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

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.

15th Annual AAFCA Awards

AAFCA15_All Winners

The African American Film Critic Associations (AAFCA) announced the AAFCA award winners for its 15th annual awards show.

The AAFCA Awards will take place on Feb. 21, 2024, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, CA.

The films that will be recognized films are The Color Purple and American Fiction, highlighting performances from Colman Domingo, Da’Vine Joy Randolph,  Lily Gladstone and more. The AAFCA also annouced its top 10 films of 2023.

AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson made the announcement: “It’s become a tradition to announce our winners on MLK Day. And what a great year for cinema showcasing the vibrant tapestry of Black storytelling, where diversity is not a trend, but an imperative. This year’s winners have inspired, challenged, and moved us and we are delighted to celebrate them and their cultural impact.”

AAFCA's Top 10 Films Of The Year

  • American Fiction
  • Origin
  • The Color Purple
  • Oppenheimer
  • Past Lives
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
  • Poor Things
  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Barbie

Winners of the 15th Annual AAFCA Awards:

  • Best Drama: Origin
  • Best Comedy: American Fiction
  • Best Musical: The Color Purple
  • Best Director: Ava DuVernay (Origin)
  • Best Screenplay: American Fiction
  • Best Actor: Colman Domingo (Rustin)
  • Best Actress: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Origin)
  • Best Supporting Actor: Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction)
  • Best Supporting Actress: *TIE* Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers), Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)
  • Best Ensemble: The Color Purple
  • Breakout Performance: Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)
  • Emerging Filmmaker: Cord Jefferson (American Fiction)
  • Best Independent Feature: A Thousand and One
  • Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
  • Best Documentary: Stamped From The Beginning
  • Best Music: The Color Purple
  • Best International Film: Io Capitano
  • Best Short Film: The After

View New Clip “Sunrise” (Lionsgate) – in Theaters and Digital/On Demand on January 19th, 2024

In Theaters and On Digital and On Demand January 19, 2024

Director: Andrew Baird
Writer: Ronan Blaney
Cast: Guy Pearce, Alex Pettyfer
Producers: Martin Brennan, Jib Polhemus, Nathan Klingher, Ford Corbett
Distributor: Lionsgate
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller
Run Time: 1 hour 34 minutes

When an ex-cop named Fallon returns to the scene of a horrific crime, the residents of a rural town soon discover that this dark visitor is really a vampire who feeds on blood and fear. After he is befriended by a kind immigrant family, the instinctive killer is faced with a choice between revenge and redemption. Guy Pearce and Alex Pettyfer star in this thrilling tale penned by Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Ronan Blaney.

The Rainbow Bridge” World Premieres at Sundance US Shorts Magical Cinema from Maverick Filmmakers

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Writer, Director, Editor and Composer: Dimitri Simakis
StarringThu Tran, Heather Lawless, James Urbaniak, David Brown, and global rapper Fat Tony
Run time: 13 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English

Sundance US Narrative Short Film—Midnight Shorts

Tina and her elderly dog visit a mysterious clinic offering human-to-pet communication. Two sinister doctors uncover an otherworldly bond between them that transcends time and space. They might be the key to something greater... but at what cost?

Tina (Thu Tran) and her elderly dog, MeeMoo (voiced by Fat Tony), visit "Rainbow Bridge Enterprises," a mysterious clinic offering human-to-pet communication. The esoteric Dr. Bailey Picadillo (Heather Lawless) and her burnout partner, Herb (James Urbaniak ), detect a cosmically strong bond between their new patients, triggering a journey across time and space where Tina and MeeMoo can properly say goodbye in their final, fantastical forms. Chaos ensues as Tina is abruptly thrust back to reality while MeeMoo is left behind in the transcendental Rainbow Realm. Tina may feel a bittersweet sense of relief, but Dr. Bailey gets more than she bargained for when the fabric of reality might have just split wide open…

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Sundance In-Person Screening Times Premiere Monday, January 22nd at 10pm MST in the Midnight Shorts program at the Ray in Park City 

Friday, Jan 26th at 9pm MST in the Midnight Shorts program at the Gateway 6 in SLC

Saturday, Jan 27th at 4:30pm MST in the Midnight Shorts program at the Holiday 1 in Park City

About the Filmmakers

Dimitri Simakis is a filmmaker, musician, illustrator and  co-creator of the found-footage collectives Everything Is Terrible! & the slightly more terrifying, Memory Hole. The EIT! collective has made 8 feature length found-footage films and has toured North America regularly for the past thirteen years. Simakis’ background in immersive storytelling is seen by millions at Pizza Pals Playzone, on permanent exhibition at Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station in Denver, CO. Simakis is currently the Creative Director for GIPHY, the world’s largest GIF library on the internet. Producer Suki-Rose is a director, producer, multidisciplinary artist and co-founder of Spooky Kind Productions alongside Dimitri SimakisSuki-Rose is a former Disney Imagineer, former creative executive for SpectreVision, videogame designer, miniaturist & fabricator. Her short films (Ding-Dong, Teddy Too-Big, CHOMP) all blend her unique approach to the uncanny and the absurd. Dimitri Simakis & Suki-Rose have been generating creative work in tandem for over 10 years – showing audiences and Hollywood that they are filmmakers’ to watch.

“The Rainbow Bridge”  is a Sci-Fi fantasy comedy and in many ways a cinematic sibling in spirit to 80’s fantasies like “The NeverEnding Story,” delving deeply into the bonds we have with our pets addressing themes of loss, denial and acceptance, through the lens of one woman’s esoteric journey. The filmmakers tackle such tragic loss through a fantastical, silly and thoroughly entertaining lens. The filmmakers world building creates an homage to 80’s cinema that is both grounded and brilliantly bonkers all at the same time.

