Bushwick Film Fest Press Releases
Bushwick Film Festival Launches Netflix Watch Party Series and Q&A With Alumni
Featuring Cathy Curtin and Daniella De Jesús (OITNB), Stefon Bristol (See You Yesterday), Miles Orion Feldsott, Khalil Everage, Ashley Jackson (BEATS), Joshua Weinstein (Menashe) and more….
Brooklyn, NY – April 7, 2020 – This Thursday, April 9, The Bushwick Film Festival will launch its Netflix Watch Party Series and Q&A featuring films and TV Shows on Netflix that were created by the festival’s incredible network of alumni. Guests can request an invite to free online screenings and Q&As featuring Cathy Curtin and Daniella De Jesús (OITNB), Stefon Bristol (See You Yesterday), Miles Orion Feldsott, Khalil Everage, Ashley Jackson (BEATS), Joshua Weinstein (Menashe) and more. To request invite visit: www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/netflixwatchparty
Like most small businesses, particularly event-based organizations like film festivals who bring large audiences together, the festival wanted to join in the efforts to create positive ways for people to connect from the safety of their homes. Like all film lovers, we know that stories have always had the power to bring people closer together, help us understand more about ourselves and the people around us, and now more important than ever, entertain us, inspire us and make us laugh out loud.
Over the last 12 years, the festival has screened the works of over 500 directors who have gone on to achieve incredible success in the industry. Together, we are building a program for our audiences that will create a one-of-kind opportunity to enter an intimate exchange with these fantastic artists and their works and some much-needed diversion in these trying times.
“One of the things I love most about being BFF’s founder is seeing the journey of our filmmakers. When they are at Bushwick they come as emerging storytellers, many with first or second features, and I get to see them move on to platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu or get theatrical distribution deals. That makes me and everyone at the festival feel like we’ve contributed to their success. The films and shows that we’ll be watching together on Netflix are a testament to the diversity of programming that we have always valued since our first edition in 2007.” Says Festival Founder, Kweighbaye Kotee.
The 13th Annual Bushwick Film Festival is still set to run in October 2020 and submissions are currently open. The festival will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and have conversations with its partners and sponsors while it determines exact dates.
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Netflix Watch Party Program
4/9/2020
6:00 PM: See You Yesterday
7:30 PM: Q&A with Director Stefon Bristol
4/10/2020
6:00 PM: BEATS
8:00 PM: Q&A with Miles Orion Feldsott (Writer, Co-Producer) and lead cast Khalil Everage, Ashley Jackson
4/16/2020
6:00 PM: Menashe
7:30 PM: Q&A With director Joshua Weinstein
4/17/2020
6:00 PM Orange Is the New Black (OITNB)
7:10 PM Q&A with actress Daniella De Jesús
4/23/2020
6:00 PM The Ghost Who Walks
8:00 PM Q&A with Director Cody Stokes and Cast
5/1/2020
6:00 PM Orange is the New Black (OITNB)
7:15 PM Q&A with actresses Cathy Curtin and Laura Gómez
Visit our site for the release of additional screening dates and discussions next week.
2019 BUSHWICK FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS AND PRIZES ANNOUNCED
Top Awards Go To The Ghost Who Walks, Bushwick Bill: Geto Boy, Feathers, Enforcement Hours, and Before We Wrap.
Brooklyn, NY – October 9, 2019 – The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) celebrated its 12th anniversary this year with nearly 100 films, a dozen panels, special events, and nearly 3,500 attendees! The festival culminated with an awards ceremony at Syndicated Movie Theater where 23 films took home awards. The award winners told bold stories, featured extraordinary characters and embodied the independent spirit; reminding us of how films inspire, entertain and connect us.
This year’s jurors, invited in recognition of their accomplishments and commitment to the industry, did the hard job of choosing award winners in addition to selecting their own Special Jury Prize. Jurors for the Festival include: Faye Tsakas, VP Development & Production, Passage Pictures; Carlos Ibarra, Development Executive, 141 Entertainment; Mishka Brown, Executive Producer, Washington Square Films; Matt Grady, Founder, Factory 25; Brandi Payne, Crowdfunding Specialist, Seed & Spark; Alece Oxendine, Director of Industry & Festival Outreach, Columbia University; Richard Wolff, CEO, Breaking Glass Pictures; Casey Bader, Producer, El Dorado Pictures; Daniella De Jesus, Actress, Orange is the New Black; and Pawel Wieszczecinski, Founder, Kinoscope.
The Best Feature Narrative Award, presented by B&H and Canon, was a Canon camera package. The Best Feature Documentary Award, presented by Giant Pictures, was $5,000 worth of digital distribution services.
The Best Short Narrative and Short Documentary Awards, presented by Liman Video Rental (LVR), was $2,500 in rental credit for each filmmaker. The Best Web Series Award, presented by Mongo Media, was $2,000 worth of credit in services.
In addition to film awards, BFF presented its first Best Actor/Outstanding Performance Award to actress Annapurna Sriram for her role as Yazmine in the film Feral. Finally, the 3rd Rising Star Award—created to acknowledge a BFF alumnus who is achieving notable levels of success—went to Otoja Abit. The award is a testament to the recipient’s hard work and to the festival's continued commitment to give emerging filmmakers and creators a platform.
The complete list of award winners of the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival are as follows:
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: The Ghost Who Walks | Cody Stokes
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Bushwick Bill: Geto Boy | Gregy Roman
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM: Feathers | A.V. Rockwell
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM: Enforcement Hours | Paloma Martinez
BEST WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA: Before We Wrap | Elizabeth Charles
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: NARRATIVE FEATURE: Happy Face | Stephane Gerin-Lajoie
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Buckjumping | Lily Keber
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: NARRATIVE SHORT: La Capa Azul (The Blue Cape) | Alejandra López
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Mi Madre Me Tiene Rabia (My Mother Resents Me) | Victoria Linares Villegas
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA: Queering | Leticia De Bortoli
HONORABLE MENTION: NARRATIVE FEATURE: El Baile (The Dance) | Rino Arreaza
HONORABLE MENTION: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Warrior Women | Christina D. King & Elizabeth A. Castle
HONORABLE MENTION: NARRATIVE SHORT: PICK | Alicia K. Harris
HONORABLE MENTION: DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Come & Take It | PJ Raval & Ellen Spiro
HONORABLE MENTION: WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA: Other Colors | Remoy Philip
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE: NARRATIVE FEATURE: Vanilla | Will Dennis
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: General Magic | Sarah Kerruish & Matt Maude
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE: NARRATIVE SHORT: Nettles | Raven Jackson
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE: DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Fuck, it's Biology | Veronica Andersson
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE: WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA: Passing: A Family in Black & White | Robin Cloud
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE: ANIMATED SHORT: שלווה/SHALVA (=Tranquility) | Danna Windsor
BEST ACTRESS/OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: Annapurna Sriram as Yasmine in Feral
RISING STAR AWARD: Otoja Abit
The 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival would like to thank the following sponsors:
Community Sponsors: B&H Photo, Canon, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, NYC & Company Foundation, City Fresh Market, 100 Bogart, Push Forward Realty, Camber Property Group
Official Alcohol Sponsors: Brugal 1888, Partida Tequila
Official Beer Sponsor: Circa Brewing Co.
Beverage Partners: Chronicle Wines, Brooklyn Crafted, Essentia
Restaurant and Venue Partners: Syndicated, The Rookery, Chemistry Creative, House of Yes, Lot 45, 718 Studios, Gemelli, Bushwick Generator, Arancini Bros.
Production Partners: Liman Video Rental, Giant Pictures, Mongo Media
Media Partners: Bushwick Daily, Schneps Media, BKLYNER, BK Reader
Local Partners: North Brooklyn Arts Foundation
About the Bushwick Film Festival:
The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is an MWBE certified independent film, media, and event production company in Brooklyn, NY. The annual festival attracts over 3,500 attendees, as well as more than 1,500 film submissions from 60 countries around the world, contributing to the borough's cultural and economic growth. The festival is committed to community building, empowering underrepresented storytellers, and increasing diversity in film and other forms of media through year-round programming. Our year-round program includes free public screenings and events, hands-on film production workshops, and career training for young adults.
