“Right now, there is a fundamental disrespect inherent in the distribution and amplification of films. There is a cinema segregation in how films are seen and not seen. What we’re saying is, we’re not going to depend on thise things anymore.”
–Ava DuVerney, Award-Winning Filmmaker/Founder, ARRAY {Urbanworld Alumni}
Like a quiet storm the UrbanWorld Film Festival arrived and took over New York City with 80 films from around the world. This year Tyrese Gibson was the 2015 UrbanWorld Film Festival, his short film “Shame,” which he wrote, debuted on the closing night of the UrbanWorld Film Festival. Shame is a short film about an up-and-coming soul singer Lionel Jacobs (Tyrese Gibson), married to his background singer Bobbi Ann (Academy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson), Lionel’s struggles with alcohol and drugs tests the limits and boundaries of family, love, and relationships. Shame was produced by Denzel Washington and Directed by Paul Hunter (Bulletproof Monk).
[vimeo 130847755 w=500 h=281]
However it was “A Ballerina’s Tale” presented by Sundance Selects, directed by Nelson George, that was slated as the Closing Night Film accompanied with a Star-Studded Red Carpet event. The featured documentary A Ballerina’s Tale examines the African-American ballerina Misty Copeland’s career in the elite world of ballet.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y2h6fz2XzQ]
For a larger view…Please click on each photograph individually. All photography credit goes to Photographer Fred Sly
ABOUT URBANWORLD® FILM FESTIVAL The Urbanworld® Film Festival, founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, is the largest internationally competitive festival of its kind. The five-day festival includes narrative features, documentaries, short films, spotlight screenings, events, live staged screenplay readings, the Urbanworld®Digital track focused on digital and social media panels and workshops and Urbanworld Music, which highlights emerging talent in live performances during after party events. Over the last 19 years, Hollywood studios, indie film distributors, and established and emerging filmmakers have consistently chosen Urbanworld® to premiere box office and award-winning hits. Urbanworld® has also provided a platform for some of today’s leading brands seeking to reach key influencers across the industry and within the consumer marketplace. The Urbanworld® Film Festival is an initiative of the Urbanworld® Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization that endeavors to consistently manifest its mission of redefining and advancing the presence and impact of the multicultural community in cinema and cross-platform media. By implementing initiatives that actively support and develop content creators of color, Urbanworld significantly contributes to the evolution of the media and entertainment landscape and the diversity that it reflects. Gabrielle Glore serves as Festival Director for the Urbanworld Film Festival. The festival website www.urbanworld.org.