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FORCE of BLUE DOCUMENTARY TO PREMIERE AT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVALVALENTINE’S DAY

Director: Jeffrey S. Williams
Producers: Jon Cermin and Jeffrey S. Williams
Editor: Jeffrey S. Williams
Narrator: Zach Yeager
Music: Marion Robinson/ Asche and Spencer

Force of Blue, the engaging documentary directed by first time helmer Jeffrey S. Williams, will premiere Wednesday, February 14, 4:00 pm, at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Force of Blue, is a documentary feature that follows the Minneapolis North Community High School football team through the 2020 season; A season on the brink, with schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a city on the edge after the death of George Floyd. The Polars relied on their head coach and three assistant coaches, who happened to be police officers,along with a dedicated group of civilians and law enforcement agents, to guide them through the turbulent times. Force of Blue effectively weaves a sports story with social justice issues to present an enthralling documentary about a unique period in American history. Force of Blue will have an encore performance on Friday, February 16, 6:20 pm, at the PAFF.

About some of the film participants

Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver Tyler Johnson, is one of the subjects in the documentary.

Director, Jeffrey S. Williams, is a former teacher with LAUSD. He taught at Daniel Webster Middle School and Shenandoah Elementary School for a total of 24 years.

Although Force of Blue is the same subject matter with the Showtime docuseries Boys
in Blue, produced and directed by Peter Berg, there is no connection between the two
documentaries. Force of Blue had started filming a year before Boys in Blue and
chronicles the 2020 football season that was directly after the death of George Floyd and
cut short by the COVID pandemic.

Minneapolis North head football coach Charlie Adams III is the current Director of Security for the Minnesota Twins baseball team.
PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS:
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 4:00 pm
Friday, February 14, 2024 6:20 pm
Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw and XD
4020 Marlton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90008
(323) 296-1005

PAFF SCREENING INFORMATION LINK:
https://paff2024.eventive.org/films/659bbad8041a39007c3d571e

FUTURE FESTIVALS:
Rhode Island Black Film Festival
Providence Rhode Island
April 4-6, 2024

WEBSITE: forceofblue.co

Chocolate Milk Nominated for Best First Feature Documentary Screening at the Pan African Film & Arts Festival

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Writer, Director and Social Impact Producer: Elizabeth Gray Bayne, MPH, MFA
graybayne film and media

Chocolate Milk is a 90-minute feature documentary following three Black mothers living and working in South LA over the course of five years to understand the birth and breastfeeding challenges facing Black families. To find a unique angle to the U.S. Black maternal health crisis, we partnered with over 250 maternal health organizations around the country to collect stories from Black birth families over several years. Chocolate Milk is the culmination of this collaborative approach to community-based storytelling.

5 Very Cool Facts About Human Milk*

  1. It's absolutely free, but surprisingly elusive for working moms
  2. While nursing is natural, it's definitely a learned skill
  3. It cures pink eye, diaper rash and ear infection
  4. It reduces the risk of asthma, diabetes and chronic disease later in life
  5. Black mothers can and do breastfeed with equitable support

South Florida Writer/Director and Actress Fedleine Jerome’s Short Film “The Therapist” to Grace the 2024 Pan African Film Festival

LOS ANGELES, CA- February 9, 2024— Emerging Haitian American actress, writer, director, and mother of two, Fedleine Jerome, is all set to showcase her award-winning short film, "The Therapist," at the esteemed 2024 Pan African Film Festival. This cinematic gem will be screened on February 11 and February 16 at 8:30 pm at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw and XD at 4020 Marlton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90008.

Born in Haiti, Fedleine and her family immigrated to South Florida when she was two. Despite facing the challenges of growing up below the poverty line, her unwavering determination led her to study theater with a minor in dance at the University of Florida on a full scholarship. Fedleine subsequently embarked on a career as an elementary school teacher before discovering her true calling in filmmaking.

Fedleine's narrative work delves into themes of self-discovery, exploration, motherhood, and transcendence, often skillfully infused with humor and timely dialogue. Her journey from graduating with a theater degree from the University of Florida to directing commercials, experimenting with different cinematic styles, and performing various roles on set, from Production Assistant to First Assistant Camera, has been inspiring.

