and perseverance.

Tight Jeans: The Short Film [Video]

Its always great to see YEBIES across the global creating and producing amazing products that get embraced not by our community but by those who don't always understand our story. This short film by Destiny Ekaragha of the UK is a great example of this. Winner of The London Rushes Soho Film Festival Awards for Best Newcomer in 2009, Tight Jeans was Ekaragha's debut film.

TIGHT JEANS is a light comedy that touches on modern attitudes towards other cultures. It explores the ignorance we tend to have of one another, sometimes without even realising it.
Three black teenagers are becoming frustrated while waiting for their friend. A young white lad walks past wearing super tight jeans. The boys look on until one of them asks the pivotal question, "How can a man wear jeans that tight?" This sparks a hilarious debate about race and culture.

Accolades:

• Selected and granted funding as one of the 6 short films to represent Lewisham, Southwark & Lambeth Film and Arts Councils in association with Film London.
• Premiered at and was voted Best Short Film at the Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival by the Observer newspaper.
• Won Best Newcomer Award at The London Rushes Soho Film Festival 2009,
• Runner up status at the Buffalo San Black and Asian Film Festival 2008
• Official Selection at The Pan African Film Festival 2009 in Los Angeles,
• Africa in the Picture Film Festival in Amsterdam
• The Athens 15th International Film Festival.
• In March 2009 TIGHT JEANS was chosen as the download film of the month by The BFI for their members.

Dark Girls: Preview [Video]

This film will be released in Fall/Winter 2011. This upcoming documentary explors the deep-seated biases and attitudes about skin color, particularly dark skinned women outside and within the Black American culture.


Directed by Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry
Produced by Bill Duke for Duke Media
and D. Channsin Berry for Urban Winter Entertainment
Co-Produced by Bradinn French
Line Produced by Cheryl L. Bedford
Edited by Bradinn French

Sunday Matinee: Spike Lee's 25th Hour

Jesse Boykins III – “Prototype 3010″ ft MeLo-X & Trae Harris [Short Film]

In a time where life is often guided by misconception and tainted love its hard to truly find someone who is there for you for all the right reasons. No matter how you deliver your heart to a person, you still have to wait for them to open it up. I came up with this concept to inspire honesty. I've learned through life, communication is everything when you're in a relationship. Take these visuals as an example of how something could be if there is no truth between two parties. She/He is your prototype and could be so much more if you allow it. Never Take The Love Of Your Believer For Granted. Much Thanks to Andre 3000

- Jesse Boykins III

YEBies Making Moves: Tahir Jetter and Sundance Film Festival

Young Filmmaker Tahir Jetter is starting to make a name for himself in the world of film making. The NYU grad will have his film "Close." in this year's Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. I got a chance to meet him for the first time this summer as he's the cousin of a good friend of mines Marcel Marshall. Jetter's film is one of the 200 which were picked out of over 10,000 submitted for this year's festival. Close will be screening for 5 days in Utah. You can follow him on twitter HERE for more information. 

Screening Days @ Sundance

Saturday, January 22, 9:00 a.m.

Holiday Village Cinema IV, Park City

Sunday, January 23, 2:30 p.m.

Prospector Square Theatre, Park City

Thursday, January 27, 10:30 p.m.

Broadway Centre Cinema IV, SLC

Friday, January 28, 9:15 p.m.

Holiday Village Cinema II, Park City

Saturday, January 29, 7:30 p.m.

Broadway Centre Cinema IV, SLC

A New Alliance To Aid Black Films

Started by Ava DuVernay, African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement is a organization that hopes to spread the distribution of black-themed films in major markets and theaters.  Read the entire story HERE.

You can also find AFFRM on Facebook and Twitter

"Night Catches Us" Hit Theaters This Weekend

Night Catches Us opened yesterday the 3rd in selected cities across the nation. It is Tanya Hamilton's first feature as a director. The score of the film is done by the great group The Roots. I personally can't wait to see it as it touches a part of American history that often gets over looked, The Panthers and  the Black Power Movement.

About The Film:

In 1976, after years of mysterious absence, Marcus (Anthony Mackie, “The Hurt Locker”) returns to the Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age in the midst of the Black Power movement. While his arrival raises suspicion among his family and former neighbors, he finds acceptance from his old friend Patricia (Kerry Washington, “Ray,” “Lift”) and her daughter. However, Marcus quickly finds himself at odds with the organization he once embraced, whose members suspect he orchestrated the slaying of their former comrade-in-arms. In a startling sequence of events, Marcus must protect a secret that could shatter everyone's beliefs as he rediscovers his forbidden passion for Patricia.