Get Tickets to the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival's 5-Day Celebration of Film, Innovation and 'Space', Oct. 2-6, 2019
100 Independent Films, Panels, Free Programming and Fun Special Events in one of the Trendiest Neighborhoods in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, N.Y., September 9, 2019 (Newswire.com) -The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is excited to announce that tickets to its 12th edition are now available at www.bushwickfilmfestival.com. From October 2 through October 6, the festival will be exploring and celebrating stories through ‘SPACE’ and ‘TIME,’ literally and metaphorically.
Once again, the festival will open at the House of Yes with a red carpet reception. Then the films will begin to roll: first with Dispel, a short film directed by Kylie Eaton, followed by the New York Premiere of The Ghost Who Walks, a feature film directed by Cody Stokes. Both films explore the vast, sometimes endless, space between individuals and the ones they love most.
The Ghost Who Walks is a crime thriller about an imprisoned man who betrays his former boss to the police, for one last chance to reunite his family and become the father he never was. It’s Carlito’s Way meets It’s a Wonderful Life. At the heart of it all, it is a story about fatherhood and time lost. The film stars Garland Scott (The Infiltrators), Frank Mosley (Thunder Road, Upstream Color, Person to Person), Alexia Rasmussen (Proxy, The Missing Girl), and Gil Darnell (MacGyver, Lethal Weapon, NCIS: New Orleans, Reign).
Dispel is a fantasy short film that tells the story of a mother’s addiction through the eyes of her imaginative 12-year-old daughter. The film stars Eris Baker (This Is Us) and Gina Torres (Suits, West World, The Matrix).
The festivities will continue through Sunday, October 6, with 40+ events, ranging from feature and short film screenings, panels and parties, along with select food, art and tech events. Additional highlights include free programming supported by NYC and Company Foundation, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, and festival community partners B&H Photo and Canon. B&H Photo and Canon will have a pop-up studio where filmmakers, students and content creators can attend free workshops and book free studio sessions for various projects.
This year’s ‘SPACE’ theme was chosen to spotlight the inspirational story of space exploration, as NASA celebrates its 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. Additionally, it serves as a meditation on how we relate to and define ‘space’ here on Earth. Much like space exploration leads to learning about the universe around us, storytelling helps us understand more about ourselves and the people around us, creating a sense of connection. Both journeys require a vivid imagination, an ability to go beyond boundaries and the courage to make the impossible possible.
“Creating a film is a moonshot that requires visionary thinking and the courage to persist. This year, we are so excited to celebrate this ethos and foster a community of dreamers and doers,” says BFF Founder Kweighbaye Kotee.
Having received a new record-breaking 1,500 submissions this year from 60 countries, BFF is excited to continue building community, supporting filmmakers and creating spaces where audiences can be inspired by their stories.
For the full program and to purchase festival tickets, please visit:
https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/2019ticketspasses
For press and industry accreditation, please visit:
https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/industry-acreditation
The 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival is Sponsored by:
Community Sponsors: B&H Photo, Canon, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, NYC & Company Foundation, City Fresh Market, 100 Bogart, Push Forward Realty, Camber Property Group
Official Alcohol Sponsors: Brugal 1888, Partida Tequila
Official Beer Sponsor: Circa Brewing Co.
Beverage Partners: Brooklyn Oenology, Brooklyn Crafted, Essentia
Restaurant and Venue Partners: Syndicated, The Rookery, Chemistry Creative, House of Yes, Lot 45, 718 Studios, Gemelli, Bushwick Generator, Arancini Bros.
Production Partners: LVR, Below The Line, Giant Pictures, Mongo Media
Media Partners: Bushwick Daily, Schneps Media, BKLYNER, BK Reader
Local Partners: North Brooklyn Arts Foundation
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For press inquiries, please contact
Tiffany Ruiz by email at press@bushwickfilmfestival.com, or by phone at 347-450-3464.
Bushwick Film Festival Names Circa Brewing Co. Its Official Beer Sponsor
Circa creates specially brewed Lunar Eclipse to be released at launch party on September 18 and only available at the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival
BROOKLYN, New York, August 27, 2019 (Newswire.com) - The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is proud to announce that Brooklyn’s own Circa Brewing Co. will be the Official Beer Sponsor of the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival. From October 2 through October 6, festival attendees will have the opportunity to not only enjoy Circa’s rotating supply of expertly made Belgian, German and American-style beers (including the ever-popular hoppy, hazy IPAs), but also taste Circa’s brand new release, Lunar Eclipse, brewed specially for the 2019 Bushwick Film Festival. BFF and Circa are pushing the envelope by merging the arts of filmmaking and beer brewing, providing festival-goers with a one-of-a-kind experience. Lunar Eclipse will make its debut at the BFF Launch Party and Official Beer Release on September 18, at Circa Brewing Co.’s beautiful downtown Brooklyn location. After the official launch of BFF, Lunar Eclipse will only be available for a limited time during the run of this year’s festival.
Working off of BFF’S 2019 ‘SPACE’ theme, Circa’s head brewer Drew Kostic has conjured up a blueberry-infused wheat beer that will be dosed with “Element X,” a secret ingredient that audiences will be invited to identify during the five-day festival week. The beer will carry a slight pinkish-blue hue from the addition of blueberries, which is reminiscent of the colors generated during the event it’s named after.
“Space exploration has always played a pivotal role in my life,” says Kostic. “From the tender age of 9, I was saving all my money to attend space camp—which I did twice—and reading and re-reading my favorite space travel books until their covers wore off. Since I still tell people daily that my life goal is to be the first person to brew beer in outer space, I consider this collaboration to be an extremely exciting chance to continue building my astronaut resume!” Kostic starred in the documentary Brewmaster, which will have a special screening during BFF, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.
Circa’s Brand Director, Myriam Lopez, and BFF’s Creative Director, Rah Crawford, teamed up on the vision for Lunar Eclipse’s label, which features the image of a mesmerizing pink lunar eclipse.
“At Circa, every beer tells a story and finding the right partner to collaborate with is essential to keep growing. When the opportunity came up to sponsor an international film festival with such a presence in the Brooklyn community we are proud to be a part of, it was a no-brainer. I’m so incredibly thrilled for this partnership between Circa and BFF. I hope it’ll mark the beginning of many brewing stories,” says Lopez.
BFF Founder and CEO Kweighbaye Kotee comments, “Creating an independent brewing company, film festival, or film is a moonshot that requires visionary thinking and courage to keep going. That’s why we are so excited to partner with Circa this year to celebrate this ethos and foster a community of dreamers and doers.” In addition to its traditional program of screenings, panels and networking events, festival attendees can also expect a variety of food, art, and tech events.
Select passes to the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival are now on sale, and individual tickets will go on sale September 1. For notifications about ticket sales and/or to receive 2019 festival updates, please visit: https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/tickets-on-sale-sept-1]
For press and industry accreditation, please visit https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/industry-accreditation.
About Circa Brewing Co.
Circa Brewing Co. is an independent brewery, event space and pizzeria in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn. Circa has adopted a novel approach to brewing and fermentation by brewing dynamic and innovative beer that is rooted in traditional practices and a no-holds-barred approach to Neapolitan-style pizza.
About Bushwick Film Festival
The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is an MWBE-certified independent film, media and event production company in Brooklyn, New York. Its annual festival attracts over 3,500 attendees, as well as more than 1,500 film submissions from 60 countries around the world, contributing to the Borough's cultural and economic growth. The festival is committed to community building, empowering storytellers, and increasing diversity in film and other forms of media through year-round programming. Its programming includes free public screenings and events, hands-on film production workshops, and career training for young adults so that they have the tools to enter a successful career in the media industry.
For press inquiries contact:
Tiffany Ruiz
press@bushwickfilmfestival.com
347-450-3464
12TH ANNUAL BUSHWICK FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES DATES AND ‘SPACE’ THEME
5-day Celebration of Film, Food, Innovation, Art and 'Space' from Oct 2 -6, 2019
BROOKLYN, N.Y., August 13, 2019(Newswire.com) - The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF), one of Brooklyn’s most exciting cultural attractions, will present its 12th edition from October 2–6, 2019. This year’s ‘SPACE’ theme was chosen by BFF's new Creative Director, Rah Crawford, to spotlight the inspirational story of space exploration as NASA celebrates its 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Additionally, it also serves as a meditation on how we relate to and define ‘space’ here on earth. Much like space exploration is for the purpose of learning about the universe around us, storytelling helps us understand more about ourselves and the people around us, creating a sense of connection. Both journeys require a vivid imagination, an ability to go beyond boundaries, and the courage to make the impossible possible.
