Reel Sisters Kicks off Festival In Harlem & Brings 40 Films by Women of Color to Brooklyn!

    BROOKLYN, NY, October 07, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series will present more than 40 films that are guaranteed to inspire, uplift and spark conversations among family and friends. The festival will be held October 22-23, 2016 at LIU's Brooklyn campus, at Flatbush and DeKalb Aves. Screenings will take place in the Salena Gallery's screening rooms. For schedule and tickets, visit reelsisters.org or call 347-534-3304/212-865-2982.

Reel Sisters kicks off in Harlem with an awards ceremony. On Friday, Oct. 14, 6:30 pm, Reel Sisters will present the Reel Sisters Hattie McDaniel Award to media pioneer Cathy Hughes and the Trailblazer Award to Naturi Naughton, award-winning actress noted for her role as Tasha St. Patrick in the hit Starz drama Power (Clip: https://youtu.be/TMPSScKnPU0). Kim Coles will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies and perform an excerpt from her one-woman show. Soul stirring vocalists Kimberly Nichole (The Voice) and Meli'sa Morgan will pay tribute to our honorees.

"It continues to be an honor to support and join Reel Sisters in their annual Diaspora Film Festival and Lecture Series," said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, the festival's Ambassador. "This multifaceted series highlights a variety of socioeconomic issues from a diverse group of women. Acting was my first love, and is a discipline that I hold dear to my heart. It has the power to transform people and communities."

To cite just a few insightful films screening this year, narratives include: Amenze: In Between Worlds (Trailer: https://vimeo.com/148269413), a film about a sex worker who reclaims her real identity in Brazil; 'Til Death (Trailer: https://youtu.be/HIve6Ny0x7o), the story of two orphaned Liverpool girls who form a life bond; and Fanny Pack, a comedy about a young Indian-American woman who clashes with her fanny pack clad Dad in an airport. Some documentaries in the line up are Soul City (Trailer: https://vimeo.com/166083635), an inspiring story of civil rights activists who build a Black owned and built town in the 1970s; Queen Nanny: Legendary Maroon Chieftainess documents an 18th century heroine who defeated the British in Jamaica's fight for independence; Holding History: The Collections of Charles L. Blockson (Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VXcHJPbd00), a scholar's story of preserving one of the largest collections of historical books and artifacts by people of African descent; and PLUS! (Trailer: https://vimeo.com/127557333), five plus-sized models challenge the fashion industry to recognize that 65 percent of American women are a size 14 or larger.

On Oct. 22, 8 pm in the Spike Lee Screening Room, New Voices in Black Cinema will join Reel Sisters in screening Chapter & Verse (Trailer: https://vimeo.com/138367942) starring actress Loretta Devine. Produced by Cheryl Hill and directed by Jamal Joseph, Chapter & Verse tells the story of reformed gang leader Lance Ingram who returns home to Harlem after spending eight years in prison. Lance befriends Ms. Maddy (Loretta Divine), a 60-year-old strong spirited grandmother. He assumes responsibility for her 15-year-old grandson, a promising artist who has become involved in a Harlem street gang.

Film lovers can take a break from a day of film viewing to enjoy the festival's lecture series panel. On Sat., Oct. 22, 3:45 pm, Moikgantsi Kgama, founder of Imagenation Cinema Foundation, will moderate "Women Owned Production Panels," a conversation with industry professionals who are producing their own film and media content. From Oprah to Viola Davis, women of color are taking their destiny in their own hands by launching production companies. Guests are Tracey Baker-Simmons, CEO of HWY58MEDIA; Rochelle Brown, Executive Producer/Principal of Powerhouse Productions; and Barbara Bullard, founder of B-Bullard, LLC.

On Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2:06 pm, Reel Sisters will host #FilmAFeatureIn8Days: Microbudget Filmmaking with Nicole Franklin, the director of TITLE VII. Fresh off her first narrative feature, TITLE VII, a microbudget film shot in eight days. The award-winning filmmaker is a career documentarian who also produced a number of narrative shorts after the feature documentary that launched her career. She will share the essentials of producing and directing an affordable feature film heading into distribution. The workshop is free and open to the public.

Reel Sisters Film Festival offers affordable ticket prices. A one-day pass is $20 and a section pass is $10. Awards ceremony tickets are $35 ($25 for two or more tickets for our Bring A Pal discount). Purchase tickets at the website www.reelsisters.org.

A Brooklyn-based film festival founded by African Voices magazine and LIU Brooklyn, Reel Sisters is dedicated to supporting women of color filmmakers. The Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival is supported, in part, by Council Members Council Members Jumaane Williams (35 C.D.) and Laurie Cumbo (45 C.D.), National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Dept. of Cultural Affairs, Brooklyn and Harlem ALOFT Hotels, Centric/BET Networks and Brooklyn Arts Council. Imagenation Cinema Foundation, Akila Worksongs, New Voices In Black Cinema, Tilsa Wright, Hollywood's Black Renaissance: Women of the African Diaspora in Film & Television, Kumble Theater, LIU Alumna Association and LIU Brooklyn's Media Arts Dept. are community partners.

About Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series

A Brooklyn-based film festival founded by African Voices magazine and LIU Brooklyn Campus, Reel Sisters was founded to support women of color in the film industry. Since 1997, Reel Sisters has showcased over 950 films produced, directed and written by women filmmakers in every genre. Reel Sisters attracts more than 1,200 film lovers from across the nation and globe including California, Chicago, Florida to as far away as Britain, Germany, Africa and India. The festival screens over 25 films each year. Reel Sisters also provides scholarships to emerging women filmmakers and offers other resources for women filmmakers.

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