Entertainment Industry Leaders Reuben Cannon, S. Epatha Merkerson, Stephanie Allain, Kathie Fong Yoneda, Roger Bobb and Pearl Cleage Headline 3rd Annual BronzeLens Film Festival November 8-11, 2012

BronzeLens 2012 to Screen 50 Feature Films, Narrative Fiction, Documentaries and Shorts November 8th-11th at Georgia Pacific Center, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, World of Coca-Cola, Morehouse School of Medicine and Georgia Power Auditorium

S. Epatha Merkerson (Photo: Business Wire)

S. Epatha Merkerson (Photo: Business Wire)

ATLANTA--()--Filmmakers representing the United States, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe comprise the more than 50 films to be screened for BronzeLens 2012. Now in its third year, the BronzeLens Film Festival (BronzeLens) continues to be one the nation’s most anticipated film festival events. The festival takes place November 8-11, 2012 and will offer content for filmmakers, industry professionals, students and the general public. Attendees may choose from a variety of BronzeLens expert signature panels, workshops, domestic and international film screenings and get a taste of unique southern hospitality.

BronzeLens Festival Highlights
Legendary casting director and producer Reuben Cannon will host “The Producers Roundtable” a groundbreaking session that brings together high-level entertainment executives to share their strategies for producing successful film and television projects. Award-winning author and playwright Pearl Cleage will discuss her newest project in “From Novel to Screen: The Pearl Cleage Film Project.” And, NAACP Image Award winning producer Roger Bobb will conduct a new workshop “Creating Comedy Shows with Roger Bobb.”

This year, the Women Superstars Luncheon, which has become a BronzeLens favorite for local corporations as a means of exposing employees and clients to the BronzeLens experience, will take place on Friday, November 9, 2012 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel. Accomplished women of color in the film and television industry S. Epatha Merkerson, Stephanie Allain, Kathie Fong Yoneda, Deborah Riley Draper and Emayatzy Corinealdi will be honored at this signature event. This year at the BronzeLens Awards on Saturday, November 10, 2012, the best of the festival filmmakers in their perspective categories will be honored. Legendary film, television and theater director Kenny Leon will receive the BronzeLens Trailblazer Award and television producer/director Roger Bobb will receive the BronzeLens Film Advocate Award. Cinema and Social Justice Sunday, which takes place on Sunday, November 11, 2012, will be produced in conjunction with Center for Civil and Human Rights remains a unique and critical component of the festival.

A total of nine international films will be screened at the BronzeLens Film Festival (BronzeLens) November 8th and 10th. Film selections represent works from South Africa, Namibia, Trinidad, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, The Gambia, Senegal and France/Martinique. Also, for the second year as a key international film component BronzeLens re-joins France Atlanta in collaboration to present films from the Francophone world at what is titled “France-Atlanta at the BronzeLens Film Festival.”

BronzeLens Panels and Films at a Glance

All BronzeLens onsite registration November 8-10, 2012 from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm will take place at the Festival’s headquarters hotel, the magnificent Atlanta Marriott Marquis. All juried screenings are shown at the Georgia Pacific Auditorium, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Morehouse College Sale Hall, Morehouse School of Medicine and Georgia Power Auditorium.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Panels at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis

  • Opening Plenary: Production in Georgia : Status Report
  • Real Time Opportunities in Financing Film Production featuring Wade Bradley, Founder/CEO of Media Society
  • Distribution Options for the Indie Filmmaker
  • Creating in the Digital Age
  • Kathie Fong Yoneida: Getting your Script to The Screen

Films screened concurrently at Georgia Pacific Center

Foot Soldiers: Class of 1964, directed by Alvelyn Sanders, Second Time Around, directed by Jessica M. Young, Color Outside the Lines, directed by Artemus Jenkins and Probable Cause

Opening Night Feature Film 8:00 pm at the World of Coca Cola

Otelo Burning, Directed by Sara Blecher http://youtu.be/gek4b3x0TTQ
Awards and highlights include, 13 nominations at the African Movie Academy Awards (more than any other film)- winner Best Cinematography and Best Child Actor, 16th Annual Busan International Film Festival (Korea), Drama Award-24th Annual One World Media Awards in London, 2011 Durban International Film Festival-Official Selection & Opening Night Film, BFI London International Film Festival, 2011 Dubai International Film Festival, Lille Film Festival France-Official Selection,

Cinenerma BC Brazil-Official Selection, US Debut, at Seattle International Film Festival- Official Selection & Nominated Golden Needle Award, Special Screening at American Black Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival

Friday, November 9, 2012

  • How to Pitch Your Film to the Media sponsored by the African American Film Critics Association
  • Think Global: International Opportunities For Entertainment Projects
  • From Novel to Screen : The Pearl Cleage Film Project: Pearl Cleage and Ayoka Chenzira

All Shorts, All Day Films screened concurrently at Georgia Pacific Center

Feeding Freedom, Sweet Auburn, The Last/First Kiss, Their Eyes Were Watching Gummy Bears, What About Us?, 4-1-9, The Bluest Note, Aide de Camp, State of Mind, The Voice, The Christmas Tree, The Collegians, Bunny, Barbasol, In This Corner, and Keeper of the Flame