BFF took off this year with a record-breaking 1,500 submissions from 60 different countries. Since its inception, the festival has showcased films by the best and most diverse emerging filmmakers in Brooklyn and worldwide, while simultaneously celebrating films directed by and starring women. In 2018, approximately 50% of films were female-directed. This year, over 100 films will be included in the programming. Approximately ten filmmakers will walk away with awards in categories such as Best Feature (Narrative Doc), Best Short (Doc & Narrative), and Best Web Series, joining the ranks of incredible BFF alumni such as Miles Orion Feldsott, Kitty Green, Diarra Kilpatrick, Dawn Porter, Adepero Oduye, Stefon Bristol, Shaka King, and many more.
“Similar to astronauts, filmmakers demonstrate courage, the ability to intimately collaborate, and an infinite imagination. In many ways, creating an independent film is in itself a moonshot—ambitious, exploratory, and undertaken regardless of the myriad of risks at play. That’s why we celebrate filmmakers and the stories they go to great lengths to tell.” says BFF Founder & Director Kweighbaye Kotee.
With the theme of "space" in mind, the vision for #Bushwick2019 is to create an OUT OF THIS WORLD experience for festival attendees, filmmakers, and partners. BFF aims to provide spaces where people can discover new stories and ideas, create connections with each other, and leave eager to share their experiences. In addition to its traditional program of screenings, panels, and networking events, festival attendees can also expect a variety of food, art, and tech events.
Select passes to the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival will go on sale August 15, and individual tickets will go on sale September 1. For notifications about ticket sales and/or to receive 2019 festival updates, please visit https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/ticketsandpasses.
For Press and Industry Accreditation Please visit:
https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/industry-accreditation
Past BFF filmmakers and actors include:
Diarra Kilpatrick (CAA Actress, ABC’s American Koko); Elizabeth Wood (Director, White Girl); Kevin Corrigan (Actor, Goodfellas); Kahlil Joseph (Director, Beyonce’s Lemonade film); Lucy Mulloy (Director, Una Noche); Kitty Green (Director, Netflix’s Casting JonBenet); Tamara P. Carter (Writer, HBO’s The Leftovers); Phoebe Robinson (Actress, 2 Dope Queens); Robin Comisar (Director/Filmmaker Mag’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film); Carrie Coon (Actress, Fargo); Felicia Pearson (Actress, The Wire); Terence Nance (Director, Random Acts of Flyness); Laura Moss (Director/Filmmaker Mag’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film); Tequan Richmond (Actor, Ray); MJ Rodriguez (Actress, Nurse Jackie); Natalia Leite (Director, M.F.A.), Adepero Oduye (Actor, Pariah); Bradford Young (Cinematographer, Arrival); Stefon Bristol (Director, See You Yesterday); Alexander Dinelaris (Writer, Birdman).
Past BFF jury members & panelists include:
Caroline Waterlow (Oscar Winner, O.J.: Made in America); Heidi Ewing (Oscar Nominee, Jesus Camp); Sam Pollard (Oscar Nominee, 4 Little Girls); Ira Sachs (Director, Little Men); Arturo Castro (Actor, Netflix’s Narcos); Adam Neuhaus (Director of Development, ESPN Films and Original Content at ESPN); Peter Gerard (GM of Entertainment, Vimeo); Mollye Asher (Producer, The Rider); Molly O’Keefe (Senior Director of Artists Programs, Tribeca Film Institute); Marc John Jefferies (Actor, Power); Aisha Harris (Slate Magazine/Represent Podcast); Will Rowbotham (3 Arts Entertainment); Catherine Curtin (Actor, Orange is the New Black); Dana Gills (Production, Lionsgate); Gabrielle Nadig (Producer, Little Woods); Jeff Seelbach (Director, Non-Fiction Programming, Topic); Bilge Ebiri (Film Critic, Vulture); Quinn Shephard (Director, Blame); Doris Casap (Senior Vice President, Film Programming, HBO); Hilary Bettis (Writer, The Americans). Additionally, industry professionals from Sony Pictures, 3 Arts Entertainment, Vimeo, Kickstarter, Tribeca Film Festival, ReelWorks Studios, UnionDocs, BRIC, ESPN Films, VICE, and Brigade have participated in the annual event.
Important Dates:
August 15, 2019: Filmmakers Notified of Acceptance
September 2019: Festival Pre-Launch Party/Tickets on Sale
October 2–6, 2019: 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival
More news to come via:
Website: bushwickfilmfestival.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BushwickFilmFestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BushwickFilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwickfilmfest
About The Bushwick Film Festival
The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is an MWBE certified, independent film, media, and event production company in Brooklyn, NY. Its annual festival attracts over 3500 attendees, as well as more than 1500 film submissions from 60 countries around the world, contributing to the borough's cultural and economic growth. The festival is also committed to community building, empowering underrepresented storytellers, and increasing diversity in film and other forms of media through year-round programming. Its programming includes free public screenings and events, hands-on film production workshops, and career training for young adults so that they have the tools to enter a successful career in the media industry.
For press inquiries contact:
Tiffany Ruiz
press@bushwickfilmfestival.com
347-450-3464
Bushwick Film Festival Founder, Kweighbaye Kotee Returns to Liberia to Co-Produce a Peace Film Festival Featuring Women’s Stories.
Bushwick Film Festival founder Kweighbaye Kotee, is partnering with the Accountability Lab to co-produce the Reel Peace Film Festival June 5-6, 2019 in Monrovia, Liberia. The project is made possible by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
The two-day festival will feature short films created by 45 local Liberian women who participated in the Reel Peace Project, a year long filmmaking program aimed at empowering women with the tools they need to visually share the challenges their communities face. Selected films will later be screened in October at this year's 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival.
In addition to learning skills related to filmmaking and visual storytelling, the Reel Peace Project also taught women to craft policy documents to accompany the issues raised in their films. Providing participants with the opportunity to engage in their country's political processes. The women were also encouraged to take part in critical conversations related to peace and gender disparities, conversations where their voices have largely been excluded. At a time when peace and nation-building are critical, and gender-based violence and inequality remain pervasive, only 12% of the country’s current legislature are women.
Providing a creative platform that equally includes women and other underrepresented voices has always been a personal mission for Kotee and a significant component of the Bushwick Film Festival. In 2018, nearly 50% of the festival filmmakers were women and people of color. What makes this collaboration even more significant is that Kotee herself was born in Liberia. She fled to the U.S. with her family to escape violence from an emerging civil war to return three decades later to produce a peace film festival.
Kotee attended public school in Newark and received a full scholarship from the Wight Foundation to attend Blair Academy before graduating from New York University with a Media Culture and Communications degree. Kotee moved to Bushwick following graduation and launched BFF shortly after. Her pioneering work with the festival contributed to what would eventually become a thriving arts and culture scene.
In 2017, she was featured in a Delta Airlines and POPSUGAR campaign that highlighted the stories of incredible women committed to bringing about positive changes in their communities. In 2018, she launched the Bushwick Film Institute and partnered with B&H Photo and Canon to create a filmmaking program for young underrepresented storytellers in Bushwick and its surrounding areas. With over a decade of film industry experience and advocacy for diversity in entertainment, launching her first international project in Liberia, where she was born, is truly a dream realized.
The Reel Peace Project is supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and Accountability Lab. In addition to films created by 45 women from all 15 counties in Liberia, the Reel Peace Film Festival will also include panels and conversations focused on peace, policy, and gender parity in Liberia. In addition to co-producing the event, Kweighbaye and her team will also create a video documentary of the experience and its impact.
About United Nations Peacebuilding Fund:
The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is headed by the United Nations Secretary-General and was launched in 2006 to support activities, actions, programmes, and organisations that seek to build a lasting peace in countries emerging from conflict.
About Accountability Lab:
The Accountability Lab supports change-makers to develop and implement positive ideas for integrity in their communities, unleashing positive social and economic change. Currently based in Nepal, Pakistan, Liberia, Nigeria, Mali and South Africa, the Lab envisions a world in which people with power are accountable. It is a world in which resources are used wisely, decisions benefit everyone fairly, and people lead secure lives. We are catalyzing a new generation of active citizens and responsible leaders around the world by supporting change-makers to develop and implement positive ideas for integrity in their communities. By enabling people to generate the knowledge, skills and networks needed for accountability, we unleash positive social and economic change.
