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The second full day of the BronzeLens Film Festival saw actors, media personalities and film and TV producers share their knowledge with thousands at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta. Friday’s programming consisted mainly of panels and workshops, but also an all-star luncheon.
The Women SuperStars Luncheon presented by BETHER feted several media stars and industry titans, such as Ayoka Chenzira, film producer who works as a division chair at nearby Spelman College. Chenzira was presented with the Catalyst Superstar Award for being a pioneer in independent film and animation.
BronzeLens Film Festival shines light on women filmmakers
“I’m interested in narrative and color and texture. I’m interested in new camera angles and I’m interested in foregrounding the incredible stories of women of color,” she said on stage.
The music in film workshop elaborated on how the tunes you select for your film oftentimes set the mood of the audience — as well as stakeholders who are asked to financially support it.
Screenings continued as well. “Let My People Vote” was met with a warm reception. “Voter suppression is a real thing in this country,” director Gilda Brasch told an audience.
Let My People Vote! An impactful film exploring voter suppression in Florida! Director Gilda Brasch breaks down the very intentional filming process! #BLFF18 pic.twitter.com/5mRIc3Mysv
— BronzeLens Film Fest (@BronzeLens) August 25, 2018
In the evening, festival-goers got to see an exclusive screening of “The Bobby Brown Story” at the Georgia-Pacific Auditorium.
BounceTV executive Roger Bob also spoke to attendees about being ready when your production gains momentum with viewers and the industry.
See Bronzelens Film Festival 2018 full schedule of events
The day before, festival-goers got to screen “Jinn,” the Muslim-center movie starring Zoe Renee. The film’s creator shed light on what inspired her to make the film, which has been recognized by the Sun Dance Film Festival among other accolades.
“This is a story that was many years in the making,” “Jinn” filmmaker Nijla Mu’min told the crowd. “I grew up in a very vibrant African-American Muslim community in Oakland. My father and my mother really helped to immerse me in that community and I never saw textured, complicated images of those people in media.”
here are several top-notch black films screening at this year’s event. But Atlanta is packed with activities and events this weekend. See some of our top picks here.
Read more: Grant Park Summer Shade Festival: Everything you need to know
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The East Atlanta Santa is promising to gift the city with another one of his contributions. Local Rapper Gucci Mane says that he is bringing a feature-length film on his life to the big screen.
“#TheAutoBiographyOfGuccimane is coming to a theatre near you #DirectorGuccimane #1017Films,” he tweeted recently. The movie will be based on the book of the same name.
The Autobiography of Gucci Mane chronicles the rapper’s rise from local artist to mainstream phenom. The book goes into detail about the rapper’s struggle with drug abuse, especially lean (codeine). Here’s an excerpt:
“My own habits with the stuff had gotten bad. Over the years, there had been times when I’d gone too hard with the X pills, but that had always felt recreational. With the lean, I’d developed a dependence. It became something I needed. My life was moving fast, and this drink helped me slow everything down. I was now on the road nearly every weekend, which meant long bus rides of smoking weed and sipping lean to pass the time. I just wasn’t as outward with my usage as a lot of other rappers were with the Styrofoam cups because I was still on probation.
In the beginning, lean had been something special, a vice I enjoyed. An indulgence. Now it was something I required to operate. My fame was at an all-time high, and these pints helped me calm down and relax in situations where I would otherwise feel anxious, like a big performance or a radio interview where I knew I’d get asked about some shit I didn’t want to talk about.
Is that not the stuff of movie or what? Gucci will no doubt have to confront his demons in the film, such as his time in prison and checkered relationship with fellow rapper Waka Flaka Flame. But all of that should make the flick a bestseller, just like the book.
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Aspiring filmmakers are getting a boost in Atlanta, thanks to the banking industry. Georgia State University’s Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence was recently awarded a $125,000 planning grant from JPMorgan Chase to help prepare local young people for careers in film, media and entertainment industry in Georgia.
Adults ages 18 through 24 who are not enrolled in school and not employed will be required to come to Georgia State’s campus, take courses and gain skills as part of the Careers In New and Emerging Media Areas (CINEMA) Project.
“The CINEMA project is an innovative solution to two pressing challenges facing Georgia today: The growing number of young people who are disconnected from work and education and the need for a trained labor force,” said Brian Williams, Crim Center director.
A trio of seven-week classes will be set up by the Crim Center, the Atlanta Film Society, Georgia State’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the university’s new Creative Media Industries Institute. The initiative will include a four-to-six-week paid internship.
“We want more people to share in the benefits of a growing economy by creating sustainable paths to careers that lead to prosperity and wealth for more individuals,” said Mike Passilla, managing director at JPMorgan Chase. “Atlanta is becoming one of the world’s fastest growing TV and film destinations and our partnership with the Crim Center will help our local youth have long, successful careers right here at home.”