For Immediate Release:
October 5 , 2010
Media Coordinator: Nina Kennedy
press2010@queerblackcinema.org
http://www.queerblackcinema.org
SKYPE: QueerBlackCinema
2010 QBC International Film Festival announces 3rd annual film festival lineup!
New York, NY– (www.queerblackcinema.org) The 2010 Queer Black Cinema International Film Festival presented by Gay Men of African Descent announces 13 films from 3 countries to be screened over 3 days.
QBC International Film Festival, New York’s longest running Black lesbian and gay film festival in New York, is pleased to announce its 3rd Annual program lineup! This year’s festival runs from October 15th to October 17th at the historical Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s National Black Theatre, 2031Fifth Avenue (bet. 125th & 126th Streets), New York, NY 10035-1503.
Each year QBC International Film Festival curator Angel L. Brown-Ross searches high and low to bring you the best films from around the world about the Black LGBT experience. The festival draws an eclectic group of people throughout New York Metropolitan area and surrounding states. All of the films have done well through the film festival circuit, winning numerous prestigious awards in both non/and LGBT- centered festivals. More than half of the films get picked up and distributed by major LGBT based distribution companies including networks such as Logo, MTV, and BET. This year’s festival includes 11 Harlem, New York Premieres. Queer Black Cinema is made possible with public funds from Astraea Lesbian Foundation. The QBC Int’l Film Festival is presented by Gay Men of African Descent and sponsored by Eggup.com, Our Stories Productions, Swerv Magazine, and Cinematiq Magazine.
Highlights of this year’s Festival include:
● Opening Night Feature, Children of God, directed by award-winning filmmaker Kareem Mortimer, featuring Van Brown, Johnny Ferro Mark Ford, Margaret Kemp and Stephen Tyrone Williams. With beautiful cinematography and stellar performances to match, film has won numerous national and international awards. Set in the beautiful backdrop of the Bahamas, the director takes us on a journey of uncommon portrayals of love, loneliness, tolerance, secrets, and self-acceptance, ending with a startling conclusion. The film is set to make its official theatrical release at the start of next year.
Billy and Aaron, a short film directed by Rodney Evan, award-winning filmmaker of Brother to Brother featuring Anthony Mackie and Aunjanue Ellis, screens along side Children of God. Rodney keeps the Harlem Jazz movement fresh in your mind with a look at Billy Strayhorn’s, life, love and career as one of the most prominent musicians in world history.
● This year’s Centerpiece film is a double feature: O.W.L.S directed by and featuring Cheryl Dunye, along with Guinevere Turner, Lisa Gornick, Skyler Cooper, and Deak Evgenikos. The film made its world premiere at 60 Berlinale A Festival in Berlin, Germany. O.W.L.S stands for Older Wiser Lesbians, is a great film to watch with a group of friends you haven’t seen in a while. Hooters directed by Anna Margarita Albelo is a documentary (romp, comedy, anthropological investigation) about the making of Older, Wiser, Lesbian Cinema (OWLS)! Anna not only gives full insight about the making of OWLS, but also her true feelings about the highs and lows of making a collective piece with a group of mature women, and two men. Hear directly from the talented cast and crew including Campel X, Cheryl Dunye, and many others. Anna definitely has a hit on her hands. This is the first time both films will be screened as a double feature.
● The Short Cuts Film showcase is not to be missed. Five amazing films speak to the masses, hence telling our stories in truth:
Transcendental: The Adventures of Dicky and Clitti, Created by Zen & Shari Carpenter.
The creation story with a twist.
Realness, Directed by David Barclay Moore.
Tika was born female, but is becoming a man.
Finding Juliet, Directed Kanithea Powell.
Heartbroken and struggling to forget the image of her girlfriend (Akeya Young) cheating on her with an ex, Meeko Brown (Angelica Brooks) attempts to put the past behind her by setting out to find her one true love, her “Juliet.”
Anacostia, Directed by Anthony Anderson.
Anacostia, the series follows the lives of four friends as they navigate through Love, Deceit, Betrayal, Sex and Death with a season 2 premiere that will leave your mouths open.
Betrayal, Directed by Reggie Coleman.
Do you know who your true friends are? Keith and Francis are two close friends with a history, until Francis witnesses an unexpected event that tests the strength of their intimate bond.
● Saturday night ends with a soon-to-be hit TV series, Th3m by award-winning screenwriter Ty Green. Two episodes screen back-to-back to give you a feature-length story of seven sexy, dramatically diverse women on the verge of awakening to their personal daylight as they strive for success, acceptance, and understanding within, in a world driven by opportunity and fueled by the strength of one’s dreams and dedication. Before you hit the club, this is the film to get you all hyped-up to have a great party night.
● Parents of young adults/youth are sure to get a dose of reality with Closing film, Money Matters directed by award winning filmmaker Ryan Richman, produced by Sam Pollard, featuring Aunjanue Ellis, Terri Abney, and James Whalen. The short film Tracks, directed by Deana Williams, screens along with Money Matters. The narrative short goes inside the life of a homeless, teenage lesbian youth who experiences her first romantic relationship on one hand, while trying to be loved and accepted by her bible-preaching mom. In the end, true love puts everything into perspective.
