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HOLLYWOOD BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 2004 TO UNVEIL 77 FILMS

HBFF Sixth Anniversary Presentation Set to Showcase the Works of 77 Filmmakers from Around the World, Including 43 Short Films, 11 Documentaries, 10 Features, 10 Student Productions, 1 World Cinema Feature, and 2 World Cinema Shorts

Competition Categories include 31 World Premieres, 14 West Coast Premieres and 5 Los Angeles Premieres

Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) 6th Anniversary celebrates the artistic expression of 77 filmmakers during the 2004 presentation taking place in Hollywood, California June 22 - 27. HBFF has established itself as the premiere Black Film Festival showcasing the works of both established and up-and-coming filmmakers of color. As in previous years, the 2004 HBFF film festival and event will be hosted at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

Since its inception in 1999, HBFF has experienced continuous growth and noted industry participation. 2004 screenings will include 43 shorts, 11 documentaries, 10 features, 10 student films, 1 world cinema feature and 2 world cinema shorts in the competitive categories. Tanya Kersey-Henley, HBFF Founder and Executive Director and Programming Director, Jacqueline Blaylock made the announcement.

“Over the past five years we have experienced consistent growth in the number of competition submissions, as well as unparallel support from the Hollywood community,” said Kersey-Henley. "We continue to expand our slate of festival offerings with the debut this year of our HBFF Industry Marketplace & Job Fair, an opportunity for attendees to meet with human resources executives, and find out about industry-related businesses, products and services." The HBFF Industry Marketplace & Job Fair is free and open to the public on Saturday, June 26 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

Films screening in the competitive categories represent 31 World Premieres, 14 West Coast Premieres and 5 Los Angeles Premieres. “HBFF 2004 rings in our sixth year of hosting this competition that to date has received noted accolades and high marks from industry professionals and the media at large,” said Blaylock. “In just six short years we have introduced the public to close to 300 film and video projects showcasing some of the most spectacular images and stories created by filmmakers of color.”


Guests in attendance can expect the gain a wealth of knowledge and information from the potpourri of screenings, panels, seminars, and workshops set this year.

Films selected as finalists in the HBFF Features Competition include:

30 MILES, written by Cliff Gober and directed by Ryan Harper, CONVICTIONS, written, directed and produced by Baayan Bakari, EVEN TRADE, written by Faris FayCurry and Mike Merrill, directed by Mike Merrill, and produced by Faris FayCurry, GREEDY, written, directed and produced by Keith Lea, PLAYER IN TRAINING, written by Elliott V. Porter, directed by Elridge Valentine and Elliot V. Porter and produced by Elliott V. Porter, and SO FRESH, SO CLEAN…A DOWN AND DIRTY COMEDY, written by Al Attles, directed by Al Attles and Jeremiah Birnbaum and produced by Lila Polite, SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, written, directed and produced by Montae Russell, STRANGE AS ANGELS, written, directed and produced by Steven J. Foley, and SWEET HIDEAWAY, written, directed and produced by Patrick McKnight.


The HBFF Short Film Competition includes:

A SINGLE ROSE, written and directed by Hanelle M. Culpepper, ALLERGIC TO NUTS, written by Craig T. Williams, directed by Rosalyn Coleman and produced by Craig T. Williams, THE APPOINTMENT, written, directed and produced by Earl A. Hibbert, BENEATH THE SURFACE, written, directed and produced Kirk Shannon-Butts, BESSIE, BILLIE & RUTH written by Sweet Baby J’ai, directed and produced by Renee Sotile and Mary Jo Godges, CARRIBEAN CAT FIGHT, written by D. Algierz and Dream Holloway, directed and produced by D. Algierz, CHOSEN LIFE?, written, directed and produced by Adonnus, CITROBACTER, written, directed and produced by Val Hill, CROSSING, written and directed by Riccardo Costa and produced by Andre Hereford, DEAD WAIT, written, directed and produced by Alton Glass, DISEMBODIED, written, directed and produced by Marlon Marcelle, DREAMSONG, written, directed and produced by Mikal K. Odom, EMPLOYEE DANG, written, directed and produced by Corey Foutune, FRIDAY NIGHT, written, directed and produced by Jena Starkes, GET HOME SAFE, written and directed by Lyndon McCray, THE JAMAICAN GYPSY, written and directed by Mandolin Michelle Johnson, JEREMIAH STRONG, written and directed by Kevin Shaw, KNOCK, KNOCK… WHO’S THERE?, written by Annette Chasen Lee, Joe Knee, William Hanford Lee, Jr., directed by Joe Knee and produced by Annette Chasen Lee, LAND OF THE FREE, written, directed and produced by Edford Banuel, LIGHTS, CAMERA, SMILES!, directed and produced by Alphonzo Wesson, MAKING THE RENT, written and directed by Zelie Dember-Slack and produced by Lynn Slack and Zelie Dember-Slack, MEAN JADINE, written, directed and produced by Toni Ann Johnson, THE MEMO, written and directed by Daheli Hall,


