1st Annual REAL TO REEL Youth Film Festival A Huge Success

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Oct. 20, 2015 - PRLog -- For the very first time, twenty-five youth films were showcased for community stakeholders, film enthusiasts, celebrities, parents, youth and non-profit leaders at the REAL TO REEL Youth Film Festival on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at the Los Angeles Film School. Celebrities in attendance included BillDuke, Monique Coleman, Melvin Jackson Jr., Brandon Fobbs, Jae Head, Johnny Ortiz, Tiffany Haddish, Nikolas Whittemore, Desreta Jackson, Dennis White, Alice MacDonald, Bill Oberst Jr., Kristin West, Vida Ghaffari, DeMonica Santiago, Tyrone DuBose, Trinity Marquez and more.

Future youth filmmakers across the country conducted a roundtable discussion about the importance of media arts and the power of youth voice in cinema. The discussion was hosted by lead youth producer Johna Rivers and Resident Artist/Actor Melvin Jackson, Jr. Panelists included former Sony film executive Beth Casama, Actor Brandon Fobbs, and REAL TO REEL youth filmmakers Jalen Coleman, Dominique McNeely, and Amanda Hernandez.

The festival included snippet screenings of Dark Girls and Light Girls by Guest Artist Bill Duke engaged youth filmmakers and audience members in purposed dialogue. Mr. Duke received a Humanitarian Award presented by Barbara Stanton of Wattstar Cinema And Education Center and Actress Desreta Jackson. Banker Karen A. Clark moderated a roundtable discussion on financial literacy and film production sponsored by City National Bank. Panelist included Carl Gilliard from Duke Media Foundation, filmmaker Chip Warren and Ms. Stanton from Wattstar.

Concluding the event was a special screening of GirlUp/UN Foundation selected films as Resident Artist/Actress Monique Coleman and lead youth producer Johna Rivers hosted a panel centered on issues impacting girls and women in media. Panelists included singer/songwriter Lauren Silva, Yahniie Bridges from Spirit Awakening Foundation, Dream Center resident Jasmine Morgan, Global Girl Media and youth filmmaker Alyssa Lupercio.

Event Sponsors included: The National Endowment For The Arts, City National Bank, Los Angeles Film School, Final Draft, GirlUp, UN Foundation, Wells Fargo, Trader Joe’s, Duke Media Foundation, Wattstar Cinema & Education Center, FilmFreeway, UpOut and National Alliance for Media Arts & Culture (NAMAC).

Check out RTR films on Youtube @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfoyCD8RvFAvfawfYkO8l_A

Real To Reel: Youth Film Festival is an annual event produced by Johna Rivers, Syd Stewart and Miguel Coleman for Better Youth, Inc., a media and performing arts mentoring agency for youth. www.betteryouth.org

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