Black Harvest Film Festival 2018
August 4 - 30, 2018
From August 4 through 30, the Gene Siskel Film Center welcomes one and all to our 24th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival, a month-long celebration of the stories, dreams, history, and legacy of African Americans and the African diaspora, as interpreted by independent filmmakers from around the U.S. and abroad. Filmmaker appearances are the pride and joy of Black Harvest, so join us for the festival's many enlightening post-film discussions with directors, producers, writers, and cast members. Cheer on filmmakers in the early stages of promising careers and savor the insights of those with a seasoned perspective.
OPENING NIGHT
The festival opens on Saturday, August 4, with the shorts program A Black Harvest Feast. LeeAnn Trotter of NBC 5 Chicago hosts a show that includes presentation of the Deloris Jordan Award for Excellence in Community Leadership to Pemon Rami and Maséqua Myers. Immediately after the show, the audience is invited to a reception across the street at the Joffrey Tower.
CLOSING NIGHT
Our closing night on Thursday, August 30, celebrates the 25th anniversary of Rusty Cundieff's savvy rap satire FEAR OF A BLACK HAT, screening in a rare 35mm print. Multi-talented director/writer/actor Cundieff (director of the upcoming Universal release TALES FROM THE HOOD 2) will be present for audience discussion. Filmmaker recipients of the 2019 production grants for the Black Harvest 25th Anniversary Project will be announced at this show.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
More than thirty filmmakers are scheduled to be present for discussion at screenings throughout the festival, with additional pending. Special events include a personal appearance by former talk show host Dick Cavett, discussing his 53-year friendship with Muhammad Ali with director Robert S. Bader, at the Sunday, August 5, screening of ALI & CAVETT: THE TALE OF THE TAPES. A special advance screening of David Schalliol's THE AREA (returning to the Film Center for a run September 14-20) provides a searing look at a community's valiant struggle against a railroad's land grab in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.
Features shot in Chicago also include Logan Hall's sci-fi inflected drama ANIMATOR and Lawrence Lee Wallace's revenge satire PIECES OF DAVID. Documentaries include CHI-TOWN, an exhilarating saga of basketball ambition by Nick Budabin. Pamela Sherrod Anderson's THE G FORCE explores the phenomenon of grandparents challenged to become parents to their grandchildren. David Weathersby's THE COLOR OF ART covers a range of issues surrounding inclusion for artists of color in the Chicago art scene; the screening will include a panel representing artists, collectors, and gallery personnel.
— Barbara Scharres, Director of Programming
The Black Harvest Film Festival is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts; the Illinois Arts Council Agency; and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Special thanks to festival consultant Sergio Mims, our Black Harvest Community Council, and to the many filmmakers who help make this festival possible.
Announcing the inaugural Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Black Harvest Film Festival Prize
2018 marks the inaugural endowed Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Black Harvest Film Festival Prize. The prize will be awarded annually to a director of a Black Harvest Film Festival short film, chosen by a prestigious jury. All films in the festival are eligible for the Black Harvest Audience Award; ballots available in our lobby. Be sure to regularly check back for added appearances and special events.
Download a PDF of the festival schedule
Purchase a Black Harvest festival pass!
Green Days By The River
2017, Michael Mooleedhar, Trinidad & Tobago, 102 min. With Sudai Tafari, Anand Lawkaran, Vanessa Bartholomew, Nadia Kandhai.
A Caribbean coming-of-age classic in the tradition of SUGAR CANE ALLEY, Michael Mooleedhar's first feature is adapted from Michael Anthony's acclaimed 1967 novel. Set in 1952, the story centers on the 15-year-old boy Shellie (Tafari), whose poor but closely knit family has recently relocated to a village in the Mayaro region of Trinidad. With his father seriously ill, Shellie acquires a surrogate father-figure in the wealthy plantation-owner Mr. Gidharee (Lawkaran), and he finds himself torn between Gidharee's seductive half-Indian daughter Rosalie (Kandhai) and the more down-to-earth charms of out-of-town girl Joan (Bartholomew). But does Shellie really have a choice, or has a trap been laid for him from the very beginning? GREEN DAYS BY THE RIVER is a rich sensory experience, featuring a lush sense of place, a superb music-laced soundtrack, and vividly colored, beautifully composed cinematography. DCP digital. (MR)
August 10 & 16: Line producer Kenneth Detterline will be present for audience discussion on 8/10 and will introduce the film on 8/16. BMO Harris Night on August 16.
Black Harvest Marketplace 2018
Free Admission! View and purchase unique items from Black owned businesses from 1 PM to 5 PM. From jewelry and fashion to food and children’s artwork, we’ll have it all!
On Thursday, August 16 and Monday, August 20, we will have two more pop ups to give you another opportunity to support.