About The Bushwick Film Festival:
Founded in 2007, The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is a leading independent film and media company in Brooklyn. The festival is hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most influential cinematic events for its contribution to the borough’s artistic, cultural, and economic growth. The festival attracts film and entertainment industry leaders at national and international levels,showcasing films created by the best and most diverse emerging independent filmmakers in Brooklyn and worldwide. BFF provides a platform for emerging filmmakers to share their stories and presents opportunities for them to make a living doing what they love. BFF also offers spaces for audiences from all backgrounds to connect and discover new independent movies and experience unique cultural events.
About Kweighbaye Kotee:
Kweighbaye Kotee is an entrepreneur, director, producer and writer. In 2007, she founded the Bushwick Film Festival (BFF). Hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most celebrated events, BFF is recognized for its contribution to the borough’s artistic and economic growth. In 2016 she founded MCCG, an M/WBE community affairs consultant group that helps organizations positively engage with communities to create empowering opportunities. Leading a team, she has developed arts and cultural programs that have raised and distributed up to $500,000 to local artists and organizations; Produced and directed branded video campaigns, and managed community affairs for various high profile projects in Brooklyn.
In 2018, she launched the Bushwick Film Institute, BFI is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to elevating community through the power of film, empowering underrepresented storytellers, increasing diversity in film and tv, and sharing unique stories with local and global audiences. She has also written and co-produced a talk show series for BRIC TV and wrote and directed a feature-length documentary which is currently in post-production. She has been featured on NBC, Fox News, NY1, Huffington Post, POPSUGAR, Delta Air Lines, Brooklyn Magazine, Indiewire, Rock You Media, Tribeca Film, to name a few and lives in Brooklyn.
2018 BFF Award Winners Announced and Festival Photos Posted!
Bushwick Film Festival Celebrated 11th Anniversary With 95 Films & 3,500+ Attendees
*View Official #Bushwick2018 Photo Gallery*
Featured On: NY1, AM New York, BKLYNR, WPIX 11, BKReader, Bushwick Daily, Sincerely Hueman, Revelist & More
"The Bushwick Film Festival is working to shine a light on indie filmmakers and diversity in the film industry.” — NBC
“The arts haven’t always reflected NYC’s Diversity… The Bushwick Film festival makes an effort to change That” — NY1
“The event brings together filmmakers, artists, and creative thinkers.” — Fox News
“Get to know NYC’s next filmmaking generation at the Bushwick Film Festival.” — Tribeca Film
“A celebration of film diversity and culture will be on display this weekend ...At The Bushwick Film Festival” — AMNY
“An opportunity to see amazing films that you won’t find in regular U.S. cinemas. They are true gems!” — Indiewire
Brooklyn, NY – November 20, 2018 – The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) celebrated its 11th anniversary last month, with nearly 100 films, a dozen panels and events, and over 3,500 attendees! Follow this link to see Best of Photos. Five exceptional filmmakers were chosen by BFF’s jury to accept awards for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Web Series/New Media. Winners, Runner-Ups and Programmer’s Choice awards included:
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: Anissa 2002 | Fabienne Facco
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Victorious | Robert Mac
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM: The Shuttle | Lu Han
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM: Oleg | Boris Krichevsky & Alexander A. Brodsky
BEST WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA: Brooklynification | Keith Miller
RUNNER-UP NARRATIVE FEATURE: Are You Glad I’m Here | Noor Gharzeddine
RUNNER-UP DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: A Day With Martha | Josh Ethan Johnson
RUNNER-UP NARRATIVE SHORT: Babs | Celine Held & Logan George
RUNNER-UP DOCUMENTARY SHORT: The World’s Greatest Storyteller | Horatio Baltz
RUNNER-UP WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA: KYNNSTLAH | Sandra Bertalanffy & Joel Fendelman
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE NARRATIVE FEATURE: Sange i Solen (Songs in the Sun) | Kristian Sejrbo Lidegaard
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Seaman and 207 | Sophia Tewa
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE NARRATIVE SHORT: Allen Anders - Live at the Comedy Castle (circa 1987) | Laura Moss
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE NARRATIVE SHORT: The Shit! (An Opera) | Kevin Rios
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Coronados (Crowned) | Josefina Alen & Abril Lucini
PROGRAMMER’S CHOICE ANIMATION SHORT: ねこ の ひ (Cat Days) | Jon Frickey
Surrounding this celebratory anniversary, BFF presented their 2nd annual Rising Star Award to BFF alum Stefon Bristol. The Rising Star Award was created to acknowledge Bushwick Film Festival alumni who have broken new ground in the film industry and are achieving notable levels of success. It’s a testament to the recipient’s hard work and to the festival's continued commitment to give incredibly talented filmmakers and creators a spotlight. In 2017, the festival screened Bristol’s short film See You Yesterday and he is currently editing the feature length version, which is produced by Spike Lee.
BFF’s jury included:
JURY: NARRATIVE FEATURES
Dana Gills, Lionsgate
Bilge Ebiri, Film Critic
Catherine Curtin, Actress
Rotimi Paul, Actor
Graham Fine, Film Sales Company
JURY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Kristen Fitzpatrick, Women Make Movies
Sola Fasehun, United Talent Agency
Mat Levy, Passion River
Daniel Cantagallo, Cargo Film & Releasing
JURY: SHORT FILMS & WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA
Aijah Keith, Acquisitions Manager, IFC Films
Gabrielle Nadig, Beachside
Jeff Seelbach, Director, Non-Fiction Programming, Topic Studios
Elaine Del Valle, Producer, Writer, Actress
Sponsors for BFF 2018 included:
B&H Photo, Spectrum, 100 Bogart, McCarren Hotel & Pool, Brugal 1888, Liman Video Rental, No Muse No Art, Camber, Partida Tequila, Node Living, Canon, Brooklyn Fire Proof, Brooklyn Crafted, Essentia, Brooklyn Oenology, Fine & Raw, Bushwick Daily, Mixmag, Radio Free Brooklyn, Syndicated, Lot 45, Chemistry Creative, LightSpace Studios, House of Yes, The Rookery, UpNorth
Keep an eye out for BFF 2019! For more information, please visit www.bushwickfilmfestival.com
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Follow Bushwick Film Festival:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BushwickFilmFestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BushwickFilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwickfilmfest
About Founder, CEO Kweighbaye Kotee
Kweighbaye Kotee is the founder of the Bushwick Film Festival (BFF). Dedicated to her community and the arts, Kotee serves on The Bushwick Community Board and is co-chair of its Arts & Culture committee. In addition, in 2016 she founded MCCG, an M/WBE community affairs company that helps companies positively engage with communities to create empowering opportunities for its residents and local organizations. To date, her company has helped facilitate the distribution of over $400,000 in grants to local organizations and artists.
Born in Liberia, she and her family immigrated to the U.S. at the brink of the Liberian Civil war. She attended public school in Newark, NJ where she was awarded a scholarship from the Wight Foundation to attend Blair Academy, a private boarding high school. She moved on to receive her B.S in Media, Culture, and Communications from New York University.
She has been featured on NBC, NY1, Fox News, The Revelist, Huffington Post, POPSUGAR, Delta Air Lines, Brooklyn Magazine, Indiewire, Tribeca Film and lives in Brooklyn.
About the Bushwick Film Festival
Founded in 2007, The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is a leading independent film and media company in Brooklyn. The festival is hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most influential cinematic events for its contribution to the borough’s artistic, cultural, and economic growth. The festival attracts film and entertainment industry leaders at national and international levels; and showcases films created by the best and most diverse emerging independent filmmakers in Brooklyn and worldwide. BFF provides a platform for emerging filmmakers to share their stories and present opportunities for them to make a living doing what they love. BFF provides spaces for audiences from all backgrounds to connect and discover new independent movies and experience unique cultural events.