"The Therapist" is a personal love letter and a roadmap for Fedleine. The main characters, Brooke and Elisa, represent different facets of her journey, from being an unfulfilled wife to embracing her identity as a free-spirited artist. Dealing with a chronic disease diagnosis and rejection from a prominent black film festival, Fedleine embarked on a healing journey, rediscovering her inner child, spirit, and artistic essence. In the movie, Brooke and Elisa meet during a book club focused on "The Artist's Way," a book that serves as a guiding light for blocked artists to reconnect with their creativity. Fedleine's journey mirrored this transformation, as she found that self-acceptance, inner validation, and belief in her talent were the keys to opening doors in her life.

Fedleine's short film "The Therapist" has garnered numerous accolades, including selection for the Aspire TV Filmmakers Competition, Best Local Short, and Most Watched at the Mom's Film Festival. Her work centers on women's empowerment, exploring themes of healing, sisterhood, and self-love, all while using comedy to address significant issues within the black community.

When she's not behind the camera, Fedleine enjoys dancing with her local Haitian folklore dance team, gracing local theater and improv stages at Villain Theater, expressing herself through painting, and raising her two beautiful children, Dj and Jojo, who continue to inspire her on her artistic journey.

For more information visit: fefej.com

Follow on Social: instagram @fedleinej TikTok: @fedleine

Hallmark Red Carpet Premiere for ‘Sense and Sensibility’ at the Pan African Film & Arts Festival

PAN AFRICAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL RED CARPET SCREENING FOR SENSE AND SENSIBILITY – A Hallmark Mahogany Original

Starring Deborah Ayorinde (Actor, “Elinor”), Roger Bobb (Director), Tia A. Smith (Executive Producer), Kara Saun (Costume Designer) Toni Judkins (SVP Programming & Development, Mahogany Originals, Hallmark Media)

About the Film

Deborah Ayorinde (Them), Bethany Antonia (House of the Dragon), Dan Jeannotte (The Royal Nanny) and Akil Largie (The Sandman) star in a beautiful period adaptation in Sense and Sensibility, a new, original movie and Mahogany Original, premiering Saturday, February 24 (8 p.m. ET/PT), on Hallmark Channel.  The movie is part of the network’s Loveuary with Jane Austen programming event, honoring the author’s timeless legacy with four all-new original movie premieres, every Saturday in February.  Set in Regency-era England, it features original costumes by Kara Saun (Project Runway) and hair designs by Kim Kimble (Euphoria). Author and historian Vanessa Riley (Island Queen) served as a historical consultant.

Black History Month Continues in Los Angeles 

with Red Carpet Opening of Pan African Film & Arts Festival and IKEA Collaboration ‘All Artists Have A Seat at the Table’

OFFICIAL PAFF 2024

  • The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) is thrilled to announce its continued partnership with the global brand IKEA. The two will come together to amplify the creative brilliance of Black artists from around the world as they unveil the 3rd installment of “All Artists Have a Seat at The Table,” a unique campaign that not only shines a light on fine Black Art, but also inspires collaboration in unlikely places, while showcasing the artists behind the work.

  • The 2024 campaign will launch February 8, at 6 p.m. with a red carpet opening and reception at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.
  • This glamorous event will mark the official unveiling of the “All Artists Have a Seat at the Table” furniture presented by IKEA including a panel discussion by some of its featured artists.
  • The annual event will boast an array of art lovers, film enthusiasts, and some of Hollywood’s top A-listers observing the beautiful artwork, and shopping for unique pieces to add to their collections.
  • PAFF has curated a special group of artists who will display their brilliance by turning wooden dining furniture provided by IKEA, into colorful pieces of functional fine art. Each one-of-a-kind piece will showcase the style and culture of the artists, while also celebrating a brand that has serviced the home décor needs of families across the nation for many years.

WHAT:

Red carpet opening of ‘All Artists Have A Seat at the Table’ Exhibit

WHEN:

Thursday, February 8, 2024 @6 p.m.
WHERE:

Baldwin Hills Crenshaw 3560 MLK Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles, 2nd Floor

About PAFF
The 32nd Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) makes its return to Los Angeles February 6-19, 2024 at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills XD and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza to present and showcase a broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes of Africans and African-Americans.

Since 1992, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, PAFF has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression. Today, PAFF is one of the largest and most prestigious Black film festivals in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.

For more information, please visit paff.org.

