PB Film

Have You Heard? The Boca Black Film Festival Is HOT This Summer!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HAVE YOU HEARD? THE 2016 BOCA BLACK FILM FESTIVAL IS HOT THIS SUMMER
Special showcase films are NOW being accepted

BOCA RATON, Fla.—(July 5, 2016)—The Boca Black Film Festival is back and we’d like to say, “Its Boca or Bust this July 2016!” South Florida’s newest film festival tested the waters and found that South Floridians are eager for more film opportunities. And, they’re coming during the hottest parts of summer too. You may have heard this year’s buzz words for diversity and inclusion, but that’s nothing new to us. We know that our HBCUs around the country— produce some of the nation’s best producers & black college graduates for excellent black talent in business, medicine, education, engineering and the arts. Naturally, it’s the same in film & television. Chadwick Boseman, Howard grad. Samuel L. Jackson, Morehouse grad. Spike Lee, Morehouse grad. Anika Noni Rose, FAMU grad. Will Packard, FAMU grad. And film festivals designed for people of color also recognize phenomenal black talent.

Locally, at our Boca Black Film Festival in 2015, we premiered Pain of Love by student-Academy winner Alcee Walker—who is well on his way to success now with two DGA student filmmaker awards. Then in our inaugural year, McKinson Souverain joined us as a content creator to share about producing webisodes and he also won the ABFFwebisode challenge for his Close Friends that same year.

Now in our third year, Boca Black Film is excited to offer these types of opportunities close to home so, our film festival can be affordable & our professionals approachable. We have gained the support of local businesses and organizations to help us fulfill our mission for film diversity—to be South Florida’s premier festival vehicle for black filmmakers and talent by providing educational enrichment alongside master classes and film screenings. Likewise, we don’t just talk the talk, but we also do our fair share to support the Florida film industry and local festivals through membership, education and partnerships. During the last two years, we have supported our film community by collaborating with the Ayiti’s traveling Haitian film series, attended Miami International Film Festival’s Conversation with the Cheryl Boone Isaacs, joined in a screenwriting workshop with Palm Beach International Film Festival & BlueCat Screenplay and co-sponsored a documentary screening with the African-American Women in Cinema.

So, this year, the Boca Black Film Festival attempts to answer the call for diversity of perspective again. The three day summer film festival runs from Thursday, July 21 – Saturday, July 23, 2016. We promise to educate, support, and nurture independent, emerging filmmakers—from the tri-county area and the state of Florida. From July 21 to July 23, there’ll be more than one dozen educational programs, film conversations, showcase screenings, and our  signature State of Black Media panel discussion that is represented by film industry professionals from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Our educational programming is being held at the Boca Raton Marriott.

We are happy to announce that “one-of-a-kind” Film Submissions are NOW being accepted for feature-length independent films that showcase young black America and/or Afro-Latino life for a South Florida premier. We are reviewing submissions until Thursday, July 14, 11:59 pm, EST. And, we are encouraging more representation from college student filmmakers and novice filmmakers throughout the state.

First, let me share a few more examples about the importance of black film festivals. Consequently, this exposure to audiences of color helps to spread the word, build favorable grassroots promotion and engage social media, like Black Twitter.

• Christine Swanson wrote & directed All About You, which won the ABFF’s 2003 Best Film Award. You may have discovered Hamilton’s Renee Elise Goldsberry as one of the lead actors. According to IMDB, Swanson is now working on Buffalo Soldier Girl. And Goldsberry—other than winning the 2016 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a featured role in a Musical for the Tony-award winning Best Musical, Hamilton, she was a regular supporting actor on The Good Wife and One Life to Live for numerous years.

• Alvin Moore, Jr.’s The Perfect Gift made its 2011 US debut at the International Black Film Festival of Nashville. And, later aired on BET.

• The young and talented Quvenzhane Wallis spoke of her role as the brave Hushpuppy in Beast of the Southern Wild at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Film Festival in 2012.

Boca Black Film Festival aims to be South Florida’s premier festival vehicle for black filmmakers and talent by providing educational enrichment alongside master classes, panel discussion and film screenings by black talent and creative content makers. We led the way in sharing independent documentaries such Oscar Micheaux: The Czar of  Black Hollywood and student-Academy winner, Pain of Love by Alcee Walker—who is well on his way to success with two DGA student filmmaker awards. This is what we do! We strive to be the locals’ favorite film festival. We strive to accommodate film enthusiasts. And, we hit the mark with education, information and enrichment that helps novice filmmakers study their craft and move forward to the next competition level.

Each year, our film festival also highlights the working talents of Florida’s best-kept secret—working film professionals of color. The film festival culminates with the Daisy Awards luncheon ceremony that honors the achievements of emerging, independent filmmakers while also celebrating one Floridian of color who has worked tirelessly to make an impact in film & television—and remained local. This year, on Saturday, July 23, we are awarding Ms. Ruth Paul, SAG-AFTRA, as our third annual Daisy Award recipient, at FAU’s Living Room Theater.

We believe that film is a collaborative effort. “We could not have had such a great start without the support of so many local festival directors,” Lizabeth Martin shared. “The advice, alone, helped us navigate management and operations that is not normally available to the public.” With this advice and mentorship, Boca Black Film is planning to offer student scholarships and travel stipends next year, in 2017, so student and independent members can afford to take select film courses, virtual master classes and/or attend partner events, such as the International Black Film Festival of Nashville.

The Boca Black Film Festival is open to the public and discounted student rates are available for student ambassadors who sign up for community service hours. Festival registration starts at $200 for the three-day pass or $100 for a student three-day pass. Get your tickets NOW. We will not disappoint you! For more information on the Boca Black Film Festival visit www.BocaBlackFilm.org. We’re social… follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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The Boca Black Film Festival is the premier creative arts and educational film fest that specifically celebrates and champions independent film works created, designed and inspired by persons of black heritage. As one of Florida’s and the tri-county area’s only film festivals dedicated to the art and craft of filmmaking for black content makers, the Boca Black Film Festival organization strives for authenticity and originality in promoting and screening film works. The Festival provides balance in creative arts development, training sessions, networking, mentorship and endeavors that promote well-balanced, diverse images of color in film, television and other media venues. The Boca Black Film Festival celebrates the imaginative, organically grown, perspective that is uniquely black American.

Media Contact:
Dhima Martin @ 561-235-3028
[email protected]