The International Black Film Festival Continues Its Mission

When they launched the festival in 2005, the creators of the International Black Film Festival had multiple goals in mind. One was to present a wealth of independent films spotlighting the Black experience, both domestically and across the globe. A second was to provide space and a forum for independent filmmakers, many of whom otherwise would have been denied access to audiences. And a third was to establish a means of introduction to and communication with industry members, offering opportunities for filmmakers, performers and even fans to learn more about the technical and business aspects of the industry. 

There was also an emphasis on ensuring that the variety of activities provided a family-friendly environment and atmosphere, and that the educational component would extend to school systems, colleges, universities and civic organizations statewide. All these goals have been addressed and met as IBFF continues to grow under the leadership of founder and board chair Hazel Joyner-Smith, president Ingrid Brown and vice president Ivy Brown.

This year’s event, which runs through Oct. 4, represents the most ambitious IBFF yet in terms of the film presentations, panels and seminars being offered. The films range from shorts to documentaries and features, with screenings at the Scarritt Bennett Center, the Looby Theater and Belmont University’s R. Milton and Denice Johnson Center. A particularly intriguing concept this year will be the eight blocks of short films, with subjects including occupational entries like “Are You A Librarian?,” cultural profiles such as “The Gospel of Soul” and “B.4.L: The Environmental Justice Army” and historical portraits like “Baltimore Heirs: The Last Deed Undone” and “Soaring Together: A Tuskegee Airman Story.”

A major presentation among the Marquee and Special Features is Ricky Burchell’s “The Darkroom,” one of the most intense and uncensored looks at the phenomenon of contemporary battle rap. Burchell goes behind the scenes to discuss exactly what goes into the process of crafting rhymes and lyrics, with contributions from Eazy the Block Captain, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Barz Major, Bo the Great, Baby James, Dee Reign, Kiwi Sweet and others. IBFF will also be offering the world premiere of “Fight for Love,” the newest music video from the hit soul and jazz vocalist Will Downing, which is directed by D. Channsin Berry.

Among the highlight documentaries is Pascal Archimède and Dimitry Zandronis’ insightful “Sisters in Destiny: Angela Davis & Gerty Archimède,” one of the top international entries. This production from Guadeloupe explores the connections between two giants of feminism and Black liberation. It examines the struggles, social and political views, and cultural impact each had in their home countries. A second top documentary is Destiny Owens’ Dreams in Black: With Love From the South to Los Angeles, which traces the journey of three HBCU alums who migrate to Los Angeles with dreams of succeeding in the entertainment world. Once they actually get the jobs they desire at major production companies, the film follows the trio’s journeys — what they discover both about themselves and the territories they’re now working and living in.

A key documentary short is Zachary Scott Clark’s My Ozarks Episode 14: “Crockett and Tonya,” which spotlights the Black experience in an area where it’s often assumed it doesn’t really exist: rural America, generally, and the Ozarks specifically. The short showcases the efforts of Crockett and Tonya Oaks, third-generation caretakers of the local Black cemetery and stewards of the historic Lincoln School in West Plains, Mo. They are turning a negative (a formerly segregated space) into a positive, making it a place of healing and coalition.

There are also several special classes and seminars being presented. One that’s free and open to the public is “Dreams Are Made of: Entertainment Summit,” featuring a distinguished panel with industry professionals Kevin and Derrick Boseman, Percy Bell, Bobby Yan and Jenny Garner. It’s a Youth Day event and is designed so that through live, interactive sessions, participants can ask direct questions and get firsthand information about the things necessary both to start and to sustain a career in film or television. Other paid seminars range from “The New Entertainment Playbook: When Hollywood, New Tech and Creators Collide” to “From Set to Soundstage: Actors, Vocal Artists and the New Entertainment Landscape” and “Tuned In: The Actor-Director Relationship, From Casting to Camera.”

The festival finale — the gala awards ceremony — takes place at 7:15 p.m. on Oct. 4 at the Johnson Center.