Press Contact:
Hayley Brinkman | Big Picture Media
85 Delancey Street, Suite 48 | New York, NY 10002
Hayley@bigpicturemediaonline.com | o: 212.675.3103
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Shoshie Aborn | Big Picture Media
85 Delancey Street, Suite 48 | New York, NY 10002
Shoshie@bigpicturemediaonline.com | o: 212.675.3103
11th Annual Bushwick Film Festival Announces Full Program: Set To Take Place October 10 - 14
Jury to include:
Catherine Curtin (Insecure, Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things)
Dana Gills (Lionsgate)
Bilge Ebiri (Film Critic)
Aijah Keith (IFC Films / Sundance Selects)
+ more
“The Bushwick Film Festival shines a light on indie filmmakers and diversity in the film industry.”
– NBC
“What started out as a small community event in Brooklyn, is now an established film festival.”
– Huffington Post
“Get to know NYC’s next filmmaking generation at the Bushwick Film Festival.”
– Tribeca Film
New York, NY – September 13, 2018 – The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) has announced the full program for their 11th annual run. This year’s Opening Night will be sponsored by Spectrum and kicks off on Wednesday, October 10th with a Red Carpet Reception and screening at House of Yes. The festivities will continue through Sunday, October 14th, with 40+ events ranging from feature and short film screenings to special events, parties and panels. The festival will also premiere 5 short documentaries created by 15 young storytellers from Bushwick who participated in Bushwick Stories; BFF’s free summer filmmaking workshop sponsored by community partner B&H Photo and Canon. See below for the full program. For tickets and passes, please visit: www.bushwickfilmfestival.com.
Located in Bushwick, the bustling center of Brooklyn’s artistic and cultural community, Bushwick Film Festival prides itself for being a home for film lovers. Over the last decade, BFF has screened the works of nearly 500 independent filmmakers from Brooklyn and over 40 different countries, proudly shining a spotlight on women and diverse filmmakers. The BFF has grown into one of the most anticipated events in Brooklyn and is recognized for its contribution to the borough’s artistic, cultural, and economic growth.
After receiving over a record-breaking 1,300 submissions in 2018, BFF is excited to continue building community, supporting filmmakers and creating spaces where people from all backgrounds can be inspired by their stories! Festival Founder and CEO Kweighbaye Kotee explains: “After 11 years, I still get so excited when the festival arrives. It’s been a true privilege serving storytellers and my community through the BFF and we have an incredible lineup of films and a weekend of fun in store!”
The Jury for BFF 2018 includes:
Feature Narrative
Bilge Ebiri, Film Critic
Catherine Curtin, Actress
Dana Gills, Production & Development, Lionsgate
Graham Fine, The Film Sales Company
Feature Documentary
Kristen Fitzpatrick, Women Make Movies
Mat Levy, Passion River
Daniel Cantagallo, Cargo Film & Releasing
Short Film / Web Series
Gabrielle Nadig, Beachside
Aijah Keith, IFC Films / Sundance Selects
Jeff Seelbach, TOPIC
Sponsors for BFF 2018 include:
B&H Photo & Video (Community Partner)Canon
Chemistry Creative
100 Bogart
Spectrum
1888 Brugal
Partida Tequila
City Fresh Market
Liman Video Rental
Node Living
Brooklyn Fire Proof
Fine & Raw Chocolate
BOE
Syndicated
LightSpace Studio
Of
No Muse No Art
House of Yes
The Rookery
Lot 45
UpNorth
Bogart House
Bushwick Daily
MixMag
Essentia
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BUSHWICK FILM FESTIVAL: FULL SCHEDULE
Feature Program
SEAMAN AND 207 | Dir. Sophia Tewa, 78 min, Documentary, USA
Oct 11, 2018, 5:30 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
Yacahudah Harrison and his wife Danetia Harrison have chosen to abandon their lives as working people with steady jobs to live on a street corner in upper Manhattan. As gentrification brings in new people, they are sent on a journey of discovery, living and loving out of their van on Seaman Avenue and 207th Street.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2OhxXKf
THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS (Die Beste Aller Welten) | Dir. Adrian Goiginger, 103 min, Narrative, Austria
Oct 11, 2018, 7:40 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
A kid´s true story of his life in the unusual world of his heroin addict mother and their love of each other.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2xanhWN
SAVAGE YOUTH - New York Premiere | Dir. Michael Curtis Johnson, 98 min, Narrative, USA
Oct 11, 2018, 10:05 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
Six young lives collide in the most horrific and twisted of ways. Based on true events.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2Mpfry5
Double Bill: A DAY WITH MARTHA / WIKI
Oct 12, 2018, 5:30 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
Wiki | dir. Veronica Andersson, 30 min, Narrative, Poland, New York Premiere
Wiki is an autistic, and curious young girl, who has to face the really harsh reality of living with an alcoholic mother after her grandmother dies. Luckily amongst all this chaos, she meets Mateusz - a huge fan of Warsaw city busses - who brings back real sunshine to her life.
A Day with Martha | dir. Josh Ethan Johnson, 40 min, Doc, USA, Brooklyn Premiere
Martha is a mother of twelve and makes her living driving for Uber and Lyft. In this 40 minute documentary, we get a front row seat perspective into a day in the life of Martha. She gives us unprecedented access to some of the most intimate and troubling aspects of her past and present life.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2OkeHMw
ARE YOU GLAD I'M HERE | Dir. Noor Gharzeddine, 85 min, Narrative, Lebanon (Arabic, English)
Oct 12, 2018, 7:30 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
A millennial American girl befriends a Lebanese housewife and disrupts her ordered life; one night they become accidental partners-in-crime.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2MtoJZI
LOST IN APOCALYPSE (末世人间道) | Dir. Sky Wang, 89 min, Narrative, China (Chinese with subtitles)
Oct 12, 2018, 9:45 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
A group of seemingly unrelated individuals fight their way out of a virus-infested hotel, only to find themselves at a worse place than before.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2NDm84d
ONE BEDROOM | Dir. Darien Sills-Evans, 83 min, Narrative, USA
Oct 13, 2018, 3:30 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
Breaking up is easy. Moving out is hard. After five years of ups and downs, an African American 30-something couple in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood spends their final afternoon together arguing and remember better days, as one of them moves out and hopefully on with her life.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2QmLrGl
VICTORIOUS | Dir. Robert Mac, 103 minutes, Documentary, USA
Oct 13, 2018, 5:45 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
Victorious is a documentary that trails the DC DIVAS—one of the top women’s football teams in America—during their 2015 season. Robert Mac embedded himself with the Divas as they hit the road to tear up some serious gridiron, capturing their camaraderie, sisterhood, and spirit along the way. It takes great courage for each Diva to step onto the field.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2xa5HTm
DON'T BE NICE | Dir. Max Powers, 96 min, Documentary, USA
Oct 13, 2018, 8:05 PM, Chemistry Creative
A team of young New York City Slam Poets finds its voice as it competes for the National Championship during the summer of 2016. An emotional and inspiring documentary that gives insightful commentary on race, gender, identity and sexual politics in America today.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2x2y4D5
BUSHWICK BEATS | Dir. A. Sayeeda Moreno, Chloe Sarbib, Brian Shoaf, Sonejuhi Sinha, James Sweeney, Anu Valia, 84 min, Narrative, USA
Oct 13, 2018, 8:20 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen | Oct 14, 2018, 7:35 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen [*this film has two screenings]
Six stories, six directors, six unique short films, all under the backdrop of Bushwick, Brooklyn, each a different look into the theme of unconditional love.
Ticket Info:
http://bit.ly/2x9AYoD (Sat. Screening)
http://bit.ly/2p1OMOs (Sun. Screening)
SONGS IN THE SUN - East Coast Premiere | Dir. Kristian Sejrbo Lidegaard, Narrative, 70 min, Denmark
Oct 13, 2018, 10:35 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
In one single hot summer day an ancient Danish myth changes the life of three women. An art house thriller set in the dramatic landscape of an island of chalk about lost friendship and the need of spirituality to cope with grief.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2MqyojJ
THE ORGANIZER | Dir. Nick Taylor, 105 min, Documentary, USA
Oct 14, 2018, 12 PM, Chemistry Creative
The Organizer is a portrait of Wade Rathke, the controversial founder of ACORN, as well as an exploration of the much maligned and misunderstood occupation of community organizing.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2p64rfK
MY NAME IS MYEISHA | Dir. Gus Krieger, 82 min, Narrative, USA
Oct 14, 2018, 2:30 PM, Chemistry Creative
A beloved teenager crosses over into a hip-hop-musical dreamscape at the moment of her tragic death and contemplates her life; what it was and what it could have been.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2Ohfb5P
BUSHWICK HOMECOMINGS - THE RECORD | Dir. Stefanie Joshua, 96 min, Documentary, USA
Oct 14, 2018 3:30 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
Bushwick Homecomings - The Record is a documentary film that examines the NYC neighborhood of Bushwick Brooklyn in a twenty-year overview of changes and rapid development in the nabe.
