WHERE SOCIAL justice & cinema take a seat

2nd Annual RIBFF

April 22 – 28, 2019

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Providence, RI

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17 Films

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3 Workshops

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WELCOME TO THE

2nd Annual Rhode Island Black Film Festival

The creative medium of motion pictures has always been an effective tool to raise awareness of social justice issues.

On behalf of the planning committee and unapologetic movie goers everywhere, welcome to the 2nd Annual Rhode Island Black Film Festival.

Thank you to our diverse group of community partners and sponsors. To the dynamic and creative filmmakers videographers, marketers, community organizers for lending your time and talent to the process.

My thanks to the community for your support of the the films, and the filmmakers. We applaud you for your passion for making films.

And finally, we hope you enjoy the Rhode Island Black Film Festival: where social justice and cinema take a seat.

The Rhode Island Black Film Festival launched in April of 2018 as we marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Providence, the creative capital of Rhode Island – the birth of religious freedom and home to some of our nation’s iconic institutions in the arts and the New England slave trade – will serve as venues for the Screenings and Panel Discussions.

The first and only Festival to feature a variety of documentaries and feature films with stories of experiences and culture of people of color. The 2019 festival will take place over 7 days, with workshops and film screenings happening at the Rhode Island School of Design, Beneficent Congregational Church.

Like us on Facebook for trailers, film stills, reviews, and more!

Ann Clanton, Founder & CEO

Ann-Allison Clanton was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island and is also the Founder of Ann Clanton Communications, a Marketing and Public Relations firm.

Download the 2019 RIBFF handbill

About Us

RIBFF

The Rhode Island Black Film Festival launched in April of 2018 as we marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Providence, the creative capital of Rhode Island – the birth of religious freedom and home to some of our nation’s iconic institutions in the arts and the New England slave trade – will serve as venues for the Screenings and Panel Discussions.

The first and only Festival to feature a variety of documentaries and feature films with stories of experiences and culture of people of color. The 2019 festival will take place over 7 days, with workshops and film screenings happening at the Rhode Island School of Design, Beneficent Congregational Church.

Like us on Facebook for trailers, film stills, reviews, and more!

2019

FILMS

Do It, Man! The Story of The Celebrity Club

Do It, Man! The Story of The Celebrity Club" is a documentary about many things. It's about music, history, racism, crime and urban renewal, but most of all, it's about the people of Rhode Island. It's about the power of music bringing people together. This film tells...

U Street Contested

Washington D.C.’s U-Street is currently one of the most popular, exciting, and creative neighborhoods in the nation’s capital. Young people from around the world are flocking to U-Street for its restaurants, live music, and nightlife. To many, it would appear as if...

Paul Laurence Dunbar: Beyond The Mask

Paul Laurence Dunbar: Beyond The Mask Directed by Frederick Lewis 00 hr mins | United States | English “Paul Laurence Dunbar: Beyond The Mask” is a feature length documentary on the life and legacy of the first African American writer to gain international...

Last Disintegrated School

Last Disintegrated School tells the story of Thurgood Marshall and the Hillburn striking parents’ struggle to tear down racial segregation at Brook School in 1943. We believe Last Disintegrated School will spark lively dialogue about America’s current education...

The Reckoning

In order to save his own life, a gangbanger being held hostage must appeal to the empathy of his kidnapper. Christopher Malcolm Reese | United States | English About Chris is an actor that is also a writer, producer, and director. He has had his films play in several...

Voices of Baltimore

The purpose of this project is to capture and preserve the rich oral histories of an aging and diminishing population of African Americans who 1) grew up in the Mason/Dixon border area of Baltimore, and 2) who lived through the era of legal segregation (i.e., Jim Crow...

Ladies Night

On this particular night, a group of single women friends meet for their monthly “Ladies Night” meeting and find out that each is struggling with issues affecting their relationship with God. The plot thickens as their friendship is put to the test by an unexpected...

Bigger Than Me : My Fight With ALS

Thomas Johnson was a former college athlete, proud father, husband, and hard working man. He was in the prime of his life, (27) when he was suddenly diagnosed with ALS. This film takes a look into who he was, who he is now, and what will happen when he’s gone. James...