On Saturday, August 11, the following vendors will be present starting at 1 PM:
- Black Cat Kitchen
- ReformedSchool
- I Am That Woman Retreat
- AfriCessorize
- Jean Williams
On Thursday, August 16, the following vendors will be present starting at 5 PM:
- ReformedSchool
- The Krafty Chick
- Jean Williams
- Soular Powered
On Monday, August 20, the following vendors will be present starting at 5 PM:
- Black Cat Kitchen
- Dana Todd Pope
- ReformedSchool
- I Am That Woman Retreat
- The Krafty Chick
- Jean Williams
Shorts program: Urban Tales
2017-2018, Various directors, USA, 91 min.
Five gritty tales of city life, two of them set in the all-too-conceivable future: IMAN AND THE LIGHT WARRIORS (2017, 15 min.) by Jarrett Woo; WAR PAINT (2018, 17 min.) by Katrelle N. Kindred; CIVIC MIND (2018, 19 min.) by Adonis Williams; GOOD KIDD (2017, 15 min.) by Jamari Perry; and WHERE THE WATER RUNS (2017, 25 min.) by DuBois Ashong.
August 16: Directors Katrelle N. Kindred, Jamari Perry, DuBois Ashong, Adonis Williams, and writer Osahon Tongo are scheduled to appear for audience discussion.
Iman And The Light Warriors
Iman And The Light Warriors
2017, Jarrett Woo, USA, 15 min.
Dazzling special effects and magical realism enhance this tale of a ten-year-old boy in post-revolution Los Angeles. (MR)
War Paint
War Paint
2017, Katrelle N. Kindred, USA, 17 min.
L.A. teenager Kianna finds independence in short supply when she goes out on her own on Independence Day. (MR)
Civic Mind
Civic Mind
2017, Adonis Williams, USA, 19 min.
A Brooklyn teenager's gig as an undercover volunteer for the police department has unforeseen consequences. (MR)
Good Kidd
Good Kidd
2017, Jamari Perry, USA, 15 min.
Oakland teenager Justin tries to stay out of trouble, but his gun-toting older brother and a school bully are making that difficult. World premiere. (MR)
Where The Water Runs
Where The Water Runs
2017, DuBois Ashong, USA, 25 min.
A water-delivery truck driver finds himself caught between the authorities and the activists as a massive drought intensifies class divisions in Los Angeles. (MR)
Personal Statement
2018, Juliane Dressner and Edwin Martinez, 88 min.
This inspiring documentary follows three minority student leaders through their high school senior year as they face personal challenges to college acceptance, even while working to motivate their peers to apply. Enoch, a football player with the potential for an athletic scholarship, lives with his sister and struggles to bring up his low grade-point average while his mother resides in a homeless shelter. Dominican American Christine meets with family resistance to her college plans. Karoline, an LGBTQ student, has been subjected to bullying and harassment while overcoming academic obstacles. The three forge a new path as counselors to their classmates, providing motivational guidance to college application, even as their own futures hang in the balance. DCP digital. (BS) FF
August 17 & 19: Director Juliane Dressner is scheduled to appear for audience discussion at both screenings with cast members Karoline Jiménez, Christine Rodríguez, and Enoch Jemmott. They will be joined by Dr. Joyce Brown, a nationally recognized school counseling leader based in Chicago.
Shorts program: Love African American Style
2016-18, Various directors, USA, 87 min.
Love is sexy, bold, and sometimes demands a leap of faith in these seven provocative shorts: DID IT BEFORE (2017, 7 min.) by Mamadou Sewa Bah; LOUISIANA 1961 (2016, 13 min.) by Bobby Huntley; THE JUMP OFF (2017, 5 min.) by Jovan James; SPARKS (2017, 14 min.) by Tony Ducret; SUITABLE (2017, 15 min.) by Thembi L. Banks; MOTHS & BUTTERFLIES (2018, 16 min.) by Alfonso Johnson; and STUCK (2018, 17 min.) by Praheme.
August 17: Directors Mamadou Sewa Bah, Bobby Huntley (tentative), and Alfonso Johnson (tentative) are scheduled to appear for audience discussion.
August 18: Directors Mamadou Sewa Bah, Bobby Huntley (tentative), Tony Ducret, and Alfonso Johnson (tentative) are scheduled to appear for audience discussion.
Did It Before
Did It Before
2017, Mamadou Sewa Bah, USA, 7 min. With Corin Clay, Ashley Manteca.
Appearing to be an old hand at "doing it" is the dubious goal of a college freshman planning to lose her virginity. (BS)
Louisiana 1961
Louisiana 1961
2016, Bobby Huntley, USA, 13 min. With Byran Earl, Ashley John.
Honky-tonk blues and the vibe of a smoky roadhouse are the catalysts for a night of red-hot passion. (BS)
The Jump Off
The Jump Off
2017, Jovan James, USA, 5 min. With David A. Wallace.
A relationship on the down-low carries a mean backlash. (BS)
Sparks
Sparks
2017, Tony Ducret, USA, 14 min. With Dashawn Barnes, Jeremy Spencer.