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2NCBoy7
ANISSA 2002 | Dir. Fabienne Facco, 48 min, Narrative, France
Oct 14, 2018, 5:55 PM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
France, 2002. Anissa is sixteen. Her parents are taking her to Morocco for her a wedding. She doesn't want to go. On the road, she runs away. She meets two english guys who are restoring an old house…
*Screening with the short film, Broken Bunny, dir. Meredith Hama-Brown, 11 min, Narrative, Canada
Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2xasMVr
Short Film Program
MY PAINTBRUSH BITES: Film About Artists
Oct 11, 2018, 6:00 PM, Bogart House | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2NG1Dne
Loving art is hard, but making a living on loving it is harder.
Films Include:
To Be Free, dir. Adepero Oduye, Narrative, USA
Boy Genius, dir. Becca Roth & Molly Cahen, Narrative, USA
My Paintbrush Bites, dir. Joel Pincosy & Joe Egender, Doc, USA
The World's Greatest Storyteller, dir. Horatio Baltz, Doc, USA
The Velvet Underground Played My High School, dir. Tony C. Jannelli & Robert Pietri, Doc, USA
Jack Whitten: An Artist's Life, dir. Ian Forster, Doc, USA
THE GANG'S HERE
Oct 11, 2018, 8:10 PM, Bogart House | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2MpYkvV
Do you like to #party? BFF knows it, and we are ready to #GO #IN #ON #IT.
Films Include:
Strangers at Night, dir. Ian M. Adelson, Narrative, USA
Coronados, dir. Josefina Alen & Abril Lucini, Doc, Argentina
Great Light, dir. Tony Oswald, Narrative, USA
What's Your Number, dir. David Duque-Estrada & James Tison, Narrative, USA - New York Premiere
Wendy's Shabbat, dir. Rachel Myers, Doc, USA
Alpha Squadron, dir. Michael Litwak, Narrative, USA
For What It's Worth, dir. Brendan Gilliam, Doc, USA
MIDNIGHT PEEP SHOW
Oct 13, 2018, 12:00 AM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2p3loqY
Good morning! Bring your teddy bears and your courage: get comfortable and prepare to get uncomfortable.
Films Include:
Black Dog, dir. Joshua Tuthill, Narrative, USA
Queen Kong, dir. Monica Stambrini, Narrative, Italy
The Shit! (An Opera), dir. Kevin Rios, Narrative, USA
Mother Fucker, dir. Nicholas Santos, Narrative, USA
Bennifer, dir. Ryan McGlade, Narrative, USA - World Premiere
Sweetie, dir. Miaosi Li, Narrative, USA - Brooklyn Premiere
SEA CHANGE
Oct 13, 2018, 12:00 PM, LightSpace Studios New York | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2CS6i1z
Growing up is an infinite series of almost-invisible moments of minute change.
Films Include:
Red Flower, dir. Stella Rosen, Animation, USA
Take Me Out With The Stars, dir. Tess Harrison, Narrative, USA
Iron Hands (铁手), dir. Johnson Cheng, Narrative, China
Kiko, dir. Jamil Munoz, Narrative, USA
How to Get to the Moon by Subway, dir. Tyler Rabinowitz, Narrative, USA
Cat Days, dir. Jon Frickey, Narrative, Japan
FEMALE CINEMATOGRAPHER
Oct 13, 2018, 2:35 PM, LightSpace Studios New York | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2NCqZm6
This year saw filmmakers and film lovers throwing a welcome stone through the glass ceiling of the Hollywood boys club.
Films Include:
Sweetie, dir. Miaosi Li, Narrative, USA
October, dir. Maegan Mann, Narrative, USA
The Future is Bright, dir. Courtney Powell, Narrative, USA
Caroni, dir. Ian Harnarine, Narrative, Trinidad & USA
Chandler, dir. Julia Kennelly, Narrative, USA
Cross My Heart, dir. Sontenish Myers, Jamaica
Cinematographer, dir. Demi Waldron and Claudia Burgi, Doc, USA
PA'LANTE (Onwards, Forwards)
Oct 13, 2018, 4:55 PM, LightSpace Studios New York | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2Nch47x
Many of the films here follow people looking for dreams: refugees, abandoned children; all of these films courageously refuse to show us the actual dreams, giving us only faces of infant-like discombobulated hope, waiting.
Films Include:
Abu Adnan: Adnan's Father, dir. Sylvia Le Fanu, Narrative, Denmark (in Arabic/Danish)
Pa'lante, dir. Kristian Mercado Figueroa, Music/Narrative, Puerto Rico
Gentrification Express: Breaking Down the BQX, dir. Samantha Farinella & Amanda Katz, Doc, USA
For a Better Life, dir. Yasmin Mistry, Animation, USA
Second Assault, dir. Jillian Corsie & Amy Rosner, Doc, USA
Breathe, dir. Aisha Ford, Narrative, USA
FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET
Oct 13, 2018, 7:25 PM, LightSpace Studios New York | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2x45ilq
The lines that divide our country have become so crystal concrete that there is no limit on the filmic tools and genres within which artists attack them.
Films Include:
Desert Storm, dir. Joshua Raymond Lee, Narrative, USA
Night Call, dir. Amanda Renee Knox, Narrative, USA
Other, dir. Xavier Burgin, Narrative, USA
Hair Wolf, dir. Mariama Diallo, Narrative, USA
Jitters, dir. Otoja Abit, Narrative, USA
Rooftop Refuge, dir. Andrew Leibman, Narrative, USA
Make Me Wanna Holler, dir. Erica Eng, Narrative, USA
FILMS SHOT ON FILM
Oct 13, 2018, 9:30 PM, LightSpace Studios New York | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2x5iNRI
16mm or 35mm, any kind, gives a film the wear of a film that has already been lived in, an older wiser expression.
Films Include:
Do More of What Makes You Happy, dir. Dakota Pailes-Friedman, Dylan Pailes-Friedman, Narrative, USA
Lira's Forest, dir. Connor Jessup, Narrative, Canada
Little Bill's Peep Show, dir. Kevin Rios, Narrative, USA
MAMA, MAMA, dir. Jose Fernando Rodriguez, Documentary, Puerto Rico (Spanish)
The Shuttle, dir. Lu Han, Narrative, USA
To Be Free, dir. Adepero Oduye, Narrative, USA
Breathe, dir. Aisha Ford, Narrative, USA
WEB SERIES/NEW MEDIA
Oct 13, 2018, 10:30 PM, Chemistry Creative | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2Nxu6vN
Though disguised as a new medium, the web series has its roots in the Super 8 feeling, and sits here as an intersection between the ancient, the old, and the new.
Web Series' & New Media Include:
Undone - dir. Lili Lopez, Doc, USA
Weathering the Storm - dir. Clara Ritger, Doc, USA
Barely Adults - dir. Christine Sanders, Narrative, USA
Beam Me Up - dir. Matthew Charof, Doc, USA
Brooklynification - Created by BRIC TV, Narrative, USA
Kynnstlah - dir. Sandra Bertalanffy & Joel Fendelman, Doc, USA
Wear I'm From - dir. Erica Eng, Doc, USA
MIDNIGHT
Oct 14, 2018, 12:15 AM, Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2p26nWn
Get comfortable and prepare to get uncomfortable.
Films Include:
Welcome to Bushwick, dir. Henry Jinings, Narrative, USA
Hair Wolf, dir. Mariama Diallo, Narrative, USA
Queen Kong, dir. Monica Stambrini, Narrative, Italy
The Shit! (An Opera), dir. Kevin Rios, Narrative, USA
Mother Fucker, dir. Nicholas Santos, Narrative, USA
Bennifer, dir. Ryan McGlade, Narrative, USA
ALLIES: WORLD CINEMA
Oct 14, 2018, 12:00 PM, LightSpace Studios New York | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2x7O1rD
All of them contribute to cinema’s greatest gift: like magic, both sharpening and expanding our perspective.
