San Francisco Black Film Festival Opens at Historic Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in Union Square

May 14, 2012 - PRLog -- San Francisco Black Film Festival
P.O. Box  15490
San Francisco, CA  94115

Media Contact:               
Jackie Wright, 415 525 0410
jackiewright@wrightnow.biz

The San Francisco Black Film Festival, June 15-17 Opens at The Historic Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, & Pays Tribute to Fathers & Family During Juneteenth Weekend

San Francisco- It’s time to gather the family for the San Francisco Black Film Festival.  The San Francisco Black Film Festival, June 15-17 opens in its 14th year at the historic Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in its new home 450 Post Street in Union Square. Among the many films between opening and closing nights, will be events such as “Focus on Fathers Family Day & Juneteenth Celebration” with films and a community panel discussion, a “Father’s Day Contest” and “Everybody is a Star Red Carpet VIP Party.”  With family friendly prices, the San Francisco Black Film Festival invites everyone to join in the fun and intellectual journey through films.

“We’re excited to partner with the San Francisco Black Film Festival on Saturday, June 16th for “Focus on Father’s Family Day & Juneteenth Celebration” in the Bayview,” said Dr. Joseph Bryant Jr., Senior Pastor of Calvary Hill Community Church, Bay Area Director for Rainbow P.U.S.H. and host of KDIA’s “Shout Out” Radio Program.  “We going to have films, healthy cooking demonstrations, games for the children, music.  We invite San Francisco and the Bay Area to join us for the day of fun and enlightenment.”

Highlights for the “Focus on Fathers Family Day & Juneteenth Celebration” scheduled from 12 noon-6 p.m. will include screening of former de Young Fellow Kevin Epps’ “FAM BAM” which had it’s world premiere at the de Young Museum last November and  Jacquie Taliaferro’s “10-10 Gotta Win” which premiered at the Oakland International Film Festival in April.  “FAM BAM” examines the Black family structure and its resilience  and “10-10 Gotta Win” showcases the importance of voting and the hard fought campaign for Bayview’s District 10 in the November 2010 election.  As June is Black Music Month, look forward to details about the gospel concert coordinated by Calvary Hill’s Minister of Music and recording artist, Marcus Dyson.  

“We are so pleased to be working with the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre to host our Opening Night,” said Kali O’Ray, co-director of the San Francisco Black Film Festival.  Their new home in Union Square is beautiful, convenient for transportation, and a perfect venue to kick off the festival.”

“It’s like a homecoming to have the SF-B-F-F at the Lorraine Hansberry, said Marc Paquette, Director of Audience Development. “B-F-F- also means “best friends forever” and it makes me think about the fact that Kali’s mother, the late Ave Montague worked together with Lorraine Hansberry founders, the late Stanley E. Williams and Quentin Easter for many years and the spirit of their work continues.”

For the second year, San Francisco Black Film Festival organizers call on the public to get their creative juices flowing with the video and essay contest “My Dad is My Hero.”  Everyone is invited to send in their 2-minute or less video link or DVD or 500 words or less essay to honor their father or the father figure in their life both living or in memoriam.  All ages are invited to participate.  Entries should be sent in no later than June 10th to the San Francisco Film Festival P.O. Box  15490, San Francisco, CA  94115, attn: “My Dad is My Hero.”  All entries must have a name, age, phone number, return address information and preferably an email address, if the entrant has one.  All entries can be emailed as well to sfbff@sfbff.org (Subject Line: My Dad is My Hero). The fathers of the winning entries will be honored on Saturday June 16th at the “Focus on Fathers Family Day at Calvary Hill Church, 141 Industrial Avenue, San Francisco, CA  94124.

Last year’s winner of “My Dad is My Hero Contest” was Lionel Armstrong whose daughter Tiffany Armstrong Gorman submitted the winning entry.  The winning prize was a weekend for two from the Intercontinental Hotel.  His cousin Reverend Everread Cohen, the father of San Francisco District 10 Supervisor Malia Cohen accepted on his behalf at the Jazz Heritage.  The backdrop for last year’s “My Dad is My Hero Contest”, was tributes to families in entertainment at which Jerri Lange, Michael Lange, and Ted Lange were honored along with Shabaka Henley and his wife Paulina Shahagun.  Niether family knew the other was being honored and it turned out to be a reunion of sorts as Henley explained to the audience that Jerri Lange had been his teacher at SF State.  She introduced him to Ted Lange and they have been friends since the 1980’s.

The San Francisco Black Film Festival is open to everyone.  It’s an opportunity for all multicultural Bay Area residents and visitors to San Francisco to take a glimpse at the Black community from the everyday media that often just displays the problems and issues when there is much more than meets the eye.  The San Francisco Black Film Festival provides the African American Community and opportunity for reflection and affirmation.

To find out more about  Opening Night at the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, “Focus on Fathers Family Day & Juneteenth Celebration,” the Red Carpet VIP Reception, the films, the panels, and the “My Dad is My Hero” contest, visit www.sfbff.org.   For organization and corporate sponsorship opportunities contact Kali Ray at 415.400.4602 or Jackie Wright at 415 525 0410.

Photos from 2011 Red Carpet Event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYt7cF7YAgM



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3z5GNmECOg

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About the San Francisco Black Film Festival
 
The San Francisco Black Film Festival was founded with the artistic vision to provide a platform for Black filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors to present their art. As a competitive film festival, SFBFF identifies filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors that are emerging as talents and established artists who are contributing to the cinematic legacy of African Americans. SFBFF conscientiously expands the notions of “Black film-making” to a global perspective. The San Francisco Black Film Festival is the brainchild of the late Ave Montague.