An engagement party reunites two old flames, who discover that taking a second look comes with a price. (BS)
Suitable
Suitable
2017, Thembi L. Banks, USA, 15 min. With Kelli Jordan, Tiffany Tenille.
Recognizing the difference between love and friendship on prom night requires a leap of faith for two BFFs. (BS)
Moths & Butterflies
Moths & Butterflies
2018, Alfonso Johnson, USA, 16 min. With Amaro Cheatom, Gillian Glasco.
Two lost souls may well be a perfect match if one of them can learn to trust again. (BS)
Stuck
Stuck
2018, Praheme, USA, 17 min. With Javicia Leslie, Hari Williams.
A comically impulsive hookup turns out to have staying power for the surprised lovers. (BS)
Animator
2018, Logan Hall, USA, 99 min. With Levenix Riddle, MacKenzie Chinn.
A Faustian premise gets a contemporary twist in present-day Chicago in this sci-fi-inflected tale in which a young artist discovers that he has the ability to change the past and direct the future. Neal (Riddle), struggling in his fledgling career as an illustrator, is taken under the wing of a mysterious animation professor who leads him to harness his talent to the mystical power of West African griots. Success, acclaim, and money arrive with the stroke of a pen, but Neal's new love Tina (Chinn) soon feels the sting of her man's dark side. Power over fate is a two-edged sword examined with a serious regard for the meaning of life and death in a script by Roberta Jones. DCP digital. (BS)
August 17 & 21: Producer/screenwriter Roberta Jones and director Logan Hall are scheduled to appear for audience discussion at both screenings.
Director Weathersby, whose survey of the Neo-Soul movement GOT THE LOVE screened at the 2017 BHFF, returns with another account of grass-roots creativity in Chicago's African American community. With a lack of support from academia and the art establishment, black artists have historically struggled for respect and recognition. This lively and informative documentary explores the present-day renaissance of black art in Chicago, centered on neighborhoods such as Bronzeville and organizations such as the South Side Community Arts Center and the Hyde Park Art Center. Diverse and talented artists such as RJ Eldridge, Shyvette Williams, and Jesse Howard are profiled, but, rather than focusing on isolated creators, the film examines the ecosystem of artists, gallery owners, curators, and collectors that sustains the movement. There is a special emphasis on the relationships between artists and collectors, which are especially close and crucial in the black arts movement. ProRes digital. (MR) FF
August 18: Director David Weathersby, art collector Patric McCoy, artist-curator Joyce Owens, and artist Raymond Thomas are scheduled to appear for audience discussion.
Betty: They Say I'm Different
2017, Phil Cox, USA, 56 min.
"A sizzling biopic detailing how [Davis] revolutionized the music landscape for black women." - Patrick Gamble, Little White Lies
Innovator. Icon. Enigma. Born in North Carolina, Betty Davis began writing songs at age 12, entered the New York hipster scene in the 1960s, met and wed Miles Davis, and, in the course of a stormy one-year marriage, steered him in the direction of jazz fusion that would produce the turning-point album "Bitches Brew." After the divorce, she pursued her own career as songwriter and performer. At a time when the elegant polish of the Supremes was the role model, Davis, in such songs as "Nasty Gal" and "If I'm in Luck I Might Get Picked Up," unleashed a raw funk sound drenched with a brazen sexuality that still seems startling. Akin to Angela Davis and Pam Grier as an icon of empowered black womanhood, and a trailblazer for such sexualized performers as Madonna, Prince, and Rick James, Betty was too different for her time. Banned, boycotted, and marginalized, she dropped out of the music world and disappeared into a 35-year seclusion, until filmmaker Cox sought her out in a Pittsburgh suburb and persuaded her to open up for this imaginative portrait of a revolutionary artist. DCP digital. (MR)
August 19: Associate Producer Danielle Maggio is scheduled to appear for audience discussion.
August 20: Associate Producer Danielle Maggio is scheduled to appear for audience discussion, moderated by DJ/Music Historian Duane Powell. There will be a post-screening funk dance party featuring DJ I.N.C.
"An exuberant, sexy and sex-filled romp of a movie…now that's entertainment." - Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Hammer to Nail
Ladies' night out is an X-rated experience savored with good-humor and shared sisterhood in this documentary exploring the unique culture of a New Jersey nightclub featuring African American male strippers for the delectation of an avid female clientele. Dancers with stage names like Rawdawg, Tyga, Satan, and Fever get down to bare-butt basics in provocative acrobatic routines in the true spirit of the art of burlesque, and play peekaboo with what is seen and not seen. Director Graham goes behind the raucous glittery spectacle for a look at the lives of performers, and interviews the family-focused women who form their fan base and see a night at the club as a joyous affirmation of black female desire. DCP digital. (BS)
Shorts program: Family Matters
2017-18, Various directors, USA/UK/Nigeria, 96 min.
