The Austin Film Festival (AFF) presents a full day of free Festival programming aimed at helping emerging creatives of color get a foot in the entertainment industry door. Open to all storytellers wanting to learn more about the processor translating their creative talents into careers, these events include a panel conversation and a feature film screening of Fenom, open to both our festival audience and the public with NO badge needed to attend.
This is a partnership with the Historic Six Square Cultural District, the George Washington Carver Museum, and Austin Film Festival’s Uplifting Storytellers Initiative. It will be held Saturday, October 29th, 11 AM – 3 PM at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center (165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702). The following is the schedule for the day:
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PANEL CONVERSATION: Representation On and Off Screen
In today’s climate writers and their identities are more central to the conversation than ever before. Join panelists for a discussion on writing ethnicity, race, and culture in film and television, and the importance of increasing diversity in the media landscape. Writers will discuss tone, breaking stereotypes, using setting as a character, and the responsibility a writer has to their work and others.
12:15 PM – 3:00 PM SCREENING BLOCK w/ filmmaker Q&A following
Screening five films:
Fenom (Documentary Feature) from Director: Kayla Johnson
Fenom follows basketball and music’s next big star Flau’Jae Johnson while she looks to carry the legacy of her late father, rapper Camouflage. As she closes out her high school career, she awaits one of the biggest moments of her life while in pursuit of stamping her claim as one of Georgia’s greats before heading to stardom at LSU. This is a story of legacy, victory and the pursuit of greatness
Quilted Education (USA, 10)
Director/Writer: Kayla Robinson Cast: Karen Robinson, Kayla Robinson, Ellen Smith
When my mother, Karen Hinton Robinson, learned I wouldn’t be taught Black history in school, she took education into her own hands, bringing Black history to life for over 20 years through quilting
The New Knight (USA, 14)
Writer: Steven Allerick Director: Carl Reid, Steven Allerick
Cast: Aayden William, Deanne Lauvin, Devin Looc, Andy Marques, Steven Allerick
A multi-ethnic child experiences a racial awakening when he learns he is different from his favorite superhero.
Respectfully (USA, 10)
Director: Desirae A. Lee Writer: C.A. Barrow, Keving Johnson
Keisha is eager to start AP Bio and rushes to class but when she arrives she is unfairly questioned by her white teacher. Keisha must make a difficult decision; give her name and accept the injustice or stand up for herself and call out the teacher’s inconsistent behavior. However, she can lean on the guidance of her ancestors who are always by her side…literally.
New Moon (USA, 12)
Director: Jérémie Balais, JeffLeBars, Raúl Domingo Writer: Colman Domingo, Raúl Domingo
An imaginative surrealist journey of young Jay Jay and his mother Edie. Their inner-city dreams are illuminated by the New Moon accompanied by magic of Aretha Franklin playing on a summer’s eve on a transistor radio in a backyard in West Philadelphia.
For more information about this and other Austin Film Festival films and events, purchasing badges, film passes and more, visit www.austinfilmfestival.com
Source: Austin Film Festival