Online debut of the longstanding live festival on BHERC TV met with high demand and requests for extension of the opportunity to extend the festival on the streaming service. In addition, filmmakers are encouraged to submit their films for the upcoming “Reel Black Men” film festival August 2020.
The Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC) announced the revival of “Doin’ It the Independent Way” a recurring monthly independent showcase featuring short films by African American Filmmakers. Due to COVID – 19 the festival made its return in online format, streaming only on BHERC TV, in June to commemorate Father’s Day. The festival features diverse topics about Black male relationships and has been in such high demand that BHERC TV has extended the run of the festival until Friday, July 31, 12 midnight. So log on today and get your tickets to view great content at www.bherc.tv – “Doin’ It the Independent Way.”
The “Doin’ It the Independent Way” film festival launch follows the successful online streaming debut of the 27th annual “Sistas Are Doin’ If For Themselves” film fest that was held in May. A record 1600 plus viewers logged over a two-day period from across the globe to view the 2020 selections that ranged from historical dramas, to documentary to issues of choice and the consequences and horror of infidelity. The event culminated with an insightful Q and A with the filmmakers.
Created over Thirty-three years ago by BHERC founder, Sandra Evers-Manly, the showcase was designed to highlight and promote to the film industry, the incredible talent in the African American community that exists both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. It began as a weekly showcase at Sony Pictures and during that time, also rotated to Disney, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures and several independent production companies.
“BHERC is proud to promote and support diverse Black filmmakers and honored to showcase short films and documentaries that showcase storytelling from diverse perspectives and talent in a multitude of areas from directing, writing, producing and more,” states Evers-Manly.
To accommodate our patrons, BHERC is migrating our live programs to online formats due to COVID – 19. The next fan favorite program is the BHERC “Reel Black Men” Film Festival which spotlights shorts created by male filmmakers of African American decent (Black Men). This online streaming and filmmaker dialogue is an opportunity for emerging African American male directors to showcase their skills, talent and vision through film screenings, while giving the audience a chance to view and discuss the artistry, passion and sacrifice involved in the independent film making process. The festival takes place online at www.BHERC.TV August 1-8, 2020 with a Q&A session via Zoom with the filmmakers on Saturday, August 8 at 6:00pm. Submissions are being excepted now thru July 15 at log on to https://bherc.org/festivals/reel-black-men/. “I am excited about the number of submissions we have already acquired in new online format. 500 and counting and encourage filmmakers to submit their films immediately,” elated John Forbes, Executive Director of BHERC. “The content diverse and is extraordinary and includes all genres and contemporary, topics including the COVID – 19 pandemic. Submissions are coming in for around the globe, a number from Africa. This will be a great festival!”
BHERC TV is a leading world-wide provider of narrative and documentary short and feature films about the African American experience, as well as content from across the diaspora and diverse populations. Offering an affordable streaming entertainment service with paid memberships in over seven countries, BHERC – TV members enjoy a wide variety of genres and languages and may watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Film lovers can play, pause and resume watching without commercials. BHERC – TV has positioned itself and stands ready as the launchpad for a new generation of African American filmmakers who want to share their stories on a larger platform.
Support Black films and filmmakers. Admission is $10.00 for each festival. Log on to www.BHERC.TV to register for the festivals and the ZOOM Q and A sessions. For submissions to “Reel Black Men” Film Festival log on to https://bherc.org/festivals/reel-black-men/ by July 15, 2020. For more information contact John Forbes at [email protected] or [email protected] Phone: (323) 957-4777
About this year’s “Doin’ It the Independent Way” films:
A Letter to My Son – Maurice Hicks, Director-Writer; Dave Norris, Producer – A tired and worn, would-be father pens a hypothetical detailing of his perspectives and fears to his unborn son. Rated G 10m07s
Barbasol – Ralph K. Scott, Director; Kiara C. Jones, Writer-Producer; Sandra Evers-Manly, Executive Producer – A man that desires a bond with his elderly father. He realizes that he is running out of time due to his father slipping further into dementia. He comes to realize he needs to turn his attention toward his own son. Rated PG – 21m39s
Concerned Child – Drew Tank Garrett, Director; Andrew Garrett, Drew Tank Garrett, Writer – As a father, must prepare his son for the cruelty of this world as a young black male. Rated G 2m15s
Found Dead – Emeka Mbadiwe, Director-Writer – A young woman’s compromise in hopes of making some extra money will lead her to a destination she could never have expected. Rated PG 15m34s
Harlem Blues – Nicole L. Thompson, Director-Writer; Gabriel Bradley, Producer – Filled with survivor’s guilt, a young musician is haunted by the memories of losing his father. He turns to prescription drugs and alcohol to self-medicate, but soon realizes playing music is the only thing that can save him. Rated PG 6m30s
Oops! – Andre’ Campbell, Director – This Comedy Award winning film is about a woman, after reading a book about dead spouses, becomes drawn to inquisitiveness one night towards her husband. She hits him with questions after questions. Out of frustration, he ends up giving her an answer that she did not expect. Funny thing, he may not be able to recover from that answer. Oops! Rated G 3m48s
Raising Kings – Lynne Conner, Director; Francisco Cali, Writer; Producers; Lynne Conner, Tony Rumford, Executive Producer – Released from prison Mark King learns everything has changed. His father has been hospitalized, his estranged son is a police officer with two sons, his bad choices led to ultimately tearing the family apart. Mark seeks to mend his past so he can heal his future. Unrated 17m26s
Retribution – Benmio McCrea, Director-Writer-Producer – A poignant and timely tale of a father’s legacy, a brother’s love, and the price we all pay for the choices we make in life. It is the powerful story of two brothers who desperately need each other and who also must come to terms with their own destiny. Rated PG-13 21m13s
Stanford and Son – Moe Irvin, Director-Writer; Roy Vongtama, Charlotte Marie, Producers – An eccentric senior citizen wants to be a rapper but is met with opposition from his aristocratic son. Rated PG 24m49s
Squirrel Man – Jeffrey Lynn Shepherd, Director-Writer; Jeffrey Lynn Shepherd, Jan Johnson Goldberger, Stephen Kamifuji, Sonji Shepherd, Producers – A squirrel bite leads an elderly jazz musician to believe he is a superhero. These powers inspire him to fight crime in his neighborhood, which unexpectedly leads to the mending of his broken relationship with his son. This contemporary dramedy is a slice of life between fathers, sons, and forgiveness. It speaks to the often-unspoken fact that everyman wants to be a hero to someone. Unrated 20m05s
