Unspool Hollywood

EXECUTIVE ORDER: A Film by Lázaro Ramos

When Government officials will go to any lengths to continue the oppression of its citizens of African descent

Director: Lázaro Ramos
Writers: Lusa Silvestre, Lázaro Ramos, Aldri Anunciação and Elísio Lopes Jr
Starring: Alfred Enoch, Taís Araujo, Seu Jorge, Adriana Esteves, Renata Sorrah, Mariana Xavier
Santiago: Pablo Sanábio
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Genre: Science Fiction, Drama
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese (English subtitles)

Renowned Brazilian actor, Lázaro Ramos, makes his directorial debut with his new compelling film EXECUTIVE ORDER.

Ramos tackles an age-old topic of compensation for the descendants of enslaved Africans. Slaves, whose forced labor built countries’ wealth around the globe, including his home country of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Lawyer, Antônio, (Alfred Enoch) takes legal action against the Brazilian government demanding compensation for all the descendants of the countries’ African slaves. Taking on the government requires Antônio to seek help, so he enlist his cousin, André (Seu Jorge) and wife Capitu (Taís Araújo) to force the change the want to see.

The government’s response is to force a Back-to-Africa movement like those that took place in the 1700 and 1800s in the United States. The powers that be have never taking reparations seriously as evident by the continued discussion and no action. The topic also evokes varied responses from both sides of the issue. When talking about going back to Africa, Sierra Leone and Liberia, two African countries formed by former slaves. Here in the United States people are still waiting for their 40 acres and a mule, promised to freed American slaves, that have yet to be delivered.

Lázaro Ramos, “Its political significance is to put so many black actors, in great part, speaking freely bout themes that are important for them. “ We’re living a historical moment in the world where polarizing positions are dominating the narratives, where there’s an attempt of simplifying people as if they were only defined by a single adjective.

Based on that, criminalizing, discriminating, undermining, silencing them has become a central issue. The film is an attempt to show that we have more layers than the current narrative. That said, yes it is a criticism to the extremes and an attempt to foresee our next steps in order to avoid all this radicalism in which we all live in now.

The stars of the film are the following:

Antônio (Alfred Enoch) is an actor of Anglo-Brazilian descent whose mother was born in Rio de Janeiro. He established himself in the movie business as Dean Thomas in the “Harry Potter” movie series and playing Wes Gebbin in the ABC TV series, “How To Get Away With Murder”. Executive Order is his first Portuguese language film; his mother is from Rio de Janeiro, and he is fluent in Portuguese.

Capitu (Taís Araujo)
Got her start on the theater stage and crossed over to become a popular actresses in Brazil and other Portuguese speaking countries. Taís accomplished many first in Brazil starting in 1997, when she was the first black actress to take a leading role in a Brazilian soap opera called Xica da Silva and later becoming the first black TV host and named women's advocate for UN Brazil.

André (Seu Jorge)
An award winning singer and actor, who has won three Latin Grammy awards. He also won best actor for the feature “Marighella” at the Bari International Film Festival, in Italy. He became known to the world in the 2005 film by Wes Anderson “The Aquatic Life of Steve Zissou”. He has recorded more than 15 albums and has appeared in several films, Cidade de Deus, Tropa Elite 2 and Pelé. On TV, he has acted in the American series “Sleepwalkers” and in the Brazilian miniseries “Os Normais”, “Mandrake” and “Brasil, Brasil”.

Ramos’ process for working with actors is “not only in film but also in theater plays I make them have an opinion before everything happens, even before they study the script. I try to promote debates on the subjects it’ll be about so they get passionate for it and defend their points of view. I worked in partnership with two people in particular: one of them is a theater actress called Tatiana Tibúrcio and Flávia Lacerda, theater and TV director, that were beside me throughout the process of rehearsal where we brought provocative exercises for the actors. We’d never closed the process though, so the actors could have the freedom when on set to live the moment.”

Production Co: Lereby, Lata Filmes
Run time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Starring: : Alfred Enoch, Taís Araujo, Seu Jorge, Adriana Esteves, Renata Sorrah, Mariana Xavier
Santiago: Pablo Sanábio
Director: Lázaro Ramos
Writers: Lusa Silvestre, Lázaro Ramos, Aldri Anunciação and Elísio Lopes Jr
Producers: Daniel Filho and Tania Rocha
Cinematographer: Adrian Teijido
Art Director: Tiago Marques
Editor: Diana Vasconcellos
Sound Editor: Waldir Xavier
Executive Producer: Mariza Figueiredo
Original Soundtrack: Plínio Profeta, Rincon Sapiência and Kiko de Souza
Productions Companies: Lereby Produções and Lata Filmes
Co-Production Companies: Globo Filmes and Melanina Acentuada
Associate Producer: Claudia Bejarano