Writer, Director, Editor and Composer: Dimitri Simakis
StarringThu Tran, Heather Lawless, James Urbaniak, David Brown, and global rapper Fat Tony
Run time: 13 minutes
Producers: Suki-Rose and Michael Scott
Cinematographer: Seannie Bryan
Production designers: Courtney Andujar and Hillary Andujar

Lionsgate’s SCRAMBLED Opens in Theaters on February 2nd

Lionsgate Logo
Key Art Poster

Year: 2024
Director: Writer and Director: Leah McKendric
Name of Leads: Leah McKendrick, Ego Nwodim, Andrew Santino, Adam Rodriguez, Laura Cerón, and Clancy Brown
Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Rating R for sexual content, nudity, language throughout
Country: United States
Language: English

Leah McKendrick’s directorial debut SCRAMBLED opens in Theaters on February 2.nd

The Quintessential eternal bridesmaid Nellie Robinson (Leah McKendrick) constantly finds herself between weddings, baby showers, and bad dates. When she begins to feel like the clock is ticking and is faced with bleak romantic prospects, Nellie decides to freeze her eggs — setting her on an empowering journey to a brave new world where she ultimately discovers “the one” she’s looking for might be herself.  Lionsgate presents, a Megamix production, in association with BondIt Media Capital.           

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SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lionsgate
X/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lionsgate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scrambledmovie
@Lionsgate #ScrambledMovie

CONTACT INFORMATION:
National /New York – Emma Griffiths (EG PR) / emma@eg-pr.com
National/Los Angeles- Metro PR teamlionsgate@metropublicrelations.com
Regional PR - Adam Bittner adam@adam-bittner.com

Director: Writer and Director: Leah McKendric
Cast: Leah McKendrick, Ego Nwodim, Andrew Santino, Adam Rodriguez, Laura Cerón, and Clancy Brown
Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Rating R for sexual content, nudity, language throughout
Country: United States
Language: English
Producers: Gillian Bohrer, Jonathan Levine, Brett Haley, Amanda Mortimer
Director of Photography:        Julia Swain
Production Designer: Charlie Textor
Editor: Sandra Torres Granovsky
Costume Designer: Kerry Hennessy
Music Supervisor:  Ricki Askin
Music: Brittany Allen
Casting: Lisa Zagoria

FINAL DRAFT 13 Launches Today, January 9th, in Surprise Drop 

Packed with user-requested features, Final Draft 13 focuses on increasing productivity and helping writers achieve their goals

Final Draft Logo
New Draft Logo
LOS ANGELES, January 9, 2024 – Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, has launched its latest update, Final Draft 13, today in a surprise drop. The new Final Draft 13 introduces tools designed to empower writers to customize their workspace and le verage powerful story-planning tools, unleashing productivity and helping writers reach their goals. Widely acclaimed as the most creator-centered and best-selling screenwriting software globally, Final Draft stands as the preferred tool for professional writers worldwide.

“With Final Draft 13, writers have more tools than ever to enhance productivity,” says Shelly Mellott, President of Final Draft. “We’re excited to help writers set goals for projects and track them to completion. This new version also offers more ways to customize the workspace and prewriting process than ever before. From powerful outlining and character building tools in the Navigator to color-coded structure lines that guide you through the scriptwriting process, Final Draft 13 makes writing—and writing more—so much easier."

Final Draft 13 offers more workspace customization than any other screenwriting tool. This is the result of a renewed emphasis on tailoring the Final Draft workflow to suit different types of work. Among the significant additions are:

·         Goal setting and productivity tools - The ability to set writing goals and track your progress. Record your longest writing streak, current writing streak, peak days, peak times, and more to help you write more when you write best. Get valuable insights on your writing habits and productivity, identify trends, and then share your sprint on social for accountability!

·         Navigator 2.0 - Customize your Navigator for a full view and control of your script. Outline directly in the Navigator, edit scene headings, monitor inclusivity stats, and so much more.

·         Character Development Tools - Use the new Navigator 2.0 to explore your characters. Track how much screen time each character gets, see how often different characters interact, even assign characters voices to read your script back to you!

·         Emoji – Sprinkle emoji across scripts, beats, title pages, and ScriptNotes. Craft more realistic on screen text and social media exchanges, while making your notes more emotive.

·         Typewriter – Kick it old-school with a new typewriter-like view option that automatically scrolls to keep the line you’re working on centered, improving focus and ergonomics.

·         Midnight Mode - Take Night Mode to the edge with a sleek new alternative dark view theme.

·         Enhanced Outline Editor - Add, label, and customize lanes in Outline Editor for more organized, effective story planning.

·         Improved Beat Board - Customize your Beats to display only what you want to see and how you want to see it.

·         Structure Lines - Assign colors to outlines, acts, sequences, and scenes to track them visually in your script.

·         Custom-Color PDFs - Create printable files that pop in Night Mode, Midnight Mode and your own themes.

About Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company
Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, has published Final Draft® software – the number-one selling screenwriting application in the world – for over 30 years. Final Draft is the only screenwriting software that allows writers to fully customize their writing environment, streamlines their process, maximizes productivity, and automatically paginates and formats scripts to industry standards. With Final Draft, writers can focus on what they do best - writing. Used by such industry giants as J.J. Abrams, Bong Joon Ho, Sofia Coppola, Guillermo Del Toro, Issa Rae and Aaron Sorkin, Final Draft software is the professional’s choice and the entertainment industry standard. In addition to its flagship software product, Final Draft offers the annual Big Break® Contest – a screenwriting competition that launches careers, and awards over $80,000 in cash and prizes. Final Draft also offers Final Draft Go for iPhone and iPad, making creativity truly portable. To learn more about Final Draft and its products and services, visit: www.finaldraft.com.