THE CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (CIFF) PARTNERED WITH THE ANISFIELD-WOLF BOOK AWARDS TO HE HELP SURATE FILMS FOR A TRANSITION PROGRAM WHICH BEGAN THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28TH. THIS WAS WHICH INCLUDED 4 FEATURE FILMS AND TWO SHORTS, ALL WITH POST-FILOM CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FILMMAKERS AND GUESTS.A FREE EVENT WAS ABLE TO PRESENT A STREAMING PROGRAM OF FILMS RELATED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE. HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN THINK ABOUT SEEING FOR YOURSELVES.
Here is the list of films and descriptions that were part of Focus 2020: Racial Equity:
- DOPE IS DEATH (2020, Canada), directed by Mia Donovan, is the story of how the Young Lords and Black Panther Party—two inner-city human rights activist groups—created the first acupuncture detoxification program in America.
- SINCE I BEEN DOWN (2020, USA), directed by Gilda Sheppard, challenges the definition of justice by focusing on a group of inmates determined to create paths to education and healing from within their prison walls.
- THEY AIN’T READY FOR ME (2020, USA), directed by Brad Rothschild, profiles a one-woman movement who is using her grassroots organization, MASK (Mothers/Men Against Senseless Killings), to change her community.
- WE ARE THE RADICAL MONARCHS (2020, USA), directed by Linda Goldstein Knowlton, focuses on a scout troop comprising young girls of color in Oakland, California who earn badges by learning about social justice movements, from the Black Panthers to Black Lives Matter, and participating in protest and pride marches.
- FOCUS 2020: RACIAL EQUITY SHORTS PROGRAM
o Burden (2019, USA), directed by Nathan Hale Williams, tells the story of
Bennett Lewis (Nic Few)—a highly successful and highly educated family
man who deals with the perils of being a Black man in America.
o The Lost Astronaut (2019, USA), directed by Ben Proudfoot, focuses on
Ed Dwight Jr., who was poised to be NASA’s first African-American
astronaut until suddenly he wasn’t.
o St. Louis Superman (2018, USA), directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami
Khan, follows Bruce Franks Jr., a 33-year-old battle rapper, Ferguson
activist, and state representative from St. Louis, Missouri.
o Toxic: A Black Woman’s Story (2019, USA), directed by Devon V. Collins,
peers into the world of Nina, an elite lawyer, loyal wife, and loving mother
who is navigating life (and a pregnancy) to the best of her ability.
o The Treasures of Mrs. Grady’s Library (2019, USA), directed by Richard
O’Connor, tells the tale of Olly, who stole a book by African-American author Frank Yerby because the cover piqued his interest.