Angela Davis, Lee Daniels, Genius: Aretha, Queen Latifah, Nika King, and More Featured During Second Week of the Pan African Film Festival

Special screenings, conversations, panels, and events

LOS ANGELES - America’s largest Black film festival, the Pan African Film Festival, continues this week. Below are highlights of this week’s programming.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 29th Pan African Film Festival will run through March 14 on-line and on-demand only. The virtual component allows this year’s Festival to reach a global audience. More information and tickets can be found at www.paff.org.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

CBS has partnered with PAFF to premiere episodes from The Equalizer (Mar. 9, 6 p.m. PT), The Neighborhood (Mar. 12, 6 p.m. PT), and Bob❤️Abishola (Mar. 12, 6 p.m. PT) along with exclusive Q&As with the cast of each show.

National Geographic’s Genius: Aretha starring Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, The Color Purple) will premiere during the PAFF on Mar. 11 at 6 p.m. PT.

Closing Night (Mar. 14, 6p.m. PT) will spotlight Lázaro Ramos’ directorial debut Executive Order. The film is set in a dystopian near future in Brazil where an authoritarian government orders all citizens of African descent to move to Africa – creating chaos, protests, and an underground resistance movement that inspires the nation. Director Lázaro Ramos’ and members of the cast will participate in a Q&A following the screening. Mar. 14, 6 p.m. PT.

Trade tells the story of two men, one a streetwise hustler, the other a strait-laced lawyer, who meet and form a relationship that brings to light who they really are. As their relationship deepens and their lives intertwine, the complexity and dangers of living their truths reveal themselves in ultimately tragic ways. Hosted by Better Brothers Los Angeles and In the Meantime Men’s Group, following the screening, there will be a discussion about the lives of transgender people and how to support and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Mar. 12, 6 p.m. PT.

CLIPS AND CONVERSATIONS

A special conversation with director Lee Daniels and the cast of The United States Vs. Billie Holiday. Mar.10, 6 p.m. PT.

PANELS

Unless otherwise stated, panels are on-demand at paff.org.

Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? - A powerful group of change-makers across multiple generations come together to discuss today’s Black Lives Matter Movement in the context of the struggle for Black Liberation. Panelists include activist and professor Angela Y. Davis, historian and scholar Dr. Gerald Horne, Black Lives Matter activist Dr. Melina Abdullah, and political strategist and journalist Jasmyne A. Cannick. The conversation is moderated by Pan African Film Festival co-founder Ayuko Babu.

Facebook Presents ‘We the Culture’ - PAFF and Facebook will host a roundtable discussion with filmmakers and digital creators from Facebook's We The Culture Program--a creative community fueled and curated by Black creators, dedicated to celebrating and championing Black culture and broader conversations important to the Black community. Panelists include: Dr. Mehret Mandefro, Lacey Schwartz Delgado, Wesley Armstrong, and James Bland. Mar. 12, 4 p.m. PT on Facebook.com/paffnow.

Showtime Presents ‘Inside THE CHI Writers' Room’ - Get an inside look into The Chi's Writers Room. Features panelists Justin Hillian, Showrunner, Writer, and Executive Producer, Jewel Coronel, Writer and Co-Executive Producer, Resheida Brady, Writer and Supervising Producer, and James Rogers III, Writer and Executive Story Editor.

The Intersectionality of Women of Color in Film & TV - Women of Color Unite (WOCU) hosts a discussion on the highs and lows of the intersection of Women of Color in film, the Women of Color run media and entertainment organizations that support them and the infrastructure that tries to erase them. Panelists include: Cheryl L. Bedford, Nikki Bailey, Tatiana Lee, Fanshen Cox, Diana Elizabeth Jordan, Twinkie Byrd, and Tonya Pinkins.

Other panels include: How to Get Your Kids Into Show Biz, Fix it in Post, Can't Stop, Won't Stop: Black Women Transforming the Industry, and By Any Means Necessary: Making Movies on Micro to No Budget.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Spoken Word - Hosted by poets Paul Mabon and LaLa Deville, PAFF will once again present its popular poetry slam featuring the best wordsmiths in Los Angeles. Premieres Wed. Mar. 10, 6 p.m. PT and then available on-demand.

LOL! Comedy Jam - PAFF’s annual comedy show featuring comics from around the world. Hosted by Nika King (Euphoria), this year’s featured comics include Jazmyn W (Tik Tok content creator), Marcus Smith (You Know Maacus), Zainab Johnson (100 Humans), Jonnae Johnson (Tru TV), and David Lucas (Freshest Fat Boy). Premieres Wed. Mar. 10, 6 p.m. PT and then available on-demand.

Children’s Fest - Free age-appropriate screenings for children 4 to 12. Feature films include Nigeria’s Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters and various Disney animation features. Sponsored by Union Bank. Mar. 13-14, 11 a.m. PT.

