Entertainment Industry Leaders Malcom Lee, Roger Bobb, Reuben Cannon, Rain Pryor and Robi Reed Headline 5th Annual BronzeLens Film Festival in Atlanta October 22-26
BronzeLens Film Festival attendees empowered, entertained and educated.
The 2014 5th annual BronzeLens Film Festival (BronzeLens) will take place October 22-26, 2014 at various venues including the Atlanta Marriott Marquis (Festival Headquarters), the all new SCADshow Atlanta (formerly14th St. Playhouse), the Westside Cultural Arts Center, Georgia Pacific Auditorium, South Fulton Arts Center, Hyatt Regency Atlanta and Woodruff Arts Center Rich Auditorium. BronzeLens is set to be a five day interactive experience designed to empower, entertain and educate attendees from various film industry disciplines, students and the general public. Festival producers have put together a world class array of BronzeLens expert panels, workshops, domestic and international film screenings and signature events that reflect Atlanta’s unique position as the Film Capital of the South. Headliners include directors Malcom D. Lee and Bille Woodruff, producers Roger Bobb and Reuben Cannon, actress/comedienne Rain Pryor and casting director Robi Reed.
BronzeLens Film Festival Highlights – October 22-26, 2014
Selected juried films include the work of filmmakers representing the United States, Africa, the Caribbean and South America. More than 40 films will be screened including a collection of shorts, features, webisodes and documentaries
Festival Highlights:
Wednesday October 22
BronzeLens Film Festival kicks – off Wednesday October 22 with the screening of Through A Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and Emergence of A People followed by a Talkback with the film’s director Thomas Allen Harris at SCADshow Atlanta (formerly 14th Street Playhouse). Moguldom Entertainment will present a special screening of Bleaching Black Culture afterwards for the first public exhibition of this new documentary feature.
Thursday October 23
New to BronzeLens are several new programs for the 5th annual BronzeLens Film Festival. Returning sponsor BET Networks presents All Shorts | All Day, a day of screenings of the 15 official 2014 BronzeLens short films selections at the Georgia Pacific Auditorium. BET Networks will also present a $5,000 prize to the winner of the BEST SHORT at the BronzeLens Awards the following day.
Friday October 24
Some of the Industry’s most accomplished headliners have committed to share their insight from the field during BronzeLens 2014. Jimmy L. White, former writer on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, known for the screenplay Ray will lead a discussion about Writing Biopics.
Malcolm D. Lee and Bille Woodruff will be featured during Roger Bobb’s Directors Roundtable. Roger Bobb, CEO/Bobbcat Studios, will have an engaging, freewheeling discussion with a few of today’s hottest directors. He will be joined by Malcolm D, Lee (The Best Man Holiday, The Best Man and Undercover Brother) and Bille Woodruff (Drumline 2: A New Beat, Addicted, Beauty Shop)
A favorite signature event for industry insiders, corporations and the local community is the BronzeLens Women Superstars Luncheon which will anchor the Friday events at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel. Awards for the accomplishments of women of color in the film and television industry will be presented the select 2014 Honorees. Broadcast Journalist Monica Pearson will host the event which starts at noon. Attendees can walk the Red Carpet from 10:45 that morning. The life and career of the late actress and activist Ruby Dee will be celebrated during the luncheon.
BronzeLens has developed new partnerships with the networks ASPiRE Television and UP TV. ASPiRE – A Different Reality panel will discuss how projects can connect with audiences and stand out in a popular marketplace and how directors’, producers’ and artists’ films, shorts and/or documentaries have the opportunity to be a part of the network. Tina Thompson, ASPiRE Director of Programming, Ryan Richmond, ASPiRE and Valencia Joseph, ASPiRE Marketing Director will present.
UP TV, an expert on producing and creating entertaining and inspiring content that resonates with viewers will host The Formula for Inspiring Content to discuss the elements that are essential in creating and launching successful productions that entertain, engage and connect with audiences and that also inspire and uplift. Brad Siegel, Vice Chairman, UP TV, Jasmine Guy, Star, UP Original Movie My Other Mother, Gregalan Williams, Star, UP Original Movie Marry Me For Christmas and the upcoming sequel Marry Us for Christmas, Eric Tomosunas, President and Head of Production, Swirl Entertainment Group Cas Sigers-Beedles, Screenwriter and Producer, Nina Holiday Entertainment, Rhonda Freeman-Baraka, Screenwriter and Producer Ryan Richmond, Director, UP Original Movie Lyfe’s Journey and Executive in Charge of Original Production, ASPiRE are panelists. Jaquitta Williams will moderate.
