FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
BALLOON MAN (2020) -1:38:16
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
The rubber met the road in the early 1970s for Bill Costen. After being drafted by the Buffalo Bills and later being sent to a Buffalo farm team in Hartford, CT, a life-threatening tragedy forced him to put the pads down. The result was a lark that led to the birth of the first African American Master Hot-Air Balloon Pilot in the nation.
THE INCONVENIENCE OF BEING BLACK (2020) 08.00/An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
A young motorist faces the challenge of driving while Black during a routine traffic stop.
JAIL or YALE (2020) 31.00
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
This film focuses on examines the problem of structural racism in the educational system and its ramifications on black males as they progress through life.
Is there any correlation between the bias inflicted upon Black males as they progress through the educational system, and their over representation in the criminal justice system?
LABORING OF HOPE (2020) 29:17
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
Laboring with Hope is a short documentary about loss, grief, and the hope for change. The film addresses maternal morbidity and mortality among Black women and the racial and structural biases that create barriers to health among Black women.
LIFT THE MASK (2019)
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
From the Quell Foundation this compelling documentary looks at the lives of a diverse group of people who struggle—and continue to live—with mental illness. Through vivid storytelling, the documentary provides an intimate window into their relationships, challenges, and triumphs.
WELFARE CHECK 10:28
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
An empathetic police officer, discouraged by the darkness she sees on her job, finds renewed encouragement in an older woman's home
SQUEEGEE BOYS (2020) 13:38
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
The "Squeegee Boys" are best known for washing windshields of cars stopped at intersections around Baltimore. This documentary follows the working days of seven young men as they navigate the busy intersections of Baltimore in search of tips. The footage shows scenes likely familiar to many locals who daily encounter the "squeegee boys" from their cars. But shown from the point of the view of the "squeegee boys", the film offers new insights into the lived experiences of these young men.
VOICES of BALTIMORE (2019) 59:16
Presented at the 2019 Rhode Island Black Film Festival .
This film captures and preserve the rich oral histories of an aging and diminishing population of African Americans who grew up in the Mason/Dixon border area of Baltimore, and who lived through the era of legal segregation (i.e., Jim Crow south). The narratives will document the relevant lives of individuals who attended segregated schools and/or desegregation before and following the 1954 Supreme Court Brown v Board of Education ruling.
TOUGH LOVE 39:40
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
This is the Story of how I went Viral trying to reach my son! Watch as we travel through a once in a lifetime series of events, that catch us completely off guard. We give an inside look at what it's like to be a father & son while the whole world is watching. You'll see our inner most feelings on display, as we adjust and persevere through life's hurdles. Stay tuned there's SOOO much more to come.
COMING To AFRICA (2020)1:35:33
An official 2020 RIBFF Film selection
Coming to Africa is a comedic feature film that aims to shatter stereotypes and provide a refreshing point-of-view of life on the continent of Africa, while entertaining a massive audience. In America, African countries are still disproportionately portrayed as primitive, and the characters that represent the people are usually one-dimensional caricatures who only serve the purpose of props for their western counterparts. Coming to Africa explores the thoughts, feelings, ideas and beliefs of people living on the African continent and shows African-Americans that there are indeed places in Africa where they can visit, build relationships and simply just have a lot of fun.
FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
SUPPRESSED: The FIGHT TO VOTE (2019) 38.00
weaves together personal stories from voters across the state of Georgia to paint an undeniable picture of voter suppression in the 2018 midterm election where Stacey Abrams fought to become the first Black female governor in the U.S. The issues Georgians faced included polling place closures, voter purges, missing absentee ballots, extreme wait times and a host of voter ID issues – all of which disproportionately prevented many students and people of color from casting their ballots.
UNBOSSED and UNBOUGHT 1:00:17
Pioneering politician Shirley Chisholm is the subject of this lauded documentary. The nation's first African-American congresswoman, the passionate Chisholm launches a campaign for the United States presidency in the 1972 election, and wins an impressive amount of support, given the era and the still-prevailing prejudices of many voters. The film takes a close look at her presidential run, providing interviews with Chisholm and the dedicated individuals who worked on her groundbreaking campaign.
IMITATION of LIFE (1959)
Ms. Moore received a best supporting actress nomination for the role of Annie.
Lora Meredith (Lana Turner), a white single mother who dreams of being on Broadway, has a chance encounter with Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore), a black widow. Annie becomes the caretaker of Lora's daughter, Suzie (Sandra Dee), while Lora pursues her stage career. Both women deal with the difficulties of motherhood: Lora's thirst for fame threatens her relationship with Suzie, while Annie's light-skinned daughter, Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner), struggles with her African-American identity.
USTREET CONTESTED
Washington D.C.’s U Street is currently one of the most popular, exciting, and creative neighborhoods in the nation’s capital. Young people from around the world are flocking to U Street for its restaurants, live music, and nightlife. To many, it would appear as if the neighborhood is undergoing a modern revival, but the reality is much more complex and contested. As new residents have moved in, longstanding residents, businesses, and communities have been forced out. In 2017, U Street is as Dr. Derek Hyra explains “gentrification gone wild.” With this in mind, D.C. residents must ask, how can we honor the cultural, political, and artistic history of U Street while simultaneously achieving economic growth? How can we support longstanding communities and preserve historical landmarks while opening new bars, restaurants, and music venues? How can we ensure longstanding residents can remain on U Street while welcoming new residents? And overall, how can we create diverse, tolerant communities, which both embrace change, yet remember and respect the past and the voices of longstanding residents?