San Francisco Black Film Festival "Healing The World One Film At A Time

SAN FRANCISCO - May 30, 2024 - PRLog -- Posted Courtesy of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight, San Francisco ~ Dallas ~~~

San Francisco Black Film Festival Celebrating 26 Years of Black Film, "Healing The World One Film At A Time"

San Francisco- As half the world's population, eight of the ten most populous countries go to the polls The San Francisco Black Film Festival, June 13-16th invites San Francisco and the world to vote to have fun and to be educated at the festival's, anniversary "Celebrating 26 Years of Black Film, Healing The World One Film At A Time."  Going into its second quarter of a century, The San Francisco Black Film Festival filled with fun, thought provoking-panels, parties, and diverse films that speak to the best in humanity encouraging people to 'be the change they want to see', has something for everyone's film tastes.

"We are so appreciative of our friends and sponsors that help to keep the festival alive and well as we continue to "heal the world one film at a time," since our beginnings in the Fillmore in 1998, said Cree Ray, granddaughter of the late Arts Impresario, Ave Montague.  "I realize what a unique position we have as a festival as a third generation institution in San Francisco that has has lost so many of its Black citizens.  We invite people of all backgrounds to come to the table of discussion and see Black Films that speak to all humanity.

The San Francisco Black Film Festival over the years has screened nearly two thousand films
Impacting the lives of over 5,000 directors, writers and producers.  This year seventy films will be added; uplifting over 200 independent filmmakers and more than 400 actors who are emerging as top talent.  They join celebrities that have graced San Francisco Black Film Festival screens such as Danny Glover, Taraji P. Henson, Mario Van Peebles, the late Melvin Van Peebles; the late Ray Liotta; Delroy Lindo; Morgan Simpson;  Spike Lee; Barry Shabaka Henley; Terri J. Vaughn, Taryn Manning; Kielle Sanchez; Tom Skerritt; Carl Lumbly; Jimmy-Jean Louis; Mike Colter; and more.

The San Francisco Black Film Festival 2024 selection includes thought provoking shorts and features where a complete list can be found at https://www.sfbff.org/films.  The 2024 selection includes but is not limited to the following: "Timeless: A Virgin Island Love Story" by Edward La Borde, Jr. and multi-platinum recording artist and music producer D'Wayne Wiggins of Tony Toni Tone unveils a tale of two enthralling love stories, set in different eras yet fascinatingly entwined; "To End All Spells" by Kwabena & Zak Cedarholm showcases an unforgiving desert warrior who is determined to protect a sacred psychedelic fruit, Palve; The Moon is Aquarius by  Jesse Kuba is a love story based in San Francisco as a young couple fall in love with the City and each other; Claude Aline-Miller's "376 Days" that highlights internationally celebrated artist Nick Cave; Rochee Jeffrey takes a satirical look at toxic beauty culture in his film "The Flacalta Effect;" Bay Area filmmaker Eve A. Ma takes a look the rhythms and the drums of the Yoruba in Nigeria with her Kasaki's Drums; Rick Page chronicles the end of a couple's life-long journey of 70 years with "Minutes to Go!";  Remember the beautiful Jayne Kennedy and her breakthrough as an American sportscaster? Sofiya Songhai does in her "Inception" highlighting Kennedy's vaulting over hurdles as the first Black female sportscaster.

SFBFF welcomes an award winning alum.  In 2022, Dennis Haywood and James Farr won the Jeff Adachi Social Justice Award for "Zinzun: A Revolutionary Activist," directed by Haywood and produced by Farr. This year, Farr returns to the Bay Area from LA with his new project, "Soul Bowl: 1984 NCS Championship," which examines the legendary high school rivalry between Kennedy and El Cerrito, the game that changed the North Coast Section (NCS). Haywood is not associated with "Soul Bowl."

Let these short highlights from the over 75 films at the San Francisco Black Film Festival encourage you to see and hear the voices of talented filmmakers who are emerging and established.  You'll recognize more of the San Francisco Black Film Festival alumni making it a homecoming reunion as Juneteenth, Black Music, and Father's Day are celebrated.  More news to come about the new, old, emerging and established filmmakers.  Stay tuned to www.sfbff.org for upcoming news and events.

SPONSORS TO DATE

Sponsors for this year's San Francisco Black Film Festival include:
The San Francisco Foundation; African American Art & Culture Complex; The Dream Keeper Initiative of San Francisco; The African American Center of the San Francisco Main Library; AATCLC (African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council); SFHDC (San Francisco Housing Development Corporation); San Francisco Arts Commission; California Arts Commission; SF GIANTS; The Academy of Art University; Durban International Film Festival; SFJAZZ; NOSACONN; Hotel Nikko; Hylife O'City Productions; and others. For a complete list of sponsors visit www.sfbff.org.

Sponsorships are still available as they are yearlong through the upcoming 25th Anniversary San Francisco Black Film Festival, June 13-16, 2024.  Email creeray@sfbff.org for the San Francisco Black Film Festival Sponsorship Package.

A donation of just $25 adds you to the "25 to Thrive Campaign" launching the next quarter of a century of the San Francisco Black Film Festival.  Donate here:
https://tinyurl.com/SFBFF25toThrive

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The mission of the San Francisco Black Film Festival is to celebrate African American cinema and the African Cultural Diaspora and to showcase a diverse collection of films – from emerging and established filmmakers. This is accomplished by presenting Black films, which reinforce positive images and dispel negative stereotypes, and providing film artists from the Bay Area in particular and around the world in general, a forum for their work to be viewed and discussed. Impacting tourism and cultural exchange, The San Francisco Black Film Festival believes film can lead to a better understanding of and communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races and lifestyles, while simultaneously serving as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.