HBO Documentary will host the Friday night film Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown, a new documentary about the “Godfather of Soul.” Through never-before-heard personal stories and explosive concert footage, this feature documentary charts the phenomenal rise and lasting influence of soul singer James Brown, a.k.a. “The Godfather of Soul.” Immediately following Rain Pryor, daughter of comedian Richard Pryor, star of That Daughter’s Crazy, will be present for the highly anticipated screening. Both films take place at the Woodruff Arts Center Rich Auditorium.
Saturday October 25
Special to BronzeLens will be the Master Class, A CONVERSATION with Robi Reed. Emmy Award winning casting director Robi Reed (The Best Man, Malcolm X, The Antwone Fisher Story, Love Jones, Set It Off and now BET Networks VP of Talent and Casting) will speak candidly with actor HOSEA CHANCHEZ from the hit TV show “THE GAME” on the process of selecting talent to fulfill a director’s artistic vision. Actors and film enthusiasts will benefit from her insight on the art and business of performing for the big and small screen. They will also enjoy a spirited question and answer session as she shares her personal journey and experiences with some of urban cinema’s most memorable film projects
Legendary casting director and producer Reuben Cannon, returns to BronzeLens to lead the Producers Roundtable. At this groundbreaking session sponsored by BET Networks, Cannon brings together high-level entertainment executives to share their strategies for producing and marketing successful film and television projects.
Students will have special programming at BronzeLens. Aspiring college students interested in film and television will be able to attend the BronzeLens Student Track, for a day of workshops designed to help students earn “their Big Break” into the business. This fast paced all day session includes insight from young professionals on how they got their break, studios about their internship programs, sessions on an array of industry jobs, and screening BronzeLens Official Student selections to vote on the Student Audience Award. Lunch will be served. ASPiRE Television will present the ASPiRE Student Award at the BronzeLens Awards. Also Hammonds House Museum Family Film Festival for children age 5 to 12 years will present an event that includes shorts based on the Coretta Scott King Book Awards and programmed activities.
Digital Diaspora Family Reunion in conjunction with Through a Lens Darkly, Digital Diaspora (TALD) will offer attendees the opportunity to share their stories and family photos on cell phones or as actual photographs. The innovative transmedia companion to Through a Lens Darkly, Digital Diaspora Family Reunion (DDFR) has reimagined the social network by inviting audiences to upload and share their own family photos, thereby building a “One World, One Family” album and take place at the Westside Cultural Arts Center. The film and Transmedia project are co-sponsored by Atlanta Celebrates Photography, Sistography and SCAD.
International films will be featured at BronzeLens in collaboration with France Atlanta 2014, Institut Francais, Art Mattan Productions and Africa Atlanta 2014 presents the Atlanta debut of Under the Starry Sky (Des Etoiles), directed by Dyana Gaye. This motion picture received worldwide critical acclaim after its debut at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. A Conversation with Dyana Gaye follows immediately after the film, where she will be interviewed by Shadow and Act’s Film and Culture Critic Zeba Blay about her work and creative process.
Slated to emcee the BronzeLens Awards Show is actor, singer, all around entertainer and star of Tyler Perry’s Love Thy Neighbor television show, Palmer Williams, Jr. The ‘Best of Festival’ filmmakers in their perspective categories and other noteworthy industry leaders will be honored at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Categories include the best in Features, Documentaries, International Films, Shorts, Student Films, and Web Series, as well as Best Actress and Best Actor. Red Carpet opens at 7:00 PM
Sunday October 26
Cinema and Social Justice Sunday will be produced in conjunction with Center for Civil and Human Rights and continues to be a unique and critical component of the festival. There will be a special presentation of Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee, a documentary style film about love, art and activism telling the story of one of the most enduring couples of our times, Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee. In this open-letter style documentary, Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis’ rich lives guide their grandson Muta Ali Muhamad on his personal quest to master lasting love conscious art, and undying activism.
About the BronzeLens Film Festival
Founded in 2009, The BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a center for film and film production for people of color. Its mission is twofold: to promote Atlanta as the new film Mecca for people of color; and to showcase films and provide networking opportunities that will develop the next generation of filmmakers. Since its inception the BronzeLens Film Festival has evolved as one of the most comprehensive film festivals for filmmakers of color in the United States. Visit www.bronzelensf.com for more information regarding the BronzeLens Film Festival and for registration information.
Sponsors of the BronzeLens Film Festival are Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Delta Air Lines, City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment and Office of Cultural and Affairs, HBO Documentary Films, BET Networks, Georgia Pacific, The Woodruff Arts Center, ASPiRE Television and UP TV.