Black Lives Matter Centered at Pan African Film Festival with Selection of Nate Parker’s AMERICAN SKIN as Centerpiece

AMERICAN SKIN tells the story of a Black teenager shot to death by a white LAPD officer during a traffic stop in an affluent neighborhood

LOS ANGELES - The Pan African Film Festival today announced that Nate Parker’s American Skin (Vertical Entertainment) has been selected as the Centerpiece for the 29th edition of the Festival. The Centerpiece screening will be held virtually this year on Sunday, March 7 at 6 p.m. PT. A Q&A with the cast will follow the screening. The Pan African Film Festival is taking place globally online and on-demand through March 14.

Lincoln Jefferson is a Marine veteran who has served two combat tours in Iraq. Now stateside, he works as a custodian in a prestigious California high school- a job he secured only to ensure enrollment in the school to his 14-year old son KJ, following his divorce. One night, Lincoln and his son are stopped by police and an altercation leads to the fatal shooting of Lincoln’s unarmed son. Lincoln, hopeful the system will provide a trial, is dismayed to learn the officer responsible for pulling the trigger will go uncharged and will return to active duty without an indictment. Disillusioned by the fact he was denied a fair trial for the death of his only son, Lincoln desperately takes the matter into his own hands in a series of events he hopes will finally lead to justice for his son.

The film’s stellar ensemble cast includes Nate Parker, Omari Hardwick, Beau Knapp, Theo Rossi, Shane Paul McGhie, Milauna Jackson, AnnaLynne McCord, and Vanessa Bell Calloway.

Hashtags: #PAFFNow
Twitter: @paffnow
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Facebook: facebook.com/paffnow

Festival Sponsors and Partners

The 29th Pan African Film Festival’s sponsors include the City of Los Angeles; the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture; Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson (8th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price (9th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas (10th District); California State Assemblyman Mike A. Gipson, 64th District; Commissioner Willard H. Murray, Jr., Water Replenishment District; U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass, 37th District; U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, 43rd District; Union Bank; Brotherhood Crusade, Groundwurk; FilmLA; Sony Pictures Entertainment; Showtime, Facebook, Mervyn M. Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute; Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences; Woodford Reserve, Los Angeles Sentinel; The Wave; KPFK; Black Cultural Events; Immigrant Magazine; KJLH; Our Weekly; okayafrica; L.A. Focus; Envoi, Miss Everything Entertainment, Girl In Charge Public Relations and Empowerment Justice Strategies.

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival is supported, in part, by a grant provided by: The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences; LA Arts COVID-19 Relief Fund with the California Community Foundation; and the LA County COVID-19 Arts Relief Fund administered by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture.

About the Pan African Film Festival

Gearing up for its 29th anniversary, the Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) is America's largest and most prestigious Black film festival. Each year, it screens more than 200 films made by and/or about people of African descent from around the world. PAFF holds the distinction of being the largest Black History Month event in the country. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has designated PAFF as an official qualifying film festival for live-action and animation short films.

PAFF is a non-profit corporation, founded in 1992 by award-winning actor Danny Glover (“The Color Purple,” “Lethal Weapon” movie franchise), Emmy Award-winning actress Ja’Net DuBois (best known for her role as Willona in the TV series, “Good Times”) and executive director, Ayuko Babu, an international legal, cultural and political consultant who specializes in Pan African Affairs. PAFF is dedicated to the promotion of ethnic and racial respect and tolerance through the exhibit of films, art, and creative expression.

The goal of PAFF is to present and showcase the broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images, help to destroy negative stereotypes and depict an expanded vision of the Black experience. PAFF believes film and art can lead to better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, ethnicities, and lifestyles in an entertaining way while at the same time, serving as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.

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PRESSROOM
MEDIA ASSETS

Pan African Film Festival
Festival Public Relations
February 28 - March 14, 2021
press@paff.org
paff.org/pressroom

The Pan African Film Festival Kicks Off 14-Day Virtual Festival with David Oyelowo’s “The Water Man”

Festival set to host World Premiere of “Coming 2 America” with Amazon Studios Mar. 3

March 1, 2021 (LOS ANGELES, Calif.) -

Sunday, Feb. 28, actor, activist and festival co-founder Danny Glover officially opened the 2021 Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) kicking off the 14-day festival with the U.S. Premiere of David Oyelowo’s (The Last King of Scotland, Lincoln) directorial debut The Water Man. The invitation-only virtual screening attracted 600 viewers and was followed by a Q&A discussion with Oyelowo and the film’s two stars Lonnie Chavis and Amiah Miller.

Over the next 14-days, the Pan African Film Festival’s line-up will feature stories that showcase the broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images, help to destroy negative stereotypes, and depict an expanded vision of the Black experience.