Hashtags: #PAFF and #PAFFNow
Twitter: @PAFFNow
Instagram: @PAFFNow
Facebook: facebook.com/PAFFNow

RAIN OR SHINE—Nick Cannon, Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and more to Join Black Hollywood in Kicking Off Nation’s Largest Black History Month Event

32nd Pan African Film & Arts Festival Starts Wednesday in Los Angeles with red carpet world premiere of music comedy ‘A Hip Hop Story’
OFFICIAL PAFF 2024

LOS ANGELES - The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) will open with the world premiere of the music comedy “A Hip Hop Story” at its 32nd Opening Night Gala.  Once again, PAFF will host a dazzling red carpet gala featuring an array of renowned celebrities, filmmakers, and cultural luminaries setting the stage for a two-week-long celebration of Black culture, storytelling, and creativity.  PAFF will present an unforgettable evening filled with the glitz, glamour, and the magic of cinema with a red carpet of veritable who's who of the entertainment industry, with stars from Hollywood and the global film community coming together to support the festival's mission of showcasing diverse voices and stories.

WHO:
Danny Glover
Affion Crockett
Arsenio Hall
Craig Wayans
Damaine Radcliff
Damien Dante Wayans
Eddie Murphy
Flex Alexander
Fredro Starr
Greg Mack
Martin Lawerence
Nick Cannon
Norm Nixon Jr.
Omar Dorsey
Ras Kass
Robert Townsend
Robin Hemmingway
Shawn Wayans
Snoop Dogg
Lil Rel
Damien Dante Wayans
Novi Brown
Amin Joseph
John Salley
Jahking Guillory
Johnell Young
Comedian Shawn Wayans
Actor/director  Robert Townsend
Comedian Tiffany Haddaish
Wendy Raquel Robinson
Vanessa Estelle Williams
Cory Hardict
Comedian Torrei Hart
Comedian Luenell
Omar J. Dorsey
Nicki Micheaux

WHAT:
Opening Night of the 32nd Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival World Premiere of “A Hip Hop Story”

WHEN: Wednesday, February 7, 2024
5:30PM Red Carpet
7PM Program/Screening

WHERE: Writers Guild of America Theater
135 S Doheny Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

For more information, please visit paff.org.

Where My Memory Began – Nominated for Best Short at PAFF 2024

Writer and Director: Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda

"WHERE MY MEMORY BEGAN", a 9 min experimental short doc that lyrically tells the story of the fallen 400-year-old Cotton tree that saw the capital city of Sierra Leone, West Africa, take on the name "freedom town", today's Freetown, after freed slaves from the US and Canada decided to return to Africa to find freedom some hundreds years ago. In addition to PAFF and although it is not public info, we are also an official selection for Aspen Shortfest and are excited to hear from other prestigious film festivals.

www.priscilliakounkouhoveyda.com/films 

LOST ANGEL: The Genius Of Judee Sill Acquired by Greenwich Entertainment, In Theaters April 12th

Music Documentary Exec Produced by Actor/Musician Maya Hawke and Best-selling author Cheryl Strayed World Premiered at DOC NYC

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Los Angeles, CA – February 6, 2024 - Greenwich Entertainment announced today the acquisition of North American distribution rights to Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill directed by Andy Brown and Brian Lindstrom (Alien Boy: The Life & Death of James Chasse).  The Onwards and Upwards, Batterymarch Films, and Submarine Deluxe production had its World Premiere at DOC NYC and Greenwich will release the film in theaters on April 12.

An intimate portrait of a one-of-a-kind singer-songwriter from 1970s Los Angeles, the documentary charts the life of Judee Sill from a troubled adolescence that included armed robbery and prison through her meteoric rise in the music world and tragic early death.  In just over two years, Judee went from living in a car to a deal with Asylum Records and the cover of Rolling Stone . As told by Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, David Geffen and JD Souther -- along with Judee herself -- the film explores Judee’s unique musical style and the inspiring recent rediscovery of her singular music by a new generation of musicians including Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes, Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek of Big Thief, Shawn Colvin and Weyes Blood.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Greenwich to bring the singular music and life story of Judee Sill both to her devoted fans as well as the wider audience that eluded her during her lifetime.” remarks director-producer Brian Lindstrom. “While  Judee’s grace-filled songs seem at odds with the grittier elements of her personal life, her journal entries and audio interviews provide an intimate window into how this complex singer/songwriter transformed personal pain into musical masterpieces."

Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill was produced by Peter Kenney (Oscar-nominated Joe’s Violin) and Brian Lindstrom with executive producers Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Cheryl Strayed (Wild) and Dan Braun (Echo in the Canyon).  Greenwich’s Andy Bohn negotiated the acquisition with Submarine’s Dan Braun and Ben Schwartz on behalf of the filmmakers.