New this year: QBC Producers series
This year, we add two panel discussions and 1 groundbreaking presentation for emerging and established independent producers. We also made it very affordable for all to attend the very informative discussions lead by industry-based moderators. $10 includes brunch, 2 panels and one presentation by Do It Yourself-Distribution Company, Eggup.com. The Reel Deal: Distribution Panel discussion moderated by Afu Kafi-Akua (Third World Newsreel distribution Consultant/Board Member, Senior Manager at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Professor and Activist) will moderate the discussion that will give you insight to what distribution companies are really looking for, indie vs mainstream, and preparing a distribution deal before producing the screenplay.
Discover opportunities you may have thought didn’t exist, but have for many years: Public Access Television. Find out how successful award-winning producers are getting their voices and stories to the masses via free public access television and the world –wide web. Producing just got a little easier with the help of your tax dollars. Our Stories, Our Voices: The New Wave in Television Panel discussion is moderated by Mike Dennis, CEO of ReelBlack TV. A free reception follows the open discussion, premiering the new season of various TV shows from our panelists.
Brunch (by invitation only)
QBC Institute will honor filmmakers of the 3rd Annual Queer Black Cinema International Film Festival with the following prestigious awards: The Cheryl Dunye First Lady Award – for Writing & Producing, The Isaac Julien Experimental Award – for Creative Out-of-the-Box Filmmaking, QBC INT’L FILM FEST CENTERPIECE FILM – for Outstanding Filmmaking, and two special awards that will be announced and included in the festival for the first time. The Audience Choice Award will be announced October 18th via press release on QBCNYC.org
QBC INT’L FILM FEST 2010 Key Festival Dates
Thursday, September 16th, online ticket sales begin at 12 AM.
Tuesday, October 12, In-person ticket sales; 6 PM – 9 PM.
Tuesday, October 12 QBC Int’l Film Fest Benefit Party at RF Lounge: 531 Hudson Street (bet. W. 10th St. & Charles), West Village, 6:00 PM.
Wednesday, October 13, online ticket sales end 11:45 PM.
Thursday, October 14, In-person ticket sales and registration begins; 6:00-8:00 PM.
Thursday, October 14th the Official Kick-off party at Harlem Lanes in associations with Way out Events.
Friday, October 15, In-person ticket sales and registration; 5 PM.
Friday, October 15th, Opening Night Red Carpet, 5:30 PM, followed by VIP Reception starting at 6:30 PM.
Saturday, October 16, In-person ticket sales; 10 AM – 9 :30 PM (30 minutes before each screening slot)
Saturday October 16th Saturday Night Festival dance party at Yatenga French Bistro & Bar.
See http://www.queerblackcinema.org/box-office.php for tickets, venue locations and updated press releases.
About Queer Black Cinema International Film Festival
Founded by Angel L. Brown in 2007/8,Queer Black Cinema International Film Festival is a progressive socially conscious film festival that will bring you the best Black LGBTQ theme films from around the world. The Annual festival provides a platform for both gay and straight filmmakers of African descent an opportunity to display their film work about the Black LGBT experience. The four-day festival consists of not only groundbreaking films but also panel discussions and industry professional leads including a Black LGBTQ Film & Book Market. The Festival takes place mid-October and plays a key role in the success of Queer Black Cinema Institute programming throughout the year. The official Website of the Queer Black Cinema International Film Festival is http://www.Festival.queerblackcinema.org
Queer Black Cinema Institute
Founded by Angel L. Brown in 2006, Queer Black Cinema Institute is the home of QBC, New York’s first and Only Black LGBTQ monthly micro-cinema series and annual international film festival. QBCI’s mission is dedicated to showcasing independent narrative and documentary works by and about U.S. and international progressive Black LGBTQ filmmakers. We are a socially conscious organization that uses films to create dialogue to address homophobia, alarming health issues and many other “taboo” issues relating to the Black LGBTQ experience. We provide an online resource to Black LGBTQ theme films and their makers as well as support LGBTQ youth of color emerging producers. In addition, we screen and promote artist trailers and original music of all people of color.
QBC film series takes place once a month/quartile at various locations throughout the New York Metropolitan area. The Annual four-day International Film Festival takes place at the National Black Theatre in Harlem mid-October. All are welcome to attend regardless of their sexual orientation, race or gender. We aim to entertain, enlighten and educate through our niche programming.
Queer Black Cinema Institute is now a hub for various projects since 2006: QBC College Film Tour (A traveling exhibition of Black queer short films creating an open dialogue about the Black LGBT experience), QBC Classics (re-introducing pioneer filmmakers and their film works that made an great impact on Black history), Just|BE (The Black Gay Erotica 72 hour Poetry & Film Competition on HIV/AIDS prevention & awareness), Fades Of Black Womyn Film Showcase (honoring Black Lesbian Womyn) and QBC TV Network (various original TV/web based shows – Musiq† w/ a Q, INSIDE The Q, One on One w/QBC & QBC ReelTalk.)
For more info on the project including volunteering, log on to: qbcfilmseries@yahoogroups.com | http://www.queerblackcinema.org
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Stay in the know about QBC festival news:
QBC Int’l Film Festival on the Web at http://www.queerblackcinema.org.
Blog INSIDE THE Q: https://qbcfestival.wordpress.com.
Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/qbcfilmfest.
Facebook: Queer Black Cinema International Film Festival (NYC).
Queer Black Cinema is made possible with public funds from Astraea Lesbian Foundation. The QBC Int’l Film Festival is presented by Gay Men of African Descent and sponsored by Eggup.com, Our Stories Productions, Swerv Magazine and Cinematiq Magazine.
qbcfestival.wordpress.com 
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