On Wednesday, Mar. 3, PAFF will join Amazon Studios in hosting the World Premiere of the highly anticipated sequel Coming 2 America.

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began. Original cast favorites from Coming to America return including King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones), Queen Lisa (Shari Headley), Cleo McDowell (John Amos), Maurice (Louie Anderson) and the motley barbershop crew. Joining this star-studded ensemble are Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Jermaine Fowler, Bella Murphy, Rotimi, KiKi Layne, Nomzamo Mbatha and Teyana Taylor, making Coming 2 America the most anticipated comedy film of the year.

The Festival is accepting RSVPs for this invite-only event at www.paff.org.

Other highlights of this year’s festival include Nate Parker’s American Skin (Centerpiece) and a special conversation with director Lee Daniels and the cast of The United States Vs. Billie Holiday.

This year’s PAFF will feature four Academy Award Best Foreign Film submissions including the U.S. premiere of The Milkmaid (Nigeria), The Fisherman’s Diary (Cameroon), The Letter (Kenya), and This Is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection (Lesotho).

CBS has partnered with PAFF to premiere episodes from The Neighborhood, Bob❤️Abishola, Clarice, The Equalizer along with exclusive Q&As with the cast of each show.

Closing Night will spotlight Lázaro Ramos’ directorial debut Executive Order. Executive Order is set in a dystopian near future in Brazil, where an authoritarian government orders all citizens of African descent to move to Africa – creating chaos, protests, and an underground resistance movement that inspires the nation. Executive Order will screen globally on Sunday, March 14 at 6:00 pm. Director Lázaro Ramos’ and members of the cast will participate in a Q&A following the screening.

Festival favorites will take place online including PAFF’s Children’s Fest, Student Fest, Senior Connection, Spokenword poetry slam and comedy show.

This year, the festival features more than 200 films made by and about Black people from 83 countries, including 168 narrative films, 39 documentaries, 159 short and mini short films from 45 countries and in 43 languages.

The Pan African Film Festival will take place virtually. People can attend by purchasing a festival pass or screening ticket.

See the complete 2021 PAFF Program here, purchase festival passes and access to individual film screenings at paff.org.

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For photos and press materials visit paff.org/pressroom.

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

Festival Sponsors and Partners

About the Pan African Film Festival

Interviews/Media Contact: press@paff.org

Late Filmmaker’s Documentary on the LAPD and the Black Panther Party to Screen at the Pan African Film Festival

Gregory Everett’s Documentary '41st and Central' to Screen Virtually Feb. 20

February 14, 2021

Media Contact: press@paff.org

LOS ANGELES - The Pan African Film Festival announced today that 41st and Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers will screen globally as a part of the Festival's pre-festival kickoff. The screening will be a fundraiser for writer and director Gregory Everett's family after he tragically passed away from complications of COVID-19 on January 24. Sponsored in part by The Cochran Firm California, the screening will take place virtually on February 20 at 5 p.m. P.T. followed by a Q&A with special guests. For tickets and more information, please visit www.paff.org. The 29th Pan African Film Festival will take place virtually from February 28 – March 14.

41st & Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers, winner of the 2010 Pan African Film Festival's Audience Favorite Documentary, features exclusive interviews from Black Panther party leaders Geronimo Ji Jagga, Elaine Brown, and Kathleen Cleaver, retired Los Angeles City Councilmember and former L.A.P.D. Police Chief Bernard Parks. The film was the first part of a documentary series by filmmaker Gregory Everett following the Southern California Chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense from its glorious Black Power beginnings through to its tragic demise. The film explores the Black Panther ethos, its conflict with the L.A.P.D. and the U.S. Organization, and the events that shaped the complicated and often contradictory legacy of the L.A. chapter.

Using exclusive interviews with former Black Panther Party members along with archival footage detailing the history of racism in Los Angeles, including the Watt's Uprising, 41st & Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers, has been called the most in-depth study ever of the murders of L.A. Chapter founder Alprentice "Bunchy" Carter and John Huggins at U.C.L.A. The documentary includes first-hand accounts of the Party's formation as told by the original surviving members and eyewitness accounts of the murders at U.C.L.A. Also featured in the film are former Black Panther members Ericka Huggins, Roland & Ronald Freeman, Wayne Pharr, Jeffrey Everett, Long John Washington, US Organization member Wesley Kabaila, U.C.L.A. Professor Scot Brown, and Bernie Morris, oldest brother of Bunchy Carter.

The son of a Black Panther, Everett learned film and video through the Barnsdale Park Foundation, the Ebony Showcase, and Los Angeles City College. He launched a music career with the emergence of rap, establishing Ultra Wave Promotions (now Ultra Wave Media), and eventually directed over 30 music videos. Everett was also an accomplished editor, producer, and writer.