Families come together and move apart in love and conflict in these six shorts: BRIXTON ROCK (2017, 13 min.) by Etosheia Hylton; MYSELF WHEN I AM REAL (2017, 13 min.) by Nefertite Nguvu; BODEGA (2017, 19 min.) by Donna Augustin and Talibah L. Newman; GRACE (2017, 17 min.) by Eboni Adams; STILL WATER RUNS DEEP (2017, 15 min.) by Abbesi Akhamie; and RIVERMENT (2018, 19 min.) by Shayla Racquel.
August 23: Director Donna Augustin (BODEGA) and director Eboni Adams (tentative; GRACE) are scheduled to appear for audience discussion.
Brixton Rock
Brixton Rock
2017, Etosheia Hylton, UK, 13 min. With Calvin Demba, Angela Wynter.
A young man's search for his birth mother opens a Pandora's box of consequences. (BS)
Myself When I Am Real
Myself When I Am Real
2017, Nefertite Nguve, USA, 13 min. With JoNell Kennedy, Jacky Ido.
A couple's visit to a therapist may signal the last days of their marriage…or a new beginning. (BS)
Bodega
Bodega
2017, Donna Augustin and Talibah L. Newman, USA, 19 min. With Anna Orlova, Aleksandr Krasnopolskiy.
A convenience-store owner instigates a confrontation with a regular black customer and gets pushback from unexpected quarters in this snappy, satiric look at racism. (BS)
Grace
Grace
2017, Eboni Adams, USA, 17 min. With Eboni Adams, Allen Guidry.
An unemployed teacher juggling a job search with fulltime care for her elderly dad is so primed for a new shot of happiness in her life. (BS)
Still Water Runs Deep
Still Water Runs Deep
2017, Abbesi Akhamie, Nigeria/USA, 15 min. With Toyin Oshinaike, Rita Edward.
An unbending father in search of his prodigal son reflects too little and too late in this Nigerian tale. (BS)
Riverment
Riverment
2018, Shayla Racquel, USA, 19 min. With Diane Powell, Nicolette Ali Wright.
A family's tradition of activism comes full circle, but not without triggering fears on the part of the older generation. (BS)
This searing documentary unfolds the process of a nefarious land grab for a more than century-settled swath of Chicago's South Side Englewood neighborhood. Over a five-year period, the Norfolk Southern Railway methodically turns 85 acres of black homes into eerily empty prairie land in the name of economic revitalization. Aided by the city council and a host of business interests, the railroad proceeds with a plan to expand its intermodal freight terminal into the heart of an area whose residents have few resources to resist when pressured with cash and threats of eminent domain. With a sensitive eye for the raw beauties of the urban landscape, director Schalliol follows a story that becomes powerfully emotional when the last holdouts, led by 30-year resident Deborah Payne, fight for their rights, while the homes of their neighbors fall one after another to the bulldozers. DCP digital. (BS) FF
THE AREA returns to the Gene Siskel Film Center for a run the weeks of September 14 - 27 — PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.
August 23: Director David Schalliol, subject Deborah Payne, and selected members of the production team are scheduled to appear for audience discussion.
Detroit 48202: Conversations Along A Postal Route
2018, Pam Sporn, USA, 99 min.
Detroit mailman Wendell Watkins serves as an amiable guide in this anecdotal odyssey through the rise, fall, and nascent resurgence of black working-class culture in his city. A postal worker of 26 years experience, Watkins daily traverses a sprawling zip code that encompasses blocks of the neatly kept homes of a dwindling black middle class, empty shells of abandoned businesses and factories, boarded-up apartment buildings, and weedy acres of newly vacant lots where houses once stood. Archival photographs and footage fill in the picture of the city's waves of black migration, segregation, the fight for auto industry jobs, and the growth of once-thriving black neighborhoods and institutions. In telling Detroit's story from a black perspective, director Sporn creates a provocative portrait of a city staggering under economic blows yet still resisting an equality of opportunity that might be its salvation. DCP digital. (BS) FF
Friday 8/24: Director Pam Sporn is scheduled to appear for audience discussion with Stacey Sutton, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Policy at UIC.
Sunday 8/26: Director Pam Sporn is scheduled to appear for audience discussion with Lisa Y. Lee, Executive Director, National Public Housing Museum.
Singleville
2018, Meleisha J. Edwards and Mary McCallum, USA, 68 min. With Tamiko Robinson Steele, Mary McCallum, Molly Breen.
Singledom sucks for three feisty ladies with stories to tell and male egos to skewer in this raucously funny mockumentary that boasts an all-female cast. Three bachelorette pals beat a clutch of contenders to become subjects of a low-budget documentary on single life. Number One is coming off a bad breakup; Two theoretically sets her sights on Brad Pitt; and Three was ditched by a longterm beau who wouldn't commit. Parody is the name of the game as filmmakers Edwards and McCallum conjure up a host of goofy male stereotypes in flashbacks, pickup scenarios, and TV show satires, including "Blackorette," the reality show "Creepers," and "Rap Stars of Love," with the three women gleefully trading off the male impersonations. DCP digital. (BS)
August 24: Co-directors Meleisha J. Edwards and Mary McCallum will appear for audience discussion. The female improv troupe, B.A.P.S. Comedy, will perform before the screening.
