(Nashville, TN)—Though devastation from May’s flood caused many organizations to cancel their upcoming events in Nashville, Tennessee, the creators of one of the fastest growing film festivals in the U.S. have decided the show must go on. The International Black Film Festival of Nashville 2010 will go on as planned.
The International Black Film Festival of Nashville (IBFFN) is excited to announce the much anticipated 2010 festival. The 4th Annual IBFFN takes place in the heart of Music City starting on Sunday, September 26th and ending Saturday, October 2nd.
Throughout the week, participants will have the opportunity to view “unreleased,” independent and studio films, participate in awesome industry level workshop, high profile red carpet events with a host of celebrities. The week is sure to be full of events that entertain, inspire and engage our national and international audience.
Multi-talented actor, choreographer, producer and director Debbie Allen, this year’s Honorary Co-Chair said, “We have a responsibility to create positive and accurate imagery in all that we do, as it will leave a defined blueprint for future generations, especially in the area of cinematic arts.” Allen continued, “The stories we leave—our story, from a true and real perspective, will be one of the most valuable gifts for all people, from one generation to the next.”
This year’s official host sites will be Sarratt Student Center, The Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center, and Buttrick Hall of Vanderbilt University as well as the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Tom Negri, managing director for Loews Vanderbilt Hotel speaks highly of this year’s event. “We are both pleased and excited to have the opportunity to host The International Black Film Festival Nashville here at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Nashville is known as the Music City, but is home to such varied talent in both Film and Music, bringing both together is perfect for this, America’s Friendliest City.”
“The International Black Film Festival of Nashville is a culturally rich event, one which brings to our community a variety of films and a host of filmmakers whose work we might not otherwise see,” said Frank Dobson, director of The Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center at Vanderbilt University. “The festival has grown in scope and prestige each year, and I’m delighted that Vanderbilt will serve as a venue for important event.”
This year’s festival village includes host sites that showcase the vast diversity of Nashville entertainment and educational venues. The festival kicks off with a Film and Faith Series on Sunday, hosted by David Lipscomb University. Ted Parks, associate professor of Spanish and coordinator of Lipscomb’s Human Doc series said, “Lipscomb is thrilled to partner for the first time with the International Black Film Festival. The growing festival complements Lipscomb’s expanding interest in film, evident in the second season of the Human Docs social-justice documentary series hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences. We believe IBFFN will not only offer our students access to important films and filmmakers, but eventually give them the chance to learn the inside story of how a film festival gets put together.”
IBFFN will serve the full spectrum of the industry by providing a venue to showcase the work of filmmakers from around the globe. With an estimated 3000+ participants in 2009, the festival’s is gaining tremendous momentum and exposure as Nashville becomes the springboard for ideas, execution, showcase and distribution.
“Film festivals are one of the most popular forms of expression in the African American community and other cultures of color, providing an unprecedented and ongoing platform for the continuing and evolving oral traditions of the diverse global culture,” said founder and CEO Hazel Joyner-Smith. “Out of the over 4000 film festivals in existence, only a small percentage are ethnically, culturally or racially based. Acceptance from the local and global community is confirmation that the festival is relevant and the response has been phenomenal.”
The wildly popular “Fast Pitch Session,” where filmmakers have the opportunity to pitch their projects, in person, to top industry executives, returns in the festival line-up for a third year. While plans for the festival are being updated daily, this year will highlight the exciting fusion of music and film with some of the foremost film and music industry experts and celebrities.
The festival is made possible in part with the continued support of HCA -Tristar, The Film House, The Cultural Services of the French Embassy, One Village Entertainment, the Africa Channel, The Tennessee Arts Commission, The TN Film, Entertainment and Music Commission and The Screen Actors Guild. IBFFN would like to welcome their growing list of new sponsors, The Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center, The Sarratt Student Center and Buttrick Hall of Vanderbilt University, David Lipscomb University, and Comcast. With the support of our corporate partners, the community and its leadership the International Black Film Festival of Nashville is on course to becoming one of the top festivals in the country.
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About International Black Film Festival Nashville
The International Black Film Festival of Nashville (IBFFN), established in 2006, is a collaboration of dedicated professionals who support the need for a “community” effort to bring African-American and other Communities together to showcase their work as emerging and skilled independent filmmakers, actors, composers, screenwriters, directors and other film industry professionals.
“Defining Our Stories, Transforming the Image” as its organizational theme, IBFF strives to insure culturally accurate depictions in film with special emphasis on providing a forum for unheard, unseen and unknown viewpoints, and to showcase the rich creativity and diversity found in communities of color locally, nationally and internationally.
IBFFN Media/Press Contact:
Sherlene Shanklin
502.295.0435
sherlene@ibffnashville.com
Jessica Johnson
615.746.7370
Jessica@ibffnashville.com
(Via Hip Hop Press)