The Festival’s Odududwa Olatunji said, "Greg was a man of great talent. In addition to being one of the early ambassadors of hip hop, he was a noted filmmaker. His presence will be felt throughout L.A. as his work lives on."

The Pan African Film Festival is America's largest and most prestigious Black film festival and largest Black History Month event. Each year, it screens more than 200 films made by and/or about people of African descent from around the world. PAFF holds the distinction of being the largest Black History Month event in the country. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has designated PAFF as an official qualifying film festival for live-action and animation short films.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 29th Pan African Film Festival will run February 28 – March 14 on-line and on-demand only. The virtual component allows this year’s Festival to reach a global audience. More information can be found at www.paff.org.

Ticket Information
Tickets are available at www.paff.org.

Media Assets
Trailer
Hi-Res Photos
Poster

Screening Sponsors and Partners

This screening is sponsored in part by The Cochran Firm California.

Festival Sponsors and Partners

The 29th Pan African Film Festival’s sponsors include the City of Los Angeles; the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture; Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson (8th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price (9th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas (10th District); California State Assemblyman Mike A. Gipson, 64th District; Commissioner Willard H. Murray, Jr., Water Replenishment District; U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass, 37th District; U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, 43rd District; Union Bank; Brotherhood Crusade, Groundwurk; FilmLA; Sony Pictures Entertainment; Mervyn M. Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute; Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences; Los Angeles Sentinel; The Wave; KPFK; Black Cultural Events; Immigrant Magazine; KJLH; Our Weekly; okayafrica; L.A. Focus; Envoi, Miss Everything Entertainment, Girl In Charge Public Relations and Empowerment Justice Strategies.

About the Pan African Film Festival

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The 29th Pan African Film Festival Announces Competition Selections

Global Black Film Festival to Feature Over 65 World Premiere Titles

For Immediate Release: February 5, 2021

Media Contact: press@paff.org

LOS ANGELES - The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) announced today film nominations in its prestigious juried competition. The Pan African Film Festival is America's largest and most prestigious Black film festival. Each year, the PAFF screens more than 200 films made by and/or about people of African descent from around the world. PAFF holds the distinction of being the largest Black History Month event in the country. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has designated PAFF as an official qualifying film festival for live-action and animation short films. The 29th Pan African Film Festival will take place virtually from February 28 – March 14.

This year, the competitions will include over 65 World premiere titles and over 29 US premieres.

Best Narrative Feature Competition

Back of the Moon (South Africa)
Director: Angus Gibson

Caged Birds (US)
Director: Fredrick Leach

Poppie Nongena (South Africa)
Director: Christiaan Olwagen

Red Pill (US)
Director: Tonya Pinkins

The Fisherman's Diary (Cameroon)
Director: Enah Johnscott

The Ghost and the House of Truth (Nigeria)
Director: Akin Omotoso

The Milkmaid (Nigeria)
Director: Desmond Ovbiagele

Best Documentary Competition

City On the Hill (US)
Director: Xavier Underwood

Disruptor Conductor (Canada, US)
Director: Sharon Lewis

Firestarter - The Story of Bangarra (Australia)
Director: Wayne Blair, Nel Minchin

Fresh Guide To Florence with Fab 5 Freddy (Italy, US, UK)
Director: David Shulman

Lake Women (Rwanda, Germany)
Director: Deve Shema

Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend (US)
Director: Ryan Matthew Polomski, Dean Prator

Through the Night (US)
Director: Loira Limbal

Uprooted - The Journey of Jazz Dance (Canada, France, UK, US)
Director: Khadifa Wong

Best First Feature - Director Competition

Narratives
African America (South Africa, US)
Director: Muzi Mthembu

Caged Birds (US)
Director: Fredrick Leach

Executive Order (Brazil)
Director: Lázaro Ramos

Love Like Winter (US)
Director: Artel Great

Shaina (Zimbabwe, South Africa)
Director: Beautie Masvaure Alt

Documentaries

Finding Sally (Ethiopia, Canada)
Director: Tamara Dawit

Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story (US)
Director: Royal Kennedy Rodgers, Kathy McCampbell Vance

Softie (Kenya, US)
Director: Sam Soko

The Letter (Kenya)
Director: Maia Lekow, Christopher King

The Patterson: Another Bronx Tale (US)
Director: Bahati Adrien Best

Who is Gatsby Randolph (US)
Director: Kobie Randolph

Best Short Narrative (Animation or Live Action)