Simone – Stories in Transfer Station

"Simone - Stories in Transfer Station" brings a daily break of the Simone character. She make a date with her boyfriend at CPTM's Júlio Prestes station and waits for him for long and harrowing hours. In this anguish we enter Simone's imagination. In this, André and...

Last Days

A widow struggling to make ends meet is diagnosed with breast cancer. She raises the necessary funds to undergo the required procedure to treat the cancer, but she experiences a re-occurrence of the ailment and begins to question her faith. Moses Olufemi | 2 hr 26 min...

Monday

April 22

Trinity Repertory Company | The Lederer Theater, 201 Washington Street

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

FILM FESTIVAL OPENING CEREMONY

Tuesday

April 23

National Grid Innovation Hub | Dunkin’ Donuts Center, 1 LaSalle Square

10:10 a.m.

FILM | The Good Radical

Directed by Kendall Moore | 38 min | USA

10:45 a.m.

PANEL DISCUSSION | Getting Reel with Health

Kendall Moore, Kendall Moore Films
Barbara Lewis, B Justice Productions
Eric Lamy (Moderator), Rhode Island Dept. of Health, Cancer Control

11:20 a.m.

FILM | INTRODUCING THE OCEAN’S AWAKENINGS FILM PROJECT

A short promotional film introducing a B Justice Productions film written by Barbara Baker

FILM | Can We Talk ?

Directed by Kendall Moore | 50 min | USA

12:35 p.m.

FILM | Bigger Than Me: My Fight With ALS

Directed by James Ridley | 1 hr 36 min | USA

Q&A | with Director of Bigger Than Me: My Fight With ALS

Wednesday

April 24

Mt. Hope Baptist Church | 734 Hope Street

10:00 a.m.

FILM | The Reckoning

Directed by Chris Reese | 13 min | USA

10:30 a.m.

FILM | Jackie Robinson (Documentary)

A Ken Burns Film | 1 hr 55 min | USA

Thursday

April 25

Rhode Island Indian Council | 807 Broad Street

5:00 p.m.

FILM | Simone – Stories in Train Transfer Station

Directed by Renato Candido De Lima | 25 min | Brazil

5:30 p.m.

FILM | Last Disintegrated School

Directed by Alice Crowe | 28 min | USA

6:00 p.m.

FILM | A Garden Takes Flight

A short film presented by African Alliance of Rhode Island | Directed by Carlos Toro

PANEL DISCUSSION | Community Farming and Food Access

Julius Kolawole, Executive Director, AARI

Susan Rezendes, Programming Coordinator, AARI

Ron Crosson, Executive Director, Urban Ventures

7:00 p.m.

FILM | Black N Black

Directed by Zadi Zokou | 1 hr 33 min | USA

Friday

April 26

Special Screening for the Providence Public School Department | Presented by Ethnic Studies

12:00 p.m.

FILM | U Street Contested

A Film by Michael Barry Jr | 32 min | USA

Q&A | with Filmmaker Michael Barry Jr

Institute for Entrepreneurship and Leadership | Sprout CoWorking, 166 Valley St.

4:00 p.m.

FILM | Last Days

Directed by Moses Olufemi | 2 hr 27 min | USA

6:35 p.m.

FILM | Ladies Night

Directed by Helen Baskerville Dukes | 41 min | USA

7:15 p.m.

FILM | Voices of Baltimore

A film by Gary Homana, Franklin Campbell Jones & Morna McDermott | 60 min | USA

RECEPTION

Sponsored by the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Leadership

Saturday

April 27

9:30 a.m.

PANEL DISCUSSION | What’s A Sister Got To Do To Get A Part Around Here?

Moderated by Kamilah A’vant, President of NAMIC New England

PANELISTS |
Dr. Rose Weaver, Actress/Singer/Producer/Writer
Arshenna Hines, Actress
R. Michelle Cooke, Filmmaker
Linda Tate, Filmmaker
Helen Baskerville Dukes, Filmmaker