EMAIL

Black Harvest International Festival of
Film, Video, and TV

The Gene Siskel Film Center welcomes you to the 13th edition of the Black Harvest International Festival of Film, Video, and TV, from August 3-30. A spectacular lineup of talent on both sides of the camera makes this annual celebration of the black experience on film and video one of Chicago’s don’t-miss cultural events.

Festival special events include one-time-only advance screenings of two upcoming releases. MR. UNTOUCHABLE, on Saturday, August 4 at 8:30 pm, is a tell-all exposé of the life of Leroy “Nicky” Barnes, the notorious “godfather of Harlem.” AND THEN CAME LOVE, on Thursday, August 9 at 8:15 pm, stars Vanessa Williams as a mother on a unusual quest to find the father of the child she conceived with an anonymous sperm donor. Co-star Shashi Balooja and producer Caytha Jentis are tentatively scheduled to appear.

This year we’ve added a television component to the festival. The Black Harvest TV Festival takes place on Friday, August 17, with four programs. Highlights include the free panel discussion Ratings, Race & Ramifications, and a free interview program with TV One CEO Johnathan Rodgers.

Chicago is a thriving hub of independent black filmmaking, and now is a great time to make the discovery. Fully one-third of this year’s festival films have a Chicago connection. A healthy number of films were made right here in Chicago, but many talented Chicago directors, screenwriters, and actors have put their mark on productions from coast to coast.

Tap-dancing star Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards tackles a dramatic role (with plenty of dancing) in THE RISE AND FALL OF MISS THANG. Simeon “Simbo” Henderson and Morocco Omari, two prominent Chicago actors who seem to be everywhere at once on the filmmaking scene are featured in several films: Omari in opening night short ANDRE ROYO’S BIG SCENE, as well as RESULTS, and BE THE MAN; and Henderson in THE LAST STAIN and Chris Griffin’s PARTYLINE. Powerful drama FAMILY VALUES by Derek Dow, and heartfelt FASSYTAILS by Roxxy Cooley, showcase local ensemble casts as each film explores a coming-of-age theme.

Black Harvest definitely has a sense of humor this year. Our comedies range from the sophisticated romp of LOVE & OTHER 4 LETTER WORDS, in which Chicago locations provide a colorful background for Tangi Miller’s star turn as an Oprah-like talk show host, to the good-natured cross-cultural farce HURRICANE IN A ROSE GARDEN. Interracial romance sparks some intergenerational conflict in the comedy CHANGING THE ODDS. Barbed satire provides food for thought in THE MINORITY.

This year’s bountiful harvest includes thrillers (SARBANE’S OXLEY), dramas that delve into mysterious family histories (AUGUST THE FIRST), and stories with a mythic dimension (SISTAGOD). Our feature documentary lineup is stellar, including BANISHED by award-winning director Marco Williams, SILENT CHOICES, CARMEN & GEOFFREY, HAVE YOU HEARD FROM JOHANNESBURG?, THE LAST DAYS OF LEFT EYE, SISTERS OF SELMA, and THOMAS SANKARA: THE UPRIGHT MAN.

TheThe Black Harvest Film Festival is supported by: the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; American Airlines; the Alphawood Foundation; and the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation. Special thanks to festival consultant Sergio Mims, our Black Harvest Community Council, and the many filmmakers who help make this festival possible. Special thanks to Roxxy Cooley and Eric Werner for our Gazette cover image of actress Cassie Walls from Cooley's film FASSYTAILS.

--Barbara Scharres

---