#WeAreDyingHere (South Africa)
Director: Shane Vermooten

Antivirus (Greece)
Director: Anastasia Sima

Guillermina (Cuba)
Director: Aida Esther Bueno Sarduy

Junebug (US)
Director: Winter Dunn

Junior (US)
Director: Jehnovah Carlisle

London Arabia (UK)
Director: Daniel Jewel

Nazen (US)
Director: Shemar Yanick Jonas

Pure (US)
Director: Natalie Jasmine Harris

Sër Bi (Les Tissus Blancs) (Senegal, France)
Director: Moly Kane

Smell of Summer (US)
Director: Kris Wilson

The Cypher (US)
Director: Letia Solomon

The McHenry Trial – Don’t Judge a Kid by Their Hoodie (US)
Director: Ken Sagoes

The Power Of Hope (US)
Director: Kalia Love Jones

Till Death Do Us Part (Póki śmierć nas nie rozłączy ) (Uganda, Poland)
Director: Dolores Vunda

Tuk-tuk (Egypt)
Director: Mohamed Kheidr

Two Single Beds (UK)
Director: William Stefan Smith

Festival Sponsors and Partners

The 29th Pan African Film Festival’s sponsors include the City of Los Angeles; the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture; Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson (8th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price (9th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas (10th District); California State Assemblyman Mike A. Gipson, 64th District; Commissioner Willard H. Murray, Jr., Water Replenishment District; U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass, 37th District; U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, 43rd District; Union Bank; Brotherhood Crusade, Groundwurk; FilmLA; Sony Pictures Entertainment; Mervyn M. Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute; Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences; Los Angeles Sentinel; The Wave; KPFK; Black Cultural Events; Immigrant Magazine; KJLH; Our Weekly; okayafrica; L.A. Focus; Envoi, Miss Everything Entertainment, Girl In Charge Public Relations and Empowerment Justice Strategies.

About the Pan African Film Festival

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David Oyelowo’s ‘The Water Man’ Selected to Open 29th Pan African Film Festival

The fantasy-adventure film stars David Oyelowo and Rosario Dawson

For Immediate Release
February 12, 2021

LOS ANGELES - The Pan African Film Festival today announced that The Water Man, David Oyelowo’s feature directorial debut, will open the 29th edition of the Festival. The Opening Night celebration will be held virtually this year on February 28 at 6:30 p.m. PT. A Q&A with the filmmaker and actors will follow the screening. The Pan African Film Festival will take place virtually February 28 – March 14. Tickets are available at www.paff.org.

The Water Man is a fantasy-adventure film about a young boy named Gunner (Lonnie Chavis) who sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Rosario Dawson) by searching for a mythic figure who knows the secret to immortality. Gunner enlists the help of a mysterious local girl (Amiah Miller) who has her own terrifying tale of meeting this figure, known as the Water Man, face-to-face. Together they journey into the remote Wild Horse forest, but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Back home, Gunner's father, Amos (Oyelowo), who has grown distant from Gunner over the years, will stop at nothing to find his son -- and in the process discovers who his son really is.

The film’s stellar ensemble cast also includes David Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller, Alfred Molina, and Maria Bello.

“We’re thrilled to be opening with David Oyelowo’s feature directorial debut,” said Ayuko Babu, the Festival’s Director. “Oyelowo is already a celebrated actor and known for his work in The Last King of Scotland, Lincoln, and Selma to name a few. In the face of these unprecedented times, we are grateful to be able to continue supporting Black filmmakers like Oyelowo and to continue presenting unique and fascinating films for our audiences—like The Water Man--that reinforce positive images, help to destroy negative stereotypes, and depict an expanded vision of the Black experience.”

Opening Night Ticket Information

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at www.paff.org.

The Water Man Assets
Hi-Res Photos
Poster

Festival Sponsors and Partners

The 29th Pan African Film Festival’s sponsors include the City of Los Angeles; the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture; Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson (8th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price (9th District); Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas (10th District); California State Assemblyman Mike A. Gipson, 64th District; Commissioner Willard H. Murray, Jr., Water Replenishment District; U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass, 37th District; U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, 43rd District; Union Bank; Brotherhood Crusade, Groundwurk; FilmLA; Sony Pictures Entertainment; Mervyn M. Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute; Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences; Los Angeles Sentinel; The Wave; KPFK; Black Cultural Events; Immigrant Magazine; KJLH; Our Weekly; okayafrica; L.A. Focus; Envoi, Miss Everything Entertainment, Girl In Charge Public Relations and Empowerment Justice Strategies.