About Greenwich Entertainment 

Founded in 2017, Greenwich Entertainment is an independent film distribution company specializing in compelling documentaries and distinctive narrative features.  Releases include the Academy Award-winning Free Solo, Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s The Rescue, Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice from Oscar winners Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, Andrew Slater’s Echo in the Canyon, Matt Tyrnauer’s Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, Quentin Dupieux’s Deerskin starring Oscar winner Jean Dujardin, Isabel Coixtet’s The Bookshop starring Emily Mortimer and Academy Award nominees Patricia Clarkson and Bill Nighy, and Madeleine Olnek’s Wild Nights with Emily starring Molly Shannon.  Upcoming releases include Sorry/Not Sorry and Shoshana directed by Michael Winterbottom.  GreenwichEntertainment.com

LindsayLuvzU Productions Announces Debut Screening of “Maharlika Warrior Spirit” at the Pan African Film Festival

MAHARLIKA 5X7 FLYER PAFF BOTH DATES

Los Angeles, CA - LindsayLuvzU Productions is thrilled to announce the nomination and screening of its most recent film, "Maharlika Warrior Spirit," at the prestigious Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF). The film will debut on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 1:00 PM, and a second screening will follow on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 3:40 PM. These screenings will take place in Los Angeles at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD Movie Theater, located at 4020 Marlton Ave.

"Maharlika Warrior Spirit" is an anti-sex trafficking movie that is set to ignite a movement disguised as a film. This multi-channel production transcends traditional storytelling by using film, music, documentaries, and live events to raise awareness about the sensitive and often overlooked issue of sex trafficking. The story follows Tala, a defense attorney with a strong moral compass, who is forced to confront the ineffectiveness of the law when her best friend becomes a victim of sex trafficking. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, she awakens to her ancient warrior spirit.

At its very core, the movie is not only a call to action but also a beacon of hope for victims and a rallying cry for societal change. With the movie’s official release, LindsayLuvzU Productions is leading the charge with a vision that differs from its contemporaries, embodying the spirit of innovation akin to the work of Spike Lee.

"LindsayLuvzU Productions stands at the intersection of activism and entertainment, and with 'Maharlika Warrior Spirit,' we aim to not just tell a story, but to spur a cultural metamorphosis," says Lindsay Castillo, founder, and CEO of LindsayLuvzU Productions. "It's time to shine a light on the darkness of sex trafficking, and we are committed to empowering women and inspiring audiences to take action."

The film is part of a larger endeavor by the company, including the documentary, "Traffik ‘n’ Sex, An Anti-Sex Trafficking Movement," which provides a grounded perspective of trafficking through the eyes of survivors. Additionally, the world’s first anti-sex trafficking concept album, "Traffik ‘n’ Sex," is set to engage fans and raise awareness through music.

It is also important to note that LindsayLuvzU Productions' unique approach extends beyond the screen, with the establishment of "Traffik n’ Sex," a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting victims of sex trafficking by connecting safe-houses nationwide and encouraging public discourse on the issue.

For more information about "Maharlika Warrior Spirit" and the non-profit organization, please visit https://maharlikaminiseries.com/.

The Maharlika Warrior Trailer from LindsayLuvzU on Vimeo.

About LindsayLuvzU Productions

LindsayLuvzU Productions is a cinematic platform for change, founded by the accomplished Lindsay Castillo, whose life experiences have shaped her into a storyteller with a cause. Castillo's journey began i he diverse streets of Oakland, California, where she cultivated her passion for performance and her deep sense of social responsibility. Growing up, she witnessed the challenges of entrepreneurship within her family and the broader community, experiences that instilled in her the drive to pursue her own business ventures with a philanthropic edge.

Castillo's evolution from a student activist engaged in cultural and social justice organizations to a prominent advocate for women's rights and anti-sex trafficking initiatives underscores her dedication to making a substantive impact through her work in the film industry. With LindsayLuvzU Productions, Castillo has found a way to channel her advocacy into creative expression, producing content that doesn't just tell stories but also educates and mobilizes audiences towards action.

This commitment to blending art with activism is deeply personal for Castillo. Her experiences with marginalized communities, her active role in pivotal social movements, and her educational background in broadcast arts and gender studies have all contributed to her unique perspective as a filmmaker and activist. LindsayLuvzU Productions is not just a company but a reflection of Castillo's lifelong commitment to justice, empowerment, and the belief that change begins with powerful storytelling.

Contact Information

Lindsay Castillo
LLU@LindsayLuvzU.com

510-543-3923
https://maharlikaminiseries.com/