8th Annual BLACKSTAR FILM FESTIVAL COVERAGE
Tinsel & Tine Coverage of BLACKSTAR FILM FESTIVAL August 1-4, 2019
By Le Anne Lindsay, Editor
Tinsel & Tine has gotten the opportunity to cover portions of The BlackStar Film Festival since its inception! Here’s links to our 2017 | 2018 posts. I even met someone at last year’s fest, which turned into a 6 month romance. Sadly, we didn’t make it to return together this year – August 1-4, 2019; however, I’ll be back to witness another stellar slate of black, brown and indigenous films from around the globe.
Founded in 2012 by Maori Karmael Holmes, BlackStar has become the hottest event on the film festival calendar. Exposing and providing its audience with must-see film premieres, poignant artist discussions, and discoveries of emerging filmmakers. Remember, artists like Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty; HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness), Matthew A. Cherry (9 RIdes; ABC’s Whiskey Cavalier), Nijla Baseema Mu’min (Jinn) and more have shared their work at the festival, and from BlackStar cultivated a fanbase that has grown with their careers.
POST UPDATE 8/12/2019:
One of the things I love most about covering BlackStar is feeling the energy that permeates the festival, it’s an energy of people being grateful to be there, to participate and support, more so, in my opinion, than any other film festival I attend in Philly.
I like to cover film festivals in real time on social media. Always using the festival’s hashtag. This year BlackStar used – #BSFF19 and #BlackStar19SoLit, so you can search FB, Twitter, IG, LinkedIN for more of the weekend. But here’s some of what I did and saw:
DAY 1 (Aug 1) Was also my mother’s 82nd birthday, so I spent the earlier part of the day first getting my hair done, cause you know BlackStar and black hair go hand and hand, but also taking my Mom out to lunch and shopping. I got to the festival moments before the red carpet started, getting a chance to do a little red carpet interview with the writer/director Numa Perrier of the opening night film JEZEBEL.
JEZEBEL is a coming of age story set in the early 90’s based on the real life of Numa Perrier who became an “Internet Model” or Web Cam girl to make a living after her mother passed away and she and her siblings moved into a Motel paying rent by the week.
The focus of the film is Jezebel/Tiffany discovering her sexual power and not completely hating the job. It also speaks to sisterly bonds as Numa herself plays her older sister Livia in the movie who is an executive producer on the film. The video also contains the post screening Q &A and dance moves from the opening night party at World Cafe Live:
Day 2: (Aug 2) I was contacted about doing a pre-festival interview with the writer/director of SPRINTER Storm Saulter Click HERE for interview and post Screening Q& A
Day 2 Cont. The Shorts Program on the roof of ICA was a real good time. Such great weather combined with super quirky, truth thru humor SHORTS gourmet grilled cheese, Powers Irish Whiskey and other assorted treats sponsored by the Leeway Foundation
Shorts Program 7: Femmes claim ownership over their bodies and lives in these funny, quirky, and lighthearted set of shorts.
FEMME QUEEN CHRONICLES (Episode 1: The Clock) -Dir. Ahya Simone
HONK FOR JESUS SAVE YOUR SOUL –Dir. Adamma Ebo
LADIES DAY – Dir. Abena Taylor-Smith
ME TIME –Dir. Iyabo Boyd
MOTHERSTRUCK – Dir. Micaela Birmingham
WOMXN – Dir. Eden Tinto Collins and Adrien Gystere Peskine
YIRGA – Dir. B.B. Araya
Day 3 (Aug 3) The big event during #BSFF19 was A CONVERSATION WITH SPIKE LEE founder of the #MeToo Movement Tarana Burke interviewed legendary filmmaker Spike Lee at the Annenberg Center. Talk centered around the 30th Anniversary of his groundbreaking film DO THE RIGHT THING.
The conversation got a little heated when Tarana asks Spike about accountability in terms of the female characters in his movies. She doesn’t make an accusation, she phrases it in a way that would give him the open forum to discuss his female characters, he could just as easily said I see no problem, but instead he gets defensive.
To me it seemed odd that he wouldn’t have had some more talking points prepared around this subject, considering who was interviewing him, but hey, these are his movies, so he can answer as he sees fit.
Here’s the video excerpts:
In between #BSFF19 screenings & events made time to say final goodbye to sweet Robert Mendelsohn @pabj Memorial. He touched people so much more than he knew. pic.twitter.com/sc6e8H9XVP
— Tinsel & Tine (@tinseltine) August 3, 2019
Day 4 (Aug 4) Shorts Program 11 –Reflections on time travel and geographic travel, and the resulting transformations of people and space.
Another Decade – dir. Morgan Quaintance
Ghosts of Sugar Land – dir. Bassam Tariq
I Snuck Off the Slave Ship- dir. Lonnie Holley, Cyrus Moussavi
memories from the future – dir. M. Asli Dukan
Riding with Aunt D. Dot – dir. Bree Gant
I have to be honest and say although each of these shorts were extremely original and creative I didn’t connect with a single one.
#BSFF19 Q&A clip Shorts programs 11- dirs Lonnie Holley I SNUCK OFF THE SLAVE SHIP & Bree Gant RIDING with Aunt D. DOT discuss how dreams influence their work @BlackStarFest pic.twitter.com/KEUgbB8COG
— Tinsel & Tine (@tinseltine) August 4, 2019
Day 4 Cont. FEATURE DOCUMENTARY- Wax Print: 1 Fabric, 4 Continents, 200 Years of History
Dir. Aiwan Obinyan
From the villages of Indonesia to the cotton fields of America, from European industrial mills to the bustling markets of West Africa, the story of one fabric and how it came to symbolise a continent, it’s people, and their struggle for freedom.
