Urbanworld Film Festival Announces 25th Anniversary Slate
The 25th Anniversary Urbanworld Film Festival along with founding partner HBO and prestige partners WarnerMedia and Ally, announced its 2021 hybrid festival slate today. The slate of over 88 official selections, panels and conversations will be seen online at urbanworld.org from Wednesday, September 29 through Sunday, October 3, 2021 with select events being shown in-person at Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, Chelsea at 260 West 23rd Street in New York.
Also, after 18 years with the festival, this year’s 25th anniversary also marks the final year for Gabrielle Glore, Festival Director & Head of Programming, as she will be transitioning from the position and leading the search committee for her replacement. “I cannot be happier to celebrate 25 years of Urbanworld with our amazing slate of films from Black, Indigenous, Latinx and content creators of color hailing from all over the world. As our world continues to change, our filmmakers continue to soar towards the highest heights of excellence with their work, as they connect with our dedicated audience,” said Glore. “After nearly two decades with Urbanworld and this being my last year with the festival, I am looking forward to working with our illustrious founder Stacy Spikes to find the next person to lead the festival.”
Some of the panels and clips and conversation virtual spotlights of the festival are as follows:
On Wednesday, September 29, 2021, director Reinaldo Marcus Green and star Aunjanue Ellis appear to discuss Warner Bros. Pictures’ King Richard. Armed with a clear vision and a brazen 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write daughters Venus and Serena into history. Training on Compton, California’s abandoned tennis courts, the girls are shaped by their father’s unyielding commitment and their mother’s balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations. The family’s unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately deliver two of the world’s greatest sports legends.
RZA, Erika Alexander, Shameik Moore, Zolee Griggs and TJ Atoms will also appear at the festival on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 to discuss Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Based on the true story of hip-hop supergroup, Wu-Tang Clan, the series is set in NYC in the early 1990’s. Viewers will see the group’s formation, and Bobby “RZA” Diggs’ vision to unite a dozen young, Black men torn between music and crime as they eventually rise to become the unlikeliest of American success stories.
Aliyah Royale, Alexa Mansour and Joe Holt from AMC’s The Walking Dead: The World Beyond will join the festival to discuss the show’s upcoming second season, which concludes the story of two sisters who journeyed across the country on a mission to find their dad, transforming everything they knew about themselves and the world. As they prepare to face off against the Civic Republic, goals will shift, bonds will crumble and innocence will be both lost and found. This conversation takes place on Thursday, September 30, 2021.
A Shudder Original, Horror Noire, showcases stories of Black horror from Black directors and screenwriters, expanding on the legacy of Black genre filmmaking that was explored in the 2019 documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror. The anthology will feature six stories presented together as a two-hour film. Writers Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes will discuss the importance of lifting Black voices and shining a light on these essential stories in the horror genre. This conversation also takes place on Thursday, September 30, 2021.
Patina Miller and MeKai Curtis from Power Book III: Raising Kanan will appear at the festival on Friday, October 1, 2021 to discuss their Starz family drama series. Set in South Jamaica, Queens in 1991, the show is a prequel to the original Power franchise exploring themes of identity, violence and legacy, but also takes a deep dive into the pathology of family, discovering that those closest to us are the ones who betray us most. The conversation will be moderated by Terrence J.
Emmy Award winning and Academy Award-nominated executive producer Ava DuVernay will share the first episode of NBC’s Home Sweet Home in a special advanced screening on Saturday, October 2, 2021. In each episode, two different families learn what it is like to walk a mile in another person’s shoes by challenging racial, religious, economic, geographic, gender and identity assumptions as they exchange homes for a week and experience the life of someone unlike them. At the end of each episode, the two families reunite to share their eye-opening and life-changing experiences.