Films Include:
Babs, dir. Celine Held & Logan George, Narrative, United Kingdom
Weekend (آخر هفته), dir. Vahid Bemani, Narrative, Iran
Okaasan (Mom), dir. Kana Hatakeyama, Narrative, Japan
Still Water Runs Deep, dir. Abbesi Akhamie, Narrative, Nigeria
Stay Quiet, dir. Victoria Linares Villegas, Narrative, Dominican Republic
Blackjack, dir. Lora Mure-Ravaud, Narrative, Switzerland
YOU, THE STRANGER
Oct 14, 2018, 2:40 PM, LightSpace Studios New York | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2x48iOI
The films in this block deal with some of the scariest human phenomenon imaginable.
Films Include:
Control, dir. Kimmy Gatewood, Narrative, USA
Allen Anders - Live at the Comedy Castle (circa 1987), dir. Laura Moss, Narrative, USA
Cole, dir. David Call, Narrative, USA
Your Resources, dir. Will Arbery, Narrative, USA
Kudzu, dir. Connor Simpson, Narrative, USA
Willow Creek Road, dir. Francesca Mirabella, Narrative, USA
Jessica, dir. Jessica Kingdon, Narrative, USA
OH ME OH MY
Oct 14, 2018, 4:50 PM | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2MnLs9v
Falling in love is the easiest way to make yourself look like an idiot.
Films Include:
The Dress You Have On, dir. Courtney Hope Therond, Narrative, USA
Funeral, dir. Leah Shore, Narrative, USA
Proxy, dir. Eric Schuman, Narrative, USA
Oleg, dir. Boris Krichevsky & Alexander A. Brodsky, Doc, Russia
Fuck'd Like a Star, dir. Stefani Saintonge & Zuri Obi, Doc, Haiti & USA
LAD, dir. Sasawat Loesrit, Narrative, USA
My Sun My Moon, dir. Shaya Mulcahy, Narrative, USA
Panels
Blockchain and the Future of Arts & Entertainment, Sat, October 13, 2018, 12:00 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2xb1Sg7
Women in Film & TV, Sat, October 13, 2018, 1:15 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2MmuYyB
3 Arts Entertainment Panel, Sat, October 13, 2018, 2:55 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2p4Aj4d
Distribution & Sales, Sat, October 13, 2018, 4:15 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2x9J2WA
Latin Perspectiva Panel & Reception, Sat, October 13, 2018, 5:35 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2Qul7K6
Special Events
Opening Night Party, Weds, October 10, 2018, 10:00 PM | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2QqtjLz
Industry Mixer, Thurs, October 11, 2018, 6:30 PM | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2xaay6Z
Comedy Night, Thurs, October 11, 2018, 10:00 PM | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2xcNgwy
Filmmaker Happy Hour @ The Rookery, Fri, October 12, 2018, 8:00 PM | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2OhvwYd
Filmmaker Happy Hour @ Braven Brewing Company, Sat, October 13, 2018, 3:00 PM | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2Ndol6O
Dance Party, Sat, October 13, 2018, 10:00 PM | Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2p5jBC3
Screenplay Reading, Sun, October 14, 2018, 12:00 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2xbvSck
Bushwick Stories - presented by B&H Photo, Sun, October 14, 2018, 5:45 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2Oj6DLZ
Awards Ceremony & Closing Reception, Sun, October 14, 2018, 7:30 PM I Ticket Info: http://bit.ly/2MsokXB
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We are now accepting Press Accreditation Applications for Bushwick Film Festival.
Press interested in receiving credentials should fill out this form and will receive a response closer to the event: https://goo.gl/AfcjMp
Industry Professional Accreditation: https://goo.gl/To4Vza
Follow Bushwick Film Festival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BushwickFilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwickfilmfest
About Founder, CEO Kweighbaye Kotee
Kweighbaye Kotee is the founder of the Bushwick Film Festival (BFF). Hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most celebrated events, BFF is recognized for its contribution to the borough’s artistic and economic growth. Dedicated to her community and the arts, Kotee serves on The Bushwick Community Board and is co-chair of its Arts & Culture committee. In addition, in 2016 she founded MCCG, an M/WBE community affairs company that helps developers positively engage with communities to create empowering opportunities for local residents and organizations. To date, her company has helped facilitate the distribution of over $400,000 in grants to local organizations and artists.
Born in Liberia, she and her family immigrated to the U.S. at the brink of the Liberian Civil war. She attended public school in Newark, NJ where she was awarded a scholarship from the Wight Foundation to attend Blair Academy, a private boarding high school. She moved on to receive her B.S in Media, Culture, and Communications from New York University.
She has been featured on NBC, Fox News, Huffington Post, POPSUGAR, Delta Air Lines, Brooklyn Magazine, Indiewire, Tribeca Film and lives in Brooklyn.
About the Bushwick Film Festival
Founded in 2007, The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is a leading independent film and media company in Brooklyn. The festival is hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most influential cinematic events for its contribution to the borough’s artistic, cultural, and economic growth. The festival attracts film and entertainment industry leaders at national and international levels; and showcases films created by the best and most diverse emerging independent filmmakers in Brooklyn and worldwide. BFF provides a platform for emerging filmmakers to share their stories and present opportunities for them to make a living doing what they love. BFF provides spaces for audiences from all backgrounds to connect and discover new independent movies and experience unique cultural events.
Press Contact:
Hayley Brinkman | Big Picture Media
85 Delancey Street, Suite 48 | New York, NY 10002
Hayley@bigpicturemediaonline.com | o: 212.675.3103
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Shoshie Aborn | Big Picture Media
85 Delancey Street, Suite 48 | New York, NY 10002
Shoshie@bigpicturemediaonline.com | o: 212.675.3103
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
B&H Photo, Canon & Bushwick Film Festival Present Bushwick Stories
A Free Five-Day Filmmaking Workshop and Festival Screening for Young Storytellers
Brooklyn, NY— B&H Photo, Canon and Bushwick Film Festival have teamed up to present Bushwick Stories—a five-day documentary filmmaking workshop for young storytellers in Bushwick followed by a screening of the youth-created films at the 11th Annual Bushwick Film Festival (Oct. 10-14).
Bushwick Stories seeks to empower local youth with the tools to tell their own stories and encourage them to see the film industry as a viable professional pathway. The hands-on workshop will teach up to 15 students between the ages of 16-24 the basics of filmmaking, lighting techniques and how to use professional digital video and audio equipment, while introducing them to inspiring film professionals. Students will learn how to collaborate together to shoot and produce their own mini-documentary to screen at this year’s Bushwick Film Festival.
The high cost of professional video and audio gear, plus the financial straits of many public arts and AV programs often puts filmmaking beyond the reach of many students in underserved areas. The program leverages B&H’s 45 years of experience as a provider of top-level counseling and gear in the photo, video and audio market and Canon’s iconic optical products, granting participants access to top-notch equipment and invaluable insights. Furthermore, participants will benefit from Bushwick Film Festival’s network of film professionals and work closely with the festival’s alumni and staff in the creation of their short doc.
“As a family-owned, NYC-based business, B&H is thrilled to provide aspiring young filmmakers with the chance to kickstart their careers. Investing in our local community is vital to the B&H ethos. We’re thrilled to support New York City as a natural birthplace for independent film and creative expression.”
“Representation in media and film really matters. It's so important for young people to see diversity on screen and to see themselves and their communities in the stories being told. That's why this is one of our most impactful initiatives and we are grateful to have the support and experience of B&H Photo and Canon.” Kweighbaye Kotee - Bushwick Film Festival Founder and CEO
The three companies are united in their desire to give back and empower storytellers. B&H has a long history of philanthropic work; their long standing support is essential to many local organizations and imaging partners that all bring something unique to the image-making community. Canon is committed to a business approach that is socially responsible and economically logical. It is engrained in their corporate philosophy of Kyosei—which is defined as “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future.” Bushwick Film Festival was built from the fabric of its community, on the premise that everyone deserves access to possibilities and works to carefully leverage its growing influence to give back to the under-resourced parts of the community.
Bushwick Stories will be the first major partnership between Bushwick Film Festival and B&H Photo, now the festival’s official Community Partner. The program is a great opportunity for young storytellers to learn about the art of filmmaking, work with industry professionals and create their own short films!