August 25: Co-director Mary McCallum will appear for audience discussion. Immediately following the screening, join us for The Singleville Connection, the Black Harvest Film Festival's version of Love Connection and The Dating Game featuring host, Art "Chat Daddy" Sims.
Pieces of David
2017, Lawrence Lee Wallace, USA, 118 min. With Cynda Williams, Anita Nicole Brown, T.C. Rose.
You might say that the eponymous David is a generalist when it comes to women. Rather than specializing, why not spread the wealth among several, each with a distinct flavor of her own: say, a club-hopping party girl, a fresh-faced coed, a business-savvy lawyer, and a quiet homebody. It's a seemingly ideal arrangement - that is, unless all four unexpectedly show up at the same time. A knife is grabbed, a scuffle ensues, and, the next thing you know, David is dead. Now the four lovely accomplices are faced with the dilemma of how to dispose of the corpse - until one of them asks, "What do you expect us to do? Cut up his body and throw it in the lake?" Easier said than done... Black Harvest vet Wallace (SUNSHINE DAY, THIS IS NOT CHIRAQ) returns with his most ambitious production to date, a bawdy, bloody black comedy with a lively cast headed by Cynda Williams of MO' BETTER BLUES and ONE FALSE MOVE. DCP digital. (MR)
August 24 & 28: Director Lawrence Lee Wallace and selected members of the cast and crew are scheduled to appear for audience discussion at both screenings.
Panel: Action! The Real Deal About Filmmaking
Our Black Harvest panel discussion annually debates issues relating to black filmmaking. Festival consultant Sergio Mims heads up a panel of filmmakers featured in this year's festival, including: directors Lawrence Lee Wallace (PIECES OF DAVID) and David Weathersby (THE COLOR OF ART); and producer/writer Roberta Jones (ANIMATOR). Check this page for updates. The audience is invited to participate in this provocative forum.
Free admission. Tickets available at the box office only. Seats available on a first come, first served basis.
One Bedroom
2018, Darien Sills-Evans, USA, 83 min. With Darien Sills-Evans, Devin Nelson.
Breaking up is hard to do, especially when there's a New York City apartment involved. Melissa (Nelson) and Nate (director Sills-Evans) are a couple living together in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood. As far as she's concerned, it's over. He still has hopes of patching it up, and, besides, she hasn't moved out yet. Flashbacks trace the passionate beginnings of their relationship and the factors that led to its collapse. Did deejay Nate really sleep with that eager young fan? And, if so, was Melissa justified in having "retaliation" sex? Moving day arrives, and Melissa seems to waver, but her hostile brother and her supportive BFF push the needle in the other direction. Will she go, or will she stay? A rom-com with bite, ONE BEDROOM is sharply acted and written, as writer-director-actor Sills-Evans ("Treme," "Superior Donuts," US Cellular commercials) deftly juggles three different time frames to trace a cycle of reflection, recrimination, and regret. DCP digital. (MR)
August 26 & 27: Actor-director Darien Sills-Evans is scheduled to appear for audience discussion at both screenings.
Shorts program: Women Of Color
2017-18, Various directors, USA, 88 min.
The strength of women of color to live, love, survive and prevail is at the center of these six shorts: GLADYS BROWN (2017, 13 min.) by Chad Scarborough; EMBERS (2018, 9 min.) by Prakshi Malik; BURNING ANGEL DUST (2017, 16 min.) by Jackie J. Stone; ON MONDAY OF LAST WEEK (2018, 14 min.) by Akosua Adoma Owusu; PEARL MOTEL (2017, 17 min.) by Chris Jones; and SHOTGUN WEDDING (2018, 19 min.) by Derek Dow.
Tuesday 8/28 & Wednesday 8/29: Director Derek Dow, producer/writer Felecia Hunter of GLADYS BROWN (tentatively), and directors Chad Scarborough and Chris Jones will be present for audience discussion at both screenings.
The Wednesday screening is a Movie Club event.
Gladys Brown
Gladys Brown
2017, Chad Scarborough, USA, 13 min. With Anna Maria Horsford, Ellie Lee.
In this crafty comedy, Gladys, the mainstay of her company, formulates a brilliant plan for one-upmanship when she gets passed over for advancement. (BS)
Embers
Embers
2018, Prakshi Malik, USA, 9 min. With Tiffany Stone, Nickclette Izuegbu.
Two mothers of color with sons in trouble at school face the shock of racial profiling by a harsh high school administration. (BS)
Burning Angel Dust
Burning Angel Dust
2017, Jackie J. Stone, USA, 16 min. With Brooke-Monaé Westbrook, Sahlima.