About the Pan African Film Festival

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59 Film Festivals in 2020

59 Film Festivals 2020Pan African Film and Arts Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 28 years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
February 11-23, 2020
www.paff.org

Heartland International Film Festival
Indianapolis, IN
Establishes 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 9, 2020
www.heartlandfilm.org

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Hot Springs National Park, AR
Established 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.hsdfi.org

Portland Film Festival
Portland, OR
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.portlandfilmfestival.comBendFilm Festival
Bend, Oregon
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.bendfilm.org
October 8-11, 2020

Napa Valley Film Festival
Napa, CA
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 14, 2020
www.napavalleyfilmfest.org

Tacoma Film Festival
Tacoma, Washington
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.tacomafilmfestival.com
October 8-15, 2020Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.mammothlakesfilmfestival.com
May 20-24, 2020

Brooklyn Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 23 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 17, 2020
www.brooklynfilmfestival.org
June 2020 (10-days)

deadCenter Film Festival
Oklahoma City, OK
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
www.deadcenterfilm.org
June 2020 (3 days)

Crossroads Film Festival
Jackson, Mississippi
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
crossroadsfilmfestival.com
November 2020

Palm Springs International ShortFest
Palm Springs, CA
Established 26 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.psfilmfest.org
June 16-22, 2020

Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, United States
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.chagrinfilmfest.org
October 6-11, 2020

Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition
New York, New York, United States
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 25, 2020
www.bigapplefilmfestival.com
May 19-21, 2020

Julien Dubuque International Film Festival

Dubuque, IA,
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 26, 2020
www.julienfilmfest.com
April 22-26, 2020Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle, WA
Established 46 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.siff.net
May 14-June 7, 2020

Calgary International Film Festival
Calgary, AB, Canada
Established 21 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.calgaryfilm.com
September 23-October 4, 2020

DC Shorts International Film Festival
Washington, DC
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.dcshorts.com
September 2020San Jose International Short Film Festival
San Jose, CA
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sjsff.com
October 2020

Washington West International Film Festival
Reston, VA
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.wwfilmfest.com
October 22-26, 2020

San Diego Underground Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sdundergroundarts.org
August 20-23, 2020

34th Edmonton International Film Festival
EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada
Established 34 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.edmontonfilmfest.com
September 24-October 3, 2020

Woods Hole Film Festival
Woods Hole, MA
Established 29 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.woodsholefilmfestival.com
July 25-August 1, 2020

Shriekfest Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festival & Screenplay competition
Los Angeles, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.shriekfest.com
October 1-4, 2020

Twister Alley Film Festival
Woodward, OK,
Established 5 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.twisteralleyfilmfestival.com
April 30-May 2, 2020

Denver Film Festival
Denver, Colorado
Established 43 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.denverfilmfestival.org
October/November 2020

Fantasia Film Festival
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Established 24 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.fantasiafestival.com
July 16-August 5, 2020

FilmQuest
Provo, Utah
Established 7 years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.filmquestfest.com
September 4-12, 2020

Harlem International Film Festival
Harlem, NY
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: January 17, 2020
www.harlemfilmfestival.org
May 14-17, 2020

Austin Revolution Film Festival
Austin, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.austinrevolution.com
Septeber 9-12, 2020Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto, Ontario, Candada
Established 44 Years ago
Next deadline: April 19, 2020
www.tiff.net
September 10-19, 2020

Oak Cliff Film Festival
Dallas, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.oakclifffilmfestival.com
June 2020

Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Santa Fe, NM
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 4, 2020

Abuja International Film Festival
Lagos, Nigeria
Established 19 Years ago
Next dealine: February 29, 2020
www.abujafilmfestival.org

October 2020

Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 38 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.outfest.org
July 16-26, 2020

Hawaii International Film Festival
Honolulu, Hawaii
Established 40 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.hiff.org
April 17-23, 2020

Coney Island Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com
September 11-13, 2020

Nevada City Film Festival
Nevada City, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.nevadacitychamber.com

August 28-September 4, 2020

International Black Movie Festival
Nashville, TN
Established Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.ibffevents.com
September 30-October 4, 2020

Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 8, 2020
www.evolutionfilmfestival.org
March 2020

Camden International Film Festival
Camden, ME
Established 16 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.pointsnorthinstitute.org
October 1-4, 2020

Lone Star Film Festival
Fort Worth, Texas
Established 14 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.lonestarfilmfestival.com
November 4-8, 2020

New Orleans Film Festival
New Orleans, LA
Established 31 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.neworleansfilmsociety.org
February 27-March 4, 2020

Golden Door International Film Festival
Jersey City, New Jersey-New York
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org
September 17-22, 2020

San Francisco Black Film Festival
San Francisco, CA
Established
www.sfbff.org
June 2020

Sidewalk Film Festival
Birmingham, Alabama
Established 22 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 16, 2020
www.sidewalkfest.com
February 7-13, 2020

HollyShorts Screenplay Contest
Sherman Oaks, CA
Established 7 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 20, 2020
www.hollyshorts.com
August 11-20, 2020

Nashville Film Festival
Nashville, Tennessee
Established 51 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.nashvillefilmfestival.org
October 1-7, 2020

Austin Film Festival
Austin, Texax
Established 27 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.austinfilmfestival.com
October 22-29, 2020

Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival
CARDIFF, United Kingdom
Established 14 Years ago
BAFTA Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.irisprize.org
October 6-11, 2020

Filmfestival Kitzbuehel
Vienna, Austria
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.ffkb.at
August 24-30, 2020

SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Savannah, Georgia
Established 23 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.filmfest.scad.edu/festival
October-November, 2020

Cannes Film Festival
Cannes, France
Established 73 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://m.festival-cannes.com
May 12-23, 2020

American Black Film Festival
Miami Beach, FL
Established 24 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.abff.com
June 17-21, 2020

Stony Brook Film Festival
Stony Brook, New York
Established 25 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com
July 16-25, 2020

Oaxaca FilmFest
Oaxaca, Mexico
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31,
www.oaxacafilmfest.com
October 9-15, 2020

San Diego Black Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline:
www.sdbff.com
January 27-31, 2021

THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW On VOD & Digital

Available October 6, 2020

on:

iTunes Pre-order: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-curse-of-audrey-earnshaw/id1531056261

Director and Writer: Thomas Robert Lee
Starring: Catherine Walker, Jared Abrahamson, Hannah Emily Anderson, Geraldine O’Rawe, Don McKellar, Sean McGinley, and introducing Jessica Reynolds as Audrey Earnshaw

Set against the autumnal palette of harvest season in 1973, THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW explores the disturbed bond between Audrey, an enigmatic young woman, and Agatha, her domineering ‘mother’, who live secretly as occultists on the outskirts of a remote Protestant village. As the community is besieged by a pestilence of unknown origin: children, fields, and livestock begin to die — yet the Earnshaw farm remains strangely unaffected. As mass hysteria sets in the village, the townsfolk commence accusations against Audrey and Agatha of witchcraft.

Capturing a perfect mixture of religious paranoia and folklore horror, Thomas Robert Lee’s THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW is a haunting and unflinching tale of vengeance.

THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW celebrated its world premiere at Fantasia Fest 2020, coming out with raving reviews. The film will be releasing in limited theaters on Friday, October 2, 2020 and will be available on major VOD/Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

"I wanted to tell a story about legacy, and to specifically explore it within the context of a folk horror narrative,” says writer/director Thomas Robert Lee. “The community grows increasingly desperate as their given circumstances grow dire. In reality, the pandemic appears to have amplified hatred and xenophobia, or at least the voices of those spewing hate speech. Obviously there is a world of difference between my screenplay and the very real ramifications of the pandemic, but the similarities, however surface-level they may be, have certainly been on my mind these past months.”

Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Horror
Country: Canada

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Facebook: facebook.com/TheCurseOfAudreyEarnshaw
Twitter: twitter.com/Audrey_Earnshaw
Instagram: instagram.com/TheCurseOfAudreyEarnshaw

THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW is written and directed by Thomas Robert Lee. Produced by Gianna Isabella and executive produced by Lee, Marie-Claude Poulin, James Mahoney, Bill Marks, Divya Shahani, George Mihalka, Susan Curran, Patrick Ewald, and Shaked Berenson. Cinematography by Nick Thomas. Edited by Ben Lee Allen. Music by Thilo Schaller and Bryan Buss. A Gate 67 Films Production.

About Epic Pictures

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

FOX HUNT DRIVE Screening October 1 – 14th

At 2020 Virtual Cinequest Film Festival

Director: Drew Walkup
Starring: Lizzie Zerebko and Michael Olavson

Alison, a down-on-her-luck young professional, spends her evenings trying to make ends meet as a ride-share driver. While wrapping up her shift, she decides to take on one last passenger - only to find herself in unexpected danger when she discovers the mysterious stranger is not who he appears to be.

Alison is cajoled into taking the fare against her better judgement, and when she discovers blood-stained jewelry and a gun in her passenger’s bag, she begins to fear that she may not make it out of this trip alive. Through a twisted and unsettling turn of events, Alison appeals to her enigmatic passenger for help. In over her head, she fights to get through the night by covering her tracks, avoiding the police, and ultimately discovering who her inscrutable passenger truly is.

In this villainous thriller, director Drew Walkup perfectly captures the eerie and chilling risks one takes when getting in a car with a stranger. Compounded with brilliant performances from Lizzie Zerebko and Michael Olavson, FOX HUNT DRIVE will keep you on the edge of your seat until the heart stopping end.

Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Thriller
Country: US
Director: Drew Walkup
Writer: Adam Armstrong
Producer: Alejandro Treviño
Editor: Drew Walkup
Cinematographer: Anthony C. Kuhnz
Music: Patrick Logothetti
Production Co.: A REBL HQ Production!

Website: http://foxhuntdrive.com/
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8295468
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @FoxHuntDrive

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!