Interested parties can apply online at www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/bushwickstories by August 14th for a chance to attend the free five-day workshop and create a short documentary about Bushwick as they see it.
Important Dates:
July 25, 2018: Submissions Open
August 14, 2018: Submissions Close
August 27-31, 2018: Workshop
October 14, 2018: Special Bushwick Stories Screening at the 11th Annual Bushwick Film Festival
More news to come via:
Website: bushwickfilmfestival.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BushwickFilmFestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BushwickFilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwickfilmfest
About B&H Photo:
B&H began as a "mom and pop" shop in 1973. After wife-and-husband partners (Blimie and Herman, respectively) opened the doors in Tribeca with one employee, their trademark dedication to candid selling and quality merchandise quickly attracted a loyal following of photo, video and audio professionals. At a time when shysters abounded, we developed a reputation for honesty and ethical business practices, and the word spread.
Today, as the USA's largest non-chain specialty electronics retailer, we deliver that same pioneering integrity via specialized showrooms, classes and tutorials, and as always, unparalleled inventory and service on a daily basis. We continue to expand to meet your needs with showrooms, classes, helpful educational and social media content, serving customers worldwide from our highly rated website, award-winning mobile Apps, catalogs and our 34th Street "SuperStore."
About Canon:
Canon U.S.A., Inc. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. In the spirit of our corporate philosophy of Kyosei—all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future—Canon is committed to an approach to business that is socially responsible and economically logical. Canon seeks to be a truly excellent global corporation. For our customers, we offer the best products possible. Simultaneously, we strive to improve our relationships with local communities and to increase our respect for the environment as we contribute to the prosperity of the world and the happiness of its people.
About Bushwick Film Festival
Founded in 2007, Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is a leading independent film and media company in Brooklyn. The festival is hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most influential cinematic events for its contribution to the borough’s artistic, cultural, and economic growth. The festival attracts film and entertainment industry leaders at national and international levels and showcases films created by the best and most diverse emerging independent filmmakers in Brooklyn and worldwide. We provide a platform for filmmakers to share their stories and present opportunities for them to make a living doing what they love. We provide spaces for audiences from all backgrounds to connect and discover new independent movies and experience unique cultural events. Please visit our website: www.bushwickfilmfestival.com
Press Contact:
Nathalie Thomas | Marketing Coordinator
nathalie@bushwickfilmfestival.com | o: 347.450.3464
The 11th Annual Bushwick Film Festival Announces Festival Dates: OCTOBER 10 - 14
Female-Founded Festival Brings Unique Stories To Bushwick Audiences
PRESS & INDUSTRY ACCREDITATION IS NOW OPEN
“The Bushwick Film Festival shines a light on indie filmmakers and diversity in the film industry.”
– NBC
“BFF gives directors, cinematographers, and actors from around the world a platform to shine on.”
– PopSugar
“What started out as a small community event in Brooklyn, is now an established film festival.”
– Huffington Post
“The event brings together filmmakers, artists, and creative thinkers.”
– Fox News
“Get to know NYC’s next filmmaking generation at the Bushwick Film Festival.”
– Tribeca Film
Brooklyn, NY— From October 10–14, 2018, the Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) will celebrate its 11th year, embarking on its second decade of bringing independent stories to audiences. Located in Bushwick, the bustling center of Brooklyn’s artistic and cultural community, the festival will offer five days of screenings, panels, workshops, parties, and networking opportunities to accommodate for its expanding audience and rising number of film submissions. BFF so far has received a record-breaking 1,000 submissions in 2018. And since its inception, the Bushwick Film Festival has showcased the works of over 400 filmmakers, most of them Brooklyn- and New York-based, as well as the work of international filmmakers from 40 countries across the globe. Festival attendees can expect to share their love of cinema with fellow supporters of the arts, along with the opportunity to celebrate culture, diversity, and community over the course of the 5-day festival weekend.
Over 100 films were programmed at last year’s 10th annual BFF, with 17 filmmakers walking away with awards in categories such as Best Narrative Feature, Best Doc Feature, Best Short Film, and Best Web Series. Click here to see a full list of our 2017 Award Winners. In addition to a wide range of genres and topics, the festival’s programming continues to highlight films directed by and starring women, along with stories from underrepresented groups. Last year, approximately 50% of the total number of film directors was comprised of women.
Festival founder Kweighbaye Kotee passionately encourages inclusivity in all forms. At a young age, Kotee had fled from Liberia with her family in order to escape violence from an emerging civil war. Once they arrived in the U.S, she flourished in her new home. Kotee eventually went on to accept a scholarship from the Wight Foundation and later received a B.S. in Media Culture and Communications from NYU. Her story is featured in this POPSUGAR and Delta Air lines video. In an effort to create a diverse collective of filmmakers and audiences and also contribute to her community, Kotee founded the Bushwick Film Festival. The BFF is now an industry staple for emerging talent and screens the work of the most promising filmmakers of today.
Past BFF filmmakers and actors include: Diarra Kilpatrick (CAA Actress, ABC’s American Koko); Elizabeth Wood (Director, White Girl); Kevin Corrigan (Actor, Goodfellas); Kahlil Joseph (Director, Beyonce’s Lemonade film); Lucy Mulloy (Director, Una Noche); Kitty Green (Director, Netflix’s Casting JonBenet); Tamara P. Carter (Writer, HBO’s The Leftovers); Phoebe Robinson (Actress, 2 Dope Queens); Robin Comisar (Director / Filmmaker Mag’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film); Carrie Coon (Actress, Fargo); Felicia Pearson (Actress, The Wire); Terence Nance (Director, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty); Laura Moss (Director / Filmmaker Mag’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film); Tequan Richmond (Actor, Ray); MJ Rodriguez (Actress, Nurse Jackie); Natalia Leite (Director, M.F.A.). In addition, industry professionals from Sony Pictures, 3 Arts Entertainment, Vimeo, Kickstarter, the Tribeca Film Festival, Reelworks, UnionDocs, BRIC, ESPN Films, VICE, and Brigade have participated in the annual event.
Past jury members & panelists include: Caroline Waterlow (Oscar Winner, O.J.: Made in America); Heidi Ewing (Oscar Nominee, Jesus Camp); Sam Pollard (Oscar Nominee, 4 Little Girls); Ira Sachs (Director, Little Men); Arturo Castro (Actor, Netflix’s Narcos); Adam Neuhaus (Director of Development, ESPN Films and Original Content at ESPN); Peter Gerard (GM of Entertainment, Vimeo); Mollye Asher (Producer, The Rider); Molly O’Keefe (Senior Director of Artists Programs, Tribeca Film Institute); Marc John Jefferies (Actor, Power); Aisha Harris (Slate Magazine / Represent Podcast); Will Rowbotham (3 Arts Entertainment).
After a decade full of incredible screenings and moments, the festival is as driven as ever to continue its passion for sharing amazing stories with its audience. This year’s festival holds a special surprise, with the release of some incredible news on opening night. Festival organizers anticipate that this major announcement will bolster the festival’s impact in the community for years to come and truly make #Bushwick2018 a one-of-a-kind experience.
Important Dates:
- June 30, 2018: Film Submissions Deadline
- August 30, 2018: Filmmaker Welcoming Ceremony at Borough Hall
- July 1, 2018: Festival Passes go on sale
- Sept 1, 2018: Tickets go on sale
- October 10–14, 2018: 11th Annual Bushwick Film Festival
More news to come via:
- Website: bushwickfilmfestival.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BushwickFilmFestival
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BushwickFilm
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwickfilmfest
About The Bushwick Film Festival
Founded in 2007, The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is a leading independent film and media company in Brooklyn. The festival is hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most influential cinematic events for its contribution to the borough’s artistic, cultural, and economic growth. The festival attracts film and entertainment industry leaders at national and international levels and showcases films created by the best and most diverse emerging independent filmmakers in Brooklyn and worldwide. We provide a platform for emerging filmmakers to share their stories and present opportunities for them to make a living doing what they love. We provide spaces for audiences from all backgrounds to connect and discover new independent movies and experience unique cultural events. Please visit our website: www.bushwickfilmfestival.com
Press Contact:
Nathalie Thomas | Marketing Coordinator
nathalie@bushwickfilmfestival.com | o: 347.450.3464
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