A mother secretly plans to introduce her little girl to a life-altering coming-of-age ritual. (BS)
On Monday Of Last Week
On Monday Of Last Week
2018, Akosua Adoma Owusu, USA/Ghana, 14 min. With Karyn Parsons, Chinasa Ogbuagu.
Puzzlement and jealousy arise from the strained encounters between a newly hired nanny and the artist mother of her young charge. (BS)
Pearl Motel
Pearl Motel
2017, Chris Jones, USA, 17 min. With Candace Taylor, Ryan Broussard.
Childhood playmates meet again as adults under circumstances that call up a flood of dark memories. (BS)
Shotgun Wedding
Shotgun Wedding
2018, Derek Dow, USA, 19 min. With Lina Green, Thomas Hobson.
Juneteenth becomes a day of showdown for a couple reaching a critical turning point in their relationship. (BS)
Fear of A Black Hat
1993, Rusty Cundieff, USA, 88 min. With Rusty Cundieff, Kasi Lemmons.
"Funny and fresh, and filled with wicked little moments." - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"The best hip-hop film of all." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
A $25 VIP ticket includes a private off-site reception with Rusty Cundieff at 5:00 pm, plus a free popcorn and wine, beer, or beverage of your choice. Our regular prices apply for non-VIP admission. No free passes, blue tickets, or Black Harvest festival passes will be valid for this screening.
Hip-hop got its own THIS IS SPINAL TAP with this affectionate but often deadly accurate satire of rapdom's early years. Follow documentary filmmaker/sociologist Nina Blackburn (Lemmons) as she covers a year in the life of the fabled group NWH (N - - -z with Hats) and its three founding members from Tough Neighborhood, USA: gun-happy Tasty Taste (Larry B. Scott), dim-bulb Tone Def (Mark Christopher Lawrence), and over-explainer Ice Cold (filmmaker Cundieff). Relive such immortal hits as "My Peanuts," "Grab Yo Dick," and "Guerrillas in the Midst," and the amazing music videos that went with them. Learn why their album "Kill Whitey" isn't really anti-white people, and why "Booty Juice" is actually a political allegory. Find out the real story behind the group's breakup, their subsequent solo careers, and their heartwarming reunion. Writer-director-costar Rusty Cundieff will be in the house with a 35mm print as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of his mockumentary classic. (MR)
August 30: Closing night! Filmmaker Rusty Cundieff is scheduled to appear for audience discussion. Immediately following Q&A, all ticket-holders are invited to a reception in Gallery/Café, courtesy of Fête Catering & Events.
PREVIOUSLY
Opening Night Celebration:
A Black Harvest Feast
2018, Various directors, USA, 70 min.
Showtimes:
- Sat, Aug 4th 7:00pm
Please note — Theater 1 seating is now SOLD OUT! Remaining tickets for the Opening Night film program will be seated in Theater 2. Note: theater 2 is now SOLD OUT as well!
Join Master of Ceremonies LeeAnn Trotter of NBC 5 Chicago for the opening night celebration. This year's Deloris Jordan Award for Excellence in Community Leadership will be presented to Pemon Rami, filmmaker and former Director of Education and Public Programs for the DuSable Museum of African American History; and Maséqua Myers, curator, teacher, and Executive Director of the South Side Community Arts Center. Immediately following the show A Black Harvest Feast, the audience is invited to join our celebrity guests for a reception at Joffrey Tower (10 E. Randolph St.), home of the Joffrey Ballet Chicago.
This year's "harvest" merits a celebration; enjoy a sneak preview of the festival's bountiful creativity through these four short films: Sanicole's Chicago-set father-daughter drama TRAINING WHEELS (2018, 15 min.); Derek Dow's Juneteenth relationship showdown SHOTGUN WEDDING (2018, 19 min.); Praheme's comic chronicle of a hookup with staying power STUCK (2018, 17 min.); and Shayla Racquel's evocative drama RIVERMENT (2018, 19 min.), in which family activism comes full circle. (BS, MR)
Training Wheels
Training Wheels
2018, Sanicole, USA, 15 min.
A father needs to prove himself when his little girl's bike is stolen. (MR)
Shotgun Wedding
Shotgun Wedding
2018, Derek Dow, USA, 19 min. With Lina Green, Thomas Hobson.
Juneteenth becomes a day of showdown for a couple reaching a critical turning point in their relationship. (BS)
Stuck
Stuck
2018, Praheme, USA, 17 min. With Javicia Leslie, Hari Williams.
A comically impulsive hookup turns out to have staying power for the surprised lovers. (BS)
Riverment
Riverment
2018, Shayla Racquel, USA, 19 min. With Diane Powell, Nicolette Ali Wright.
A family's tradition of activism comes full circle, but not without triggering fears on the part of the older generation. (BS)
Ali & Cavett: The Tale Of The Tapes
2018, Robert S. Bader, USA, 95 min.