Blaxploitation Film Of The Week: Black Caesar

Black Caesar was a 1973 film based in Harlem, New York. James Brown did the musical score to this movie which is how he got the nickname "The Godfather of Soul".

Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee On Broadway

On this date in 1961 Purlie Victorious, a farce by Ossie Davis, opened on Broadway. It was later made into the 1963 film Gone Are the Days!, using the entire original cast. The show also included his wife Rudy Dee.


Purlie Victorious

To Know Where You're Going, You Must Know Where You Came From....

Over this past weekend I had a chance to partake in some pretty ill stuff with some pretty incredible people and the one thing that was common throughout my weekend was the influence of Hip Hop in everything that went down.

The rap music was the soundtrack to my weekend as the styles, clothes, and venues left lasting images for a lifetime. So I decided that it was only right that this Wednesday I would pay homage to all the original parts of what we now know as HIP HOP by putting up Wild Style.



B-Boying/Breaking, MCing, Graffiti/ Tagging, DJing, and Knowledge, Culture and Understanding

Knowledge will always be King....

P.S. Shout out to Quinn / TheGeePee for turning his crib into a mixture of THIS pool scene and THIS one. Hello Summer.....

ESPN 30 For 30: No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson [Video]

For those that missed it or didn't know about it, last night ESPN aired their 30 For 30 documentary series chronicling NBA star’s Allen Iverson’s trial from a 1993 incident that racially divided his hometown of Hampton, Virgina.

On February 13, 1993, 17-year-old Bethel High School basketball star Allen Iverson entered a Hampton, Virginia bowling alley with several classmates. It was supposed to be an ordinary evening, but it became a night that defined Iverson's young life: a quarrel soon erupted into a brawl pitting Iverson's young, black friends against a group of older white men. The fallout from the fight and the handling of the subsequent trial landed the nation's best high school athlete in jail and sharply divided the city along racial lines. Oscar nominee Steve James (Hoop Dreams) returns to his hometown of Hampton, where he once played basketball, to take a personal look at this still disputed incident and examine its impact on Iverson and the shared community.

Richard Pryor Biopic Update

Richard Pryor's biopic is set to start filming this fall with the lead role of Pryor being played by comedic actor Marlon Wayans. The film titled Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? will start shooting in the fall with a projected released date of early next spring. Mike Epps was originally casted and was suppose to play Pryor while he was still alive, but the role eventually went to Eddie Murphy when Director Bill Condon discovered that Murphy was interested in the part. However creative differences Murphy and Condon caused for a new lead, which became Wayans.

Why Did I Get Married Too? [Trailer]

This Tyler Perry film will be in theaters April 2nd. Watch these four couples reunite for their annual vacation.

Motherland Trailer [Video]

Motherland (Enat Hager) is a bold, epic journey through Africa with a authentic African voice. Fusing history, culture, politics, and contemporary issues, Motherland sweeps across Africa to tell a new story of a dynamic continent. From the glory and majesty of Africa’s past through its complex and present history. Motherland looks unflinchingly toward a positive Pan-African future. With breathtaking cinematography and a fluid soundtrack sculpted by Sona Jobarteh, Motherland is a beautiful illustration of global African diversity and unity.

Wu-Tang Saga Documentary [Trailer]

18th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival in Los Angeles

The 18th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival started yesterday in Los Angeles, California and will be going in the city until the 17th. The film screenings is being held at the Culver Plaza Theatre and the Fine Art Show is at the Westfield Culver City (Formerly the Fox Hills Mall). The Pan African Film Festival is the largest film festival in the United States dedicated to the exhibition of Black films. Each year PAFF exhibits more than 150 films made in the U.S., Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Latin America and Canada. For more information go visit HERE

YEBies Birthday: Gloria Naylor

On this date in 1950 Gloria Naylor was born in Brooklyn, NY. The Women of Brewster Place and Mama Day are two of her most famous works. Her novel The Women of Brewster Place was adapted into a 1989 film of the same name by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions.

The Karate Kid Remake Trailer (Video)

The first teaser trailer for the remake of the 1984 film, The Karate Kid have been released by Sony Pictures. The Karate Kid remake stars Jaden Smith, the son of actors Will and Jada Smith; actress Taraji Henson as Jaden’s on-screen mom; and Jackie Chan as Jaden’s mentor.