This was surprisingly interesting. I was already at the URBN Annex so out of laziness I stayed for the next film and was pleasantly surprised by my interest in British-born filmmaker and fashion designer, Aiwan Obinyan’s journey to trace the origins of ‘traditional’ African wax printed fabric from the Orient to the UK and Holland. We not only learn about the stories these fabrics tell, and how they are made, but the more complex issues of appropriation are discussed on all sides.
Let’s give a shout out to @BlackStarFest PARTNERS 1 of 2 tweets#BSFF19 #ByIndieMeansNecessary pic.twitter.com/cat9I0FZ5j
— Tinsel & Tine (@tinseltine) August 3, 2019
Roger Ross Williams & Lisa Cortes Presents: THE APOLLO – 90 Years of History in Harlem click HERE for my post which includes video Q&A
After APOLLO had fun talking to a new filmmaker Jon Covington who’s working on a part documentary, part installation, part insight piece called BLACK MAN where he’s interviewed black men from all different walks of life on very intimate subjects. Here’s the Trailer:
#BSFF19 Congrats to 2019 Best Narrative Feature Award Winner SELAH AND THE SPADES dir. Tayarisha Poe
Also tweet 2 of 2 shout out to @BlackStarFest Sponsors/Partners
Stay tuned for Tinsel & Tine’s #Blackstar19solit Recap pic.twitter.com/zxNfxccAxg
— Tinsel & Tine (@tinseltine) August 5, 2019
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Click HERE to see Tinsel & Tine’s BlackStar Photo Album on Facebook
Original Post 7/21/2019 Here’s some highlights to look out for this year:
The festival kicks off with JEZEBEL (narrative feature) written and directed by Numa Perrier, explores the complex young life of a 19-year-old, introduced to the world of internet fetish cam girls. The screening will mark its Philadelphia premiere.
BlackStar will present the LUMINARY AWARD to Marcia Smith, President of Firelight Media,
a nonprofit production company dedicated to using historical film to advance contemporary social justice causes, and to mentoring, inspiring and training a new generation of diverse young filmmakers committed to advancing underrepresented stories.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of DO THE RIGHT THING, filmmaker Spike Lee and activist Tarana Burke will discuss the possibilities of using radical storytelling to center social justice and foster narrative change.
The Philadelphia Premiere of THE APPOLLO, a documentary feature from Academy Award-winning director, Roger Ross Williams (Music By Prudence, God Loves Uganda).
Award-winning feature drama SPRINTER by Storm Saulter, produced by Overbrook Entertainment and Executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, SPRINTER is a coming-of-age drama highlighting every-day Jamaican culture that is rarely seen on film. Winner of the Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Audience Award at 2018’s American Black Film Festival, and Jury Winner for Best Narrative Feature at the 2019 Pan African Film Festival, SPRINTER will screen during the BlackStar Film Festival.
I got a chance to ask SPRINTER writer/director Storm Saulter my 5 Signature Questions
in a interview click HERE to view
#BSFF19 Screening Date/Time: Friday, August 2 at 5:30 pm
Don’t Miss the YOUTH PROGRAMS 1st one starts on August 3rd 11am
Sorry about the romance bit, but it is a great event and we’re proud that our student filmmaking class entry “Closeted” is part of the Youth Film lineup this year! #myfi@ridgeway1906@delcotimes@DelcoCouncilhttps://t.co/1OUiBSSZdj
— Media Film Festival (@mediafilmfest1) July 23, 2019
BlackStar Film Festival will host the inaugural BLACKSTAR PITCH.
Filmmakers will pitch their projects in front of a live audience and a
panel of judges to receive feedback and have an opportunity to win a
cash prize of $1,000.
This first BlackStar Pitch will be focused on feature documentary
projects and is open to any filmmaker who identifies as a person of
color.
Sneak Preview of HIP HOP: THE SONGS THAT SHOOK AMERICA a New Documentary Series from Executive Producers Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (from the band, The Roots), Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter (also from the band, The Roots), Shawn Gee, and Alex Gibney
each episode of the series focuses on a groundbreaking song pivotal to the evolution of American music and culture.
Solange Knowles to screen WHEN I GET HOME on August 4th, as part of BlackStar’s Closing Night Film Presentation of films that examine cultural history through music, and/or collaborations with musicians who are also directors.
And SO MUCH MORE Visit Blackstarfest.org and be sure to return to Tinsel & Tine and our social media channels @tinseltine and @tinsel_tine (IG) during the festival!
Please note: Tinsel & Tine is in the process of moving our content to a newly designed site with a featured section for Film Festival Coverage. The URL may change on individual posts, however our domain name will remain the same tinseltine.com
The 2019 BlackStar Film Festival is generously supported by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, William Penn Foundation, Cinereach, Wyncote Foundation, Color of Change & Open Society Foundations, HBO, Barra Foundation, Annenberg School for Communication at University of Pennsylvania, PECO, Comcast/Xfinity, Crux, Fractured Atlas, and individual donors; as well as a gracious network of partners including Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, The Barnes Foundation
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Tinsel & Tine provides year-round free promotion, sparking conversations and awareness, celebration and reviews of the movie industry - from local indie shorts to international films/filmmakers, to studio driven movies/moviemakers. Mixed with a spotlight on Philly Happenings. #MiniMovieReview #PhillyCalendar
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