Showtimes:
- Sun, Aug 5th 5:00pm
- Mon, Aug 6th 8:00pm
"There was a time in my life when I felt that Muhammad Ali was my best friend. I don't mean a worshipped-from-afar friend, but a worshipped-from-'anear' one." - Dick Cavett
A close friendship of 53 years between champion fighter Muhammad Ali, aka The Greatest, and talk show host Dick Cavett is detailed in this warm, revealing documentary that resonates with their frank discussions ranging from Ali's fights with Liston, Frazier, and Foreman, to incendiary issues including race, religion, and war - topics that remain as current as they were in the course of Ali's 1969-75 Dick Cavett Show appearances. Extended archival clips from the show form the core of ALI & CAVETT, and create a touching and affectionate portrait, enhanced by additional interviews with figures including the Rev. Al Sharpton, Ilyasah Shabazz, Clarence Taylor, Juan Williams, biographer Thomas Hauser, and more. DCP digital. (BS) FF
Then There Was Joe
2018, Justin Warren, USA, 102 min. With Ray Grady, Justin Warren, James "Butch" Warren.
Showtimes:
- Tue, Aug 7th 8:00pm
- Wed, Aug 8th 8:00pm
"Appealingly genuine…There's enough entertaining stuff here to suggest that this crowd-funded production will pay off in a promising future." - Michael Rechtshaffen, Los Angeles Times
This highly entertaining blend of raucous comedy and heartfelt sentiment centers on the clashing personalities of two Arkansas brothers. Law-student Ben is strait-laced stickler who does everything right. Black-sheep older brother Joe is a smooth-talking operator who does everything wrong - most recently, getting arrested for a bungled robbery at a bowling alley filled with schoolchildren. The boys' father, who happens to be a judge, puts Joe in Ben's custody in the hope of bringing the mismatched siblings closer together. It isn't long before Joe's escapades put Ben's bar exam and wedding proposal in jeopardy, as he is drawn into a world of car thieves, prostitutes, and coke dealers. For his feature debut, filmmaker Warren (who plays Ben) based the story on his own relationship with his brother Justin (who collaborated on the screenplay), while casting their real-life father as the judge. Justin was originally supposed to play Joe, but, when he went on the lam, his shoes were ably filled by stand-up comedian Ray Grady, who brings charisma and comic energy to the juicy role of Joe. DCP digital. (MR)
Shorts program: International Visions
2016-2018, Various directors, Various nations, 98 min.
Showtimes:
- Thu, Aug 9th 8:00pm
Provocative stories from Africa and the African diaspora open up the world in these four shorts: WE LOVE MOSES (2016, UK, 15 min.) by Dionne Edwards; LALO'S HOUSE (2018, Haiti/USA, 25 min.) by Kelley Kali; FALLOU (2017, Senegal/UK, 30 min.) by Alassane Sy; and OFF PATH (TANGENTE) (2017, France/Reunion Island, 27 min.) by Rida Belghiat. In English, Haitian Creole, French, and Wolof with English subtitles.
We Love Moses
We Love Moses
2016, Dionne Edwards, UK, 15 min.
A 12-year-old girl's sexual curiosity fastens on her older brother's friend Moses, but she still has a lot to learn. (MR)
Lalo's House
Lalo's House
2018, Kelley Kali, Haiti/USA, 25 min.
Two sisters find themselves victims of child trafficking in a disturbing story based on true events. In Haitian Creole with English subtitles. (MR)
Fallou
Fallou
2017, Alassane Sy, Senegal/UK, 30 min.
A young Senegalese man in London becomes involved in a terrorist plot. In Wolof and English with English subtitles. (MR)
Off Path
Off Path
Tangente
2017, Rida Belghiat, France, 27 min.
A woman's determination to finish an endurance race on mountainous Reunion Island has a special motivation. In French with English subtitles. (MR)
A Boy. A Girl. A Dream
2018, Qasim Basir, USA, 89 min. With Omari Hardwick, Meagan Good.