Friday Night Feature Film at Georgia Pacific Center

8:00 pm
The Contradictions of Fair Hope, directed by S. Epatha Merkerson and Rockell Metcalf
The Contradictions of Fair Hope is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg with music by Christian McBride. The film has received the following awards: Philadelphia Independent Film Festival- Best Documentary, Newark Black Film Festival-Paul Robeson Best Documentary, Festival International Du Film Panafricain-Dikalo Award Best Documentary, San Diego Black Film Festival-Best Documentary and Roxbury International Film Festival-Henry Hampton Award

Saturday, November 10, 2012 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis

  • Bus Tour of Movie Locations in the ATL / Limited Seating
  • Reuben Cannon and The Producer’s Roundtable
  • Producer’s Luncheon
  • Commercial Production Workshop on Film and Advertising: The Madison and Vine Intersection, presented by Georgia Lottery Corp.
  • Music for Film.TV, Gaming: From Scoring to Licensing
  • Creating Comedy Shows with Roger Bobb

International Films Day Screenings at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis
My Beautiful Nightmare (Namibia), The Merikins (Trinidad), On Our land, Being Garifuna in Honduras (Honduras), Hibana (Dominican Republic), Kunta Kinteh: Coming Home without Shackles (The Gambia), Elza (Guadeloupe) and Inside Story (South Africa)

Morehouse College, Sale Hall
Tey, starring Saul Williams (Senegal)

Film Screenings at Georgia Pacific Center
Still Standing, Homecoming, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty and 30 Degree Couleur (Martinique)

Roundtable on African and Caribbean Cinema sponsored by France-Atlanta 2012 at Georgia Pacific Center

2012 BronzeLens Awards: Ray Charles Performing Arts Center on the campus of Morehouse College at 8:00 pm
This is the awards ceremony is for the BronzeLens films selected for the International, Shorts, Features and Documentary and Best of Festival categories.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Studio 11 Films historic premiere of The 11Eleven11 Project™Films, Location Georgia Public Broadcasting at 11:00 am

BronzeLens will screen the films of this prestigious groundbreaking and revolutionary filmmaker's program for aspiring and emergent writers, directors and producers. The ambitious and aggressive training program ended its first season by successfully completing the 11 Short Films it promised in record time under at times adverse conditions. Celebrity mentors LisaRaye McCoy and Carl Payne will debut their directorial skill on films like The Promise and Rhythm at the festival. In addition to McCoy and Payne, other mentors included Miguel A. Nunez, Jr., Rockmond Dunbar, Terri J. Vaughn, Leon, Tatyana Ali, Christopher Pearman and Tommy Ford. Immediately after the screening, Studio 11 Films will host its’ “Premiere Party” where guests who will have an opportunity to meet and greet the filmmakers and their casts.

Cinema and Social Justice Sunday, co-sponsored by the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Location Morehouse School of Medicine at 2:00 pm
The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music that Changed America and WITNESS: SOUTH SUDAN, presented by HBO Documentary Films

Closing Night Film, Location Georgia Power Auditorium at 7:00 pm

Echo at 11 Oak Drive, Directed/Written by Crystle Clear Roberson and Produced by Dianne Ashford of Symmetry Entertainment
Echo at 11 Oak Drive' was filmed on location in Atlanta GA. Trailer Music by Rico Wade of Organized Noize. Starring Rockmond Dunbar and Adam Fristoe, Quynh Thi Le, Eric Mendenhall, TJ Hassan, Shayla Love, Shannon Mayers, Danielle Patrick, Rico Ball. Edited by Deanna Nowell of The Edit Factor. Cinematography by Ross Sebek.

About the BronzeLens Film Festival
Founded in 2009, The BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a center for film and film production for people of color. Its mission is twofold: to promote Atlanta as the new film Mecca for people of color; and to showcase films and provide networking opportunities that will develop the next generation of filmmakers. Since its inception the BronzeLens Film Festival has evolved as one of the most comprehensive film festivals for filmmakers of color in the United States. Visit www.bronzelensfilmfestival.com for more information regarding the BronzeLens Film Festival and for registration information.

Sponsors of the BronzeLens Film Festival are Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Lottery Corp., Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Turner, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Panavision, Delta Air Lines, HBO Documentary Films, The Levy Group, Georgia Pacific, Macys, AT& T, Morehouse College, France Atlanta 2012, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, The Sai Sai Group, Inc., White Oak Restaurant, Organix Food Lounge Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, MHR International, Movie Magic and Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council. Media Partners Include: 11Alive/WXIA-TV, Atlanta DAYBOOK, Modern Luxury and Oz Magazine

Media Credentials
Approved media will have access to interview areas, and red carpet arrivals, for which press has RSVP’d in advance and received written confirmation from Joseph Babineaux. This includes media opportunities for the filmmakers and cast who are in town for their films, as well as other festival events. All media must e-mail joseph@perspective-pr.com to request access to cover these opportunities. We will do our best to honor all requests. For more information regarding the BronzeLens Film Festival visit www.bronzelensfilmfestival.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50467292&lang=en

Contacts

for BronzeLens 2012
Terri Vismale-Morris, 404-346-0410
tvmorris@bronzelens.com

Release Summary

Now in its third year, the BronzeLens Film Festival (BronzeLens) continues to be one the nation’s most anticipated film festival events.

Contacts

for BronzeLens 2012
Terri Vismale-Morris, 404-346-0410
tvmorris@bronzelens.com