MOST WANTED, written by Keisha “Karlie” Lewis and Oliver Cultress and directed by Keisha “Karlie”

Lewis, MOTIVE, written, directed and produced by Parrish Smith, OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE, written, directed and produced by Van Elder, PEEP GAME, written and directed by Brian C.

Thompson, PHARAOH JONES, written, directed and produced by Rob Gailes OBC, RAVISHING RASBERRY, written and directed by Shawnee Gibbs, RED EYE, written, directed and produced by Kevin Gordon, REFLECTIONS: A STORY OF REDEMPTION, written by Tony Bracy, directed by Denise Dowse and produced by Tony Bracy, REMEMBER, written, directed and produced by Yvette Freeman, RESTRAINING ORDER, written, directed and produced by Reggie Gaskins, SCORNED, written, directed and produced by Kimberly C. Singleton, SEX AND THE GREEN CARD, written by Tracia Daye, directed by John Marshall Jones and produced by Tracia Daye, SHOOTER, written by Paul Bello, directed by Todd Jeffrey and produced by JJ Goldberg, SIX AND THE CITY, written by Fred Cheng and directed by Hanelle M. Culpepper, THE SLOWDOWN, written and directed by Leon Lozano, STONE MANSION, directed and produced by Jan Johnson Goldberger, THE SUNDAY MORNING STRIPPER, written by Lionell Hilliard, directed by Sheldon Collins and produced by Lionell Hilliard, TIL’ DEATH DO US PART?, written, directed and produced by David A. Arnold, WHEN A TELEMARKETER CALLS, written, directed and produced by Rommel Hyacinth, and YOU, written by Charles Kenneth Maye, directed by Roderick Rosby and produced by Roderick Rosby and Charles Kenneth Maye.



Documentary program finalists are:



AFROPUNK: THE ROCK’N ROLL NIGGER EXPERIENCE, directed by James Spooner, ALL OUR SONS, directed by Lillian E. Benson, DIVAS: LOVE ME FOREVER, directed by Edimburgo Cabrera, HIP-HOP RESURRECTION: FROM NY TO NZ, directed and produced by Michael Deet, HOW TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD BEFORE YOU MAKE IT, written, directed and produced by Christopher Odom, I PROMISE AFRICA, directed by Jerry Henry, KNIVES IN MY THROAT: AN AMERICAN VIDEO DIARY, directed and produced by Abiola Abrams, MY NAPPY ROOTS, written by Sharon Jenkins and directed by Regina Kimbelle and Jay Buemke, PLAY IT AGAIN LENNIE, directed by Gregg Archambault, SOUNDOCTRINE: THE ROAD TO PERSERVERANCE, directed by Art Byrd, and SPIRT AT THE MOUNTAINTOP, directed and produced by Adam M. Dempsey.



The HBFF Student Film Finalists include:



A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR, written and directed by Andrea Williams, BIG PICTURE ALLIANCE SHORTS PACKAGE, written and directed by ??, BLACK CLOUDS, written, directed and produced by Lucius Dechausay, THE CURSE, written and directed by Olumide Odebunml, GIRL/BOY/BOY/GIRL, written and directed by Innervision Youth Productions and produced by Cabrini, HOLIDAY, written, directed and produced by JenniferDeClue, HOPE’S CHOICE, written by Jerry Whitfield, directed by Garrett Thompson and produced by Jessica Funches, MY MOTHER’S




KEEPER, written, directed and produced by Malissa Strong, THE TEST, written, directed and

produced by Kameishia Denice Wooten, and TIME OUT, written and directed by Christine Faith Turner.



The HBFF World Cinema Feature includes:



CRITICAL ASSIGNMENT, written by Tunde Babalola, directed by Jason Xenopoulos and produced by Bob Mahoney.



The HBFF World Cinema Shorts include:



TARGET, written and directed by Dee Allen and produced by Troy Titus-Adams and VIVIENNE GIBSON-FfORBES: PORTRAIT OF A FILM EXTRA, written by B.L. Willie, directed by Abi Fisher and produced by B.L. Willie.