Showtimes:
- Fri, Aug 10th 6:30pm
- Sat, Aug 11th 8:15pm
"Good and Hardwick are compelling...This is clearly a project with its own aspirations, and it is exciting to watch those actors guide it." - Nick Allen, RogerEbert.com
Filmed in a single continuous take, this tour-de-force romance follows two strangers who meet by chance outside an L.A. nightclub. Cass (Hardwick of "Power") is a club promoter with a stalled career as a filmmaker. Frida aka Free (Good of "Minority Report") wanted to be a deejay but is now a lawyer about to fly back to the Midwest. They get off on the wrong foot, reconnect, Lyft it to a party in the Hollywood Hills, and face their futures in a Sunset Strip diner. The glittering L.A. lightscape and the continuous magic-carpet ride of the camera lend a dreamlike air to the proceedings, but the film counterpoints the couple's romantic bubble with intrusions from the outside world: ignored messages from significant others, a racial incident involving the police, and, most glaringly, the setting of the action on Election Night, 2016. As a nationwide tide of disillusionment rolls in, can a boy and a girl find the strength to take a leap and pursue their personal dreams? DCP digital. (MR)
Showtimes:
- Fri, Aug 10th 8:30pm
- Mon, Aug 13th 8:00pm
"An intimate and involving portrait...the 82-minute CHI-TOWN compensates for its size by making every shot count." - David Ehrlich, Indiewire
A documentary about a basketball hopeful from a disadvantaged South Side neighborhood is bound to draw comparisons to HOOP DREAMS, but this compelling portrait of former Marshall High star Keifer Sykes carves out its own identity. The film's five-year saga begins with the charismatic Sykes winding up his illustrious high-school career and heading for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Only 5'11", Sykes uses dazzling moves and amazing vertical launch to forge a record-breaking career at Green Bay, but the height factor becomes more critical when he tries to break into the NBA. The most significant difference between HOOP DREAMS and CHI-TOWN is that the latter takes place in the age of THE INTERRUPTERS. The contrast between Sykes's sheltered campus life and his violence-plagued hometown neighborhood becomes increasingly acute as friends, teammates, and even his coach are felled by incarceration and gunfire. TV veteran Budabin's superbly edited first feature maintains a propulsive energy while striking a fine balance between exciting court action, intimate character study, and wider social context. DCP digital. (MR) FF
Shorts program: Made in Chicago
2017-2018, Various directors, USA, 90 min.
Showtimes:
- Sat, Aug 11th 5:15pm
- Wed, Aug 15th 8:00pm
NOTE: Both screenings are now SOLD OUT!
Five films featuring Chicago talent: AN ODE TO HAROLD (2017, 11 min.) by Ashley Chrisman; THE COLLEGE GRADUATE (2017, 18 min.) by Terry Hines Jr.; TRAINING WHEELS (2018, 15 min.) by Sanicole; THE POLYAMORIST (2018, 24 min.) by Vick Lee; and IRON FIVE (2018, 22 min.) by Rino Liberatore.
An Ode To Harold
An Ode To Harold
2017, Ashley Chrisman, USA, 11 min.
At her father's funeral, a young woman takes an unsentimental look back at their relationship. (MR)
The College Graduate
The College Graduate
2017, Terry Hines Jr., USA, 18 min.
Anxieties real and imagined plague a black college student who finds his identity obscured by a series of masks. (MR)
Training Wheels
Training Wheels
2018, Sanicole, USA, 15 min.
A father needs to prove himself when his little girl's bike is stolen. (MR)
The Polyamorist
The Polyamorist
2018, Vick Lee, USA, 24 min.
With two men and one woman eager to bed her, Morgan is determined to pursue her love life on her own terms. (MR)
Iron Five
Iron Five
2018, Rino Liberatore, USA, 22 min.
In 1963, the Loyola basketball team defied racial quotas and went on to play in what many consider the greatest NCAA final in history. (MR)
Showtimes:
- Sun, Aug 12th 3:00pm
- Tue, Aug 14th 6:00pm
With the rising trend of grandparents stepping in to raise their children's children when birth parents are unable, director Anderson (THE CURATORS OF DIXON SCHOOL) explores the phenomenon through the challenges, concerns, and joys of two unique Chicago families headed by grandmothers. "Grandma will tell you when you are wrong," declares peppery Ellen Robinson, who dotes with pride on teen grandson Patrick, even as she firmly models old-school values and insists on details like grace before meals. Grandmother Georgeanne Fischetti, who has raised young granddaughter Martha from birth, provides a home filled with warmth and laughter, and a surrogate granddad in her partner Bob. Love is the overriding message, but these loving elder parents also seek advice and peer support, and the film includes a profile of Evanston's Second Chance Grandparent Writing Group, as well as interviews with experts in legal and social services in the field. HDCAM video. (BS) FF
Jinn
2017, Nijla Mu'min, USA, 92 min. With Zoe Renee, Simone Missick.
Showtimes:
- Sun, Aug 12th 5:15pm
- Tue, Aug 14th 8:15pm
A lively 17-year old with a passion for fashion and social media has her world upended when her divorced, spiritually drifting mother Jade (Missick), a TV meteorologist, converts to Islam, bringing her daughter Summer (Renee of THE QUAD) into the fold by default. Ever-curious, Summer at first gamely adopts the hijab as a new adventure, sweetened by a budding friendship with the Imam's handsome son, but missteps, doubts, and reflection come later. Director Mu'min underlines the jinn reference of the film's title, portraying this bright young woman as a quicksilver spirit slipping through many transformations as she seeks to find her real self-image and her own place in the order of things. Actress Zoe Renee shines with genuine star power in a characterization that is vibrant, believable, and full of heart. DCP digital. (BS)