The Blackhouse Foundation is a six-year-old organization that works to “expand opportunities for Black filmmakers by providing a physical gathering venue for our constituents at the world’s most prominent film festivals, encouraging the inclusion of black filmmakers with films selected by the festival and creating a nucleus for continuing support, community, education and knowledge.”
At the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival kicking off this week, Blackhouse will present a full weekend of programming including panels, networking, sponsored screenings, and a brunch in celebration of black documentary film.
Event highlights include Saturday's agent panel featuring representatives of WME, CAA, ICM and Generate, moderated by Franklin Leonard (The Blacklist, Overbrook Entertainment); sponsored screenings of LUV and The Iran Job; and in-depth discussions and panels featuring producer Datari Turner, director Ava DuVernay, Sundance senior programmer Shari Frilot, cinematographer Bradford Young, and others.
Find the full slate of events below. To register to attend, click HERE.
And stay tuned for an interview with Blackhouse Chair Brickson Diamond, to be posted this week.
Screening: The Iran Job
Documentary Competition
(Germany , Iran , USA, 2012, 93 mins)
In English, Farsi with English subtitles
World Premiere
Directed By: Till Schauder
Executive Producer: Abigail Disney
Producers: Sara Nodjoumi, Till Schauder
Cinematographer: Till Schauder
Editor: David Teague
Music: Shahin Nadjafi, Jadugaran, ZedBazi, A2, Kareem Roustum
Featuring: Kevin Sheppard, Leah Sheppard, Hilda, Laleh , Elaheh, Abdullah, Zoran “Z” Milicic, Center, Kami Jamshidvand, Forward, Ali Doraghi, Center, Mehdi Shirjang, Forward, Gholamreza Khajeh, Team Owner, Asadollah Kabir, Coach, Fereidoon Reisi, Manager, Mohammad Ahmadi, Analysis Coach, Ehsan, Driver
Director Till Schauder spent a year in Iran with journeyman American pro basketball player Kevin Sheppard, who signed on to play for the upstart Iranian Super League team A.S. Shiraz as one of two non-Iranian players (his roommate is a giant Serb). This lively, well-told tale is not simply a standard “fish out of water” sports doc: it’s also a snapshot of the radical fissures in Iranian society. Sheppard, a gregarious charmer, makes friends wherever he goes and forms a fascinating relationship with three strong, independent Iranian women who bristle at the restrictions of an oppressive theocracy. Their touching, unlikely bond makes for an illuminating study in cross cultural understanding.
Blackhouse Sunday Documentary Brunch
Celebrating the black documentary films of the 2012 LA Film Fest.
To register for the full day of activities on Saturday, June 16 click below:
The Who, What, and Why of Representation in Hollywood
Hollywood’s black agents and managers are few and far between, but we have gathered this elite group to discuss how, when, and why a filmmaker, writer, or actor becomes the hot ticket in town requiring someone to advocate on their behalf…and what happens on the road to representation.
Panelists:
Billy Hawkins – Agent, CAA
Jelani Johnson – Manager, Generate
Matthew Johnson – Partner, Ziffren Brittenham
Charles King – Agent/Partner, WME
Andrea Nelson Meigs – Agent, ICM
Moderator: Franklin Leonard, Overbrook Entertainment
Sponsored by BET
Young Hollywood in Conversation
Featuring Actor, Writer, Producer Datari Turner
Over the past several years, Turner has produced a diverse range of films including LA Film Fest’s Project Involve Screening film LUV, DYSFUNCTIONAL FRIENDS, VIDEO GIRL, the all-white cast films ANOTHER HAPPY DAY (starring Demi Moore), CHERRY (starring James Franco) and IT’S A DISASTER.
Join as LA Film Fest Director Stephanie Allain talks with him about his views on Hollywood in 2012, Artistic Integrity and how he went from in demand fashion model to actor, and then took control behind the camera.
The Art of Festival Programming
Programmers imprint their individual frame of reference on festival selections and play integral roles in shaping film culture and communities. The films that are programmed in our nation’s most revered festivals directly affect what is exhibited, distributed and critically acclaimed. Our assembled panel of world class programmers and critics take a look at the intricacies of festival programming – what makes a film bad or good, believable or outlandish, worthy or unworthy of laurels – and what gets into the festivals.
Panelists:
Ava DuVernay – Award Winning Director/Founder, African-American Film Festival
Releasing Movement (AFFRM)
Shari Frilot – Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival
Roya Rastegar – Ph.D. in the History of Consciousness, Festival Programmer
Bradford Young – Award-Winning Cinematographer
Moderator: Elvis Mitchell – Film Critic, Host of NPR’s “The Treatment“
Project Involve Screening: LUV
(USA, 2012, 96 mins)
Directed By: Sheldon Candis
Executive Producer: Thomas B. Fore
Producers: Jason Michael Berman, W. Michael Jenson, Gordon Bijelonic, Datari Turner, Joel Newton, James Rosenthal, Common, Derek Dudley
Screenwriters: Sheldon Candis, Justin Wilson
Cinematographer: Gavin Kelly
Editor: Jeff Wishengrad
Music: Nuno Malo, Blaqstarr
Cast: Common, Michael Rainey Jr., Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Michael Kenneth Williams, Meagan Good
Eleven-year-old Woody is a bright, softspoken boy who lives with his grandmother and uncle Vincent. One day, Vincent, who is trying to launch a legit business venture after a stretch in prison, decides to teach the boy how to be a man. Despite his best efforts, however, Vincent finds it difficult to shed his former life, and soon Woody is learning far more — about his uncle and himself — than he ever expected.
Boasting two remarkable performances by Common and young Michael Rainey, Jr., LUV is a compelling look at two people, one struggling to escape his past and the other looking ahead to an uncertain future.