24th AAWIC FF Film Screening Program

Synopsis:

A pro-bono Attorney's haunting past resurfaces when she teams up with Detectives to unmask a serial killer hiding in plain sight. 

Kimberly Dianna Conner is an honors graduate of Eastern Illinois University. She is a Writer, Director, Producer, best known for making “thought-provoking, cinematic treats, designed to simultaneously elevate, enlighten, and entertain.” Kimberly’s film, Before ‘I Do’, screened in twelve cities including Cannes, France, in its first year. The film earned 4 out of 4 stars on Rotten Tomatoes. In 2005, Kimberly started her own production company, Predestined Arts & Entertainment, LLC. She wrote, produced, and directed several films. 

Synopsis:

The exploration of sacred dance in Africa and diaspora leads a NYC teacher on a worldwide journey to reconnect severed cultural ties. Her quest to document the Ring Shout, an age-old praise dance rooted in African Spiritual Traditions leads her to a rural Georgia museum where she discovers a long-lost branch of her family and her Gullah Geechee roots. There she must decide if she will honor her elder cousin’s dying wish and embrace the mantle of carrying his legacy and these vanishing traditions forward. 

Olubayo Jackson is an independent filmmaker, dancer, researcher, and educator. She teaches dance to over five hundred elementary students in New York City. Olubayo came to film through her need to develop culturally relevant curriculum and educational videos that expressed multiple perspectives for her students. She utilizes film and the arts to help young people and adults learn about underrepresented cultural traditions and historical connections between Africa and the diaspora. 

Synopsis:

A visit to Gina's intolerant mother in law triggers an argument between her and her husband Todd regarding her involvement with their biracial child. 

Stacey Larkins is an award winning filmmaker, writer and musician residing in the New York City metropolitan area. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College, and a Masters in Music from New York University. She has shot, written, directed, composed and edited several short films that have played in various film festivals as well as Shorts TV International. Her award winning film Jabari Keating is currently airing Aspire TV’s Urban Indie Film Block.

She has also written work for theater, that has been produced by theatrical production companies in New York City and in the U.K

Synopsis:

A woman's poetic video diary journey speaks of trauma, abuse...then enlightenment 

Aisha Raison has proven to be one of the strong, young Womanist poets, producers and speakers of our time. A poetry slam vet since 1997, The Ripley, Tennessee native created Afrodeesiack Press and later worked in radio as a on air personality and talk show host. For the past four years, she took her passions and placed it on film, creating her first award-winning film Girls Like Me: a self/love story in 2017, then later directed Dancin' to the Blue Moon in 2018. Today, she resides in Memphis, Tennessee, and attends the University of Memphis as an Interdisciplinary Studies student with a concentration in Africana Her-story, graduating in May 2023.

Synopsis:

Pat, a black woman organizer, writer and radical therapist born in u.s.a...segregation, stands as a model and mentor. She wrote about Malcolm X, women's leadership and got movement people to be clear and deeper thinkers. Her liberatory free education process was done under crapitalism/capitalism. She exposes the home and work life confusion and oppression used by the Master rulers of u.s.a. empire. Lupe Family's film shares Pat’s comments about her daughters power and all people’s power to own ourselves in the movement for liberation. Pat Robinson inspires us to create a just world 

Lupe Family's film shares Pat’s comments about her daughters power and all people’s power to own ourselves in the movement for liberation. Pat Robinson inspires us to create a just world 

Synopsis:

After the brutalization and death of Tyre Nichols, Memphis protestors and citizens came together in honor of his life and against the violence of the several Memphis police men that took his life, This is a visualization of January 27th through January 31, the day before Nichols' funeral. 

Aisha Raison has proven to be one of the strong, young Womanist poets, producers and speakers of our time. A poetry slam vet since 1997, The Ripley, Tennessee native created Afrodeesiack Press and later worked in radio as a on air personality and talk show host. For the past four years, she took her passions and placed it on film, creating her first award-winning film Girls Like Me: a self/love story in 2017, then later directed Dancin' to the Blue Moon in 2018. Today, she resides in Memphis, Tennessee, and attends the University of Memphis as an Interdisciplinary Studies student with a concentration in Africana Her-story, graduating in May 2023.

Synopsis:

The Web Series follows the friendship of three fictional black women, Celestia, Victoria, and Miriam, who explore the strength of their friendship and life’s ups and downs through love, laughter, and sisterhood 

ANNETTE BURGESS is an accomplished producer and director of independent media. Her most recent film is We Are Born Free: A Documentary. As a writer and director of Stages: The Web Series, she seeks to amplify the stories and voices of marginalized people through fostering empowerment and building community. Annette is co-founder and president of GurlCo Media, LLC, a production company committed to developing and sharing stories of representation to inspire.

Synopsis:

A dramedy about a genealogist named Hattie Gilchrist helping a young man named Smarty Blue discover his deceased ancestors, which leads to an awakening. 

Juliette Fairley Adult Children of the American Revolution is Juliette Fairley's 4th short film.

Synopsis:

Single mother Nicole finally finds love but ends up in an abusive relationship where brokenness fills both of their lives causing the cycle to continue. The filmmaker has partnered with Michigan based domestic violence organization HAVEN on the project. HAVEN is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader that provides programs to promote violence-free homes and communities and helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. 

Delores M. Flynn, a graduate of Northwestern University, worked for 11 years as a journalist at the South Bend Tribune and The Detroit News, where she spent the bulk of her career covering education, city government, courts, and entertainment news.

It was the latter assignments that resonated the most with the Chicago native who has always been a storyteller at heart. At a young age she crafted stories with her grandmother, and in graduate school she pursued her love of cinema by learning the art of screenwriting.

She shot one of her most recent shorts – “Why Me!?” about domestic violence awareness in 2021. It premiered last year to a private audience with support from HAVEN. 

Synopsis:

Through the lens of an actress unintentionally involved in a controversial commercial, What’s the mark explores the power of media and advertisements in influencing public opinion and the perpetuation of stereotypes and its effects. 

Stacey Larkins is an award winning filmmaker, writer and musician residing in the New York City metropolitan area. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College, and a Masters in Music from New York University. She has shot, written, directed, composed and edited several short films that have played in various film festivals as well as Shorts TV International. Her award winning film Jabari Keating is currently airing Aspire TV’s Urban Indie Film Block.

She has also written work for theater, that has been produced by theatrical production companies in New York City and in the U.K

Synopsis:

A faithful husband in his relentless pursuit of his unfaithful wife 

Jewell Powell

Director, Filmmaker