Also from award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay, the contemporary drama from OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Queen Sugar, returns to the festival for a conversation with Costume Designer Christann Chanell, Set Decorator Kellie Turner, Hair Department Head Nakoya Yancey and Makeup Department Head Lalette Littlejohn on Saturday, October 2, 2021 to discuss the behind the scenes of the series’ sixth season. The creatives share returning to production during the pandemic, how their work was impacted by actors wearing masks and their personal journeys to serve as department heads of the award-winning series.
Nearly 30 years ago, independent filmmaker Haile Gerima wrote, produced, directed and self-distributed his acclaimed film Sankofa. Gerima will appear at the festival with his wife and co-producer Shirikana Gerima on Sunday, October 3, 2021 for an intimate conversation alongside Haki R. Madhubuti, Acklyn Lynch, Mama Rashida Foreman-Bey and Mashariki Jywanza to discuss the grassroots efforts to bring the resistance film to audiences around the world. Sankofa will receive a digital restoration release from Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing with a global premiere this week on Netflix.
Urbanworld Innovation, presented by WarnerMedia 150, will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2021 at WarnerMedia, 30 Hudson Yards in New York. All through the lens of content innovation, this will be a day featuring pitch presentations to investors, industry case stories, artist installations and conversations around imagining the future of world building in storytelling and the importance of holistic wellness and mental health for creatives.
Launched last year as a result of the pandemic, Urbanworld's uEmbrace initiative is a unique online program curated especially for Urbanworld content creators, available during the weeks leading up to the festival. This program, comprising a series of virtual events, offers a wide variety of skill-building opportunities and wellness-centric experiences to the festival’s global family of official selection storytellers, including discussions with Urbanworld alumni. The program expresses Urbanworld’s values of creativity, culture and community with the understanding that the festival’s content creators and their projects are at the heart of what Urbanworld does. It serves as the festival’s official welcome, and embrace, into the Urbanworld family. Programming highlights include a storytelling workshop, led by The Moth; a session on The Art of Listening, led by Lisa Cambridge Mitchell of Persist In Joy; an experimental session on Channeling Creative Flow, led by Aki Hirata Baker; and The Virtual Hustle, a case study session on promoting projects in the era of virtual festivals, led by The Gates Preserve Media.
Urbanworld's founding partner HBO is joined by key supporters including WarnerMedia and Ally as prestige partners. Supporting partners includeAMC Network, Comcast Xfinity, Facebook, Hulu, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Shudder, Starz and The Steward Family Foundation. Industry partners include ARRAY, MPA, WGAE, DGA and PreShow Interactive. Essence, iHeartRadio/Power 105.1, TheRoot.com, HuffPo and BuzzFeed are media partners. Spirit and beverage sponsors are Bulleit, Diageo and Fever Tree.
All access passes, day passes and tickets for all official selections and virtual spotlights are on sale now at urbanworld.org. Follow @UrbanworldFF on instagram and Twitter and use #UrbanworldLegacy25 to join the conversation about the festival on social media.
URBANWORLD 2021 SLATE
*As of 09.21.21*
VIRTUAL SPOTLIGHT PRESENTATIONS
Colin In Black & White (Presented by Netflix)
Home Sweet Home (Presented by NBCUniversal)
Horror Noire (Presented by Shudder)
King Richard (Presented by Warner Bros.)
Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Presented by Starz)
Queen Sugar (Presented by OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Sankofa (Presented by ARRAY)
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (Presented by AMC Network)
Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Presented by Hulu)
U.S. CINEMA NARRATIVE FEATURES
7th & Union – Directed by Anthony Nardolillo (New York Premiere)
Americanish – Directed by Iman Zawahry
Bridges – Directed by Maria Corina Ramirez (New York Premiere)
The Scrapper – Directed by Bari Kang (World Premiere)
Ten-Cent Daisy – Directed by Lisbon Okafor (World Premiere)
This Is Not a War Story – Directed by Talia Lugacy (New York Premiere)
Women is Losers – Directed by Lissette Feliciano (New York Premiere)
WORLD CINEMA NARRATIVE FEATURES
A Pencil to the Jugular (Australia/Mexico) – Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor (U.S. Premiere)
Bantu Mama (Dominican Republic) – Directed by Ivan Herrera (New York Premiere)
Holidays at All Cost (France) – Directed by Stevan Lee Mraovitch (East Coast Premiere)
Hunger (Korea) – Directed by Ye-Rim Rey Lee (U.S. Premiere)
Preman (Indonesia) – Directed by Randolph Zaini (East Coast Premiere)
Son of Monarchs (Mexico/U.S.) – Directed by Alexis Gambis (New York Premiere)
Sons of the Sea (South Africa) – Directed by John Gutierrez (East Coast Premiere)
The City of Wild Beasts (Colombia) –Directed by Henry E. Rincón (New York Premiere)
The Girl In The Yellow Jumper (Uganda) – Directed by Loukman Ali (World Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Dom Salvador and Abolition – Directed by Lilka Hara and Artur Kummer (U.S. Premiere)
Skategoat (Australia) – Directed by Van Alpert (U.S. Premiere)
Target: St. Louis Vol. 1 – Directed by Damien D. Smith (World Premiere)
The Death Of My Two Fathers – Directed by Sol Guy
The Last Election and Other Love Stories –Directed by Miguel Silveira (New York Premiere)
Vicenta (Argentina) – Directed by Dario Doria (U.S. Premiere)
We Still Here/Nos Tenemos (Puerto Rico) – Directed by Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi (World Premiere)
YOUNG CREATORS SHOWCASE (Presented by Ally)
All The Young Dudes – Directed by William Stead
Fufu (Canada) – Directed by Omolola Ajao (World Premiere)
Gratuity – Directed by Daoji Yang (World Premiere)
Necessity of Life (Indonesia) – Directed by Kevin Rahardjo (World Premiere)
Sunday (Kenya) – Directed by Christian Schifano
Tesoro – Directed by Roxanna Denise Stevens Ibarra
There’s Food At Home (Canada) – Directed by Carlos Soriano (World Premiere)
NARRATIVE SHORTS (Presented by WarnerMedia)
¡Llamame Chinita! (Mexico) – Directed by Stacy Chu (World Premiere)
Americanized – Directed by Erica Eng (New York Premiere)
An Island Drifts (Singapore) – Directed by Vivian Ip (World Premiere)
Apart, Together – Directed by Olivia Hang Zhou
Aurinko In Adagio – Directed by Elisee Junior St Preux
Be Good – Directed by Jessica Damouni (World Premiere)
Beauty Boys (France) – Directed by Florent Gouelou (New York Premiere)
But Tomorrow – Directed by Lin Que Ayoung (World Premiere)
Cherry Lemonade – Directed by Aisha Ford
Death & Deathability (A Period Piece) – Directed by Maria Victoria Ponce
Five Tiger (South Africa) – Directed by Nomawonga Khumalo (New York Premiere)
GERI AND RICK – Directed by Vincent Turturro (World Premiere)
Hector’s Woman (La mujer de Héctor) (Puerto Rico) – Directed by Ricardo J Varona
I AM (Germany) – Directed by Jerry Hoffmann
IKARUS (Trinidad) – Directed by Shaun Escayg
I’m A Vampire (Mexico) – Directed by Sofia Garza-Barba (New York Premiere)
I Like It Here (Ghana) – Directed by Amartei Armar (New York Premiere)
Lakutshon' Ilanga/When The Sun Sets (South Africa) – Directed by Phumi Morare (New York Premiere)
Lovesick In The West Bank (Palestine) – Directed by Said Zagha (World Premiere)
Omolara (Italy) – Directed by Andrew Vasquez
Purple, Green, Blue – Directed by Eugene. K (East Coast Premiere)
Stigma, Style (Singapore) – Directed by Cheryl Wong Ye Han (East Coast Premiere)
Summer Dream (Brazil) – Directed by Luan Dias (U.S. Premiere)
Swimsuit – Directed by Hasan Hadi (World Premiere)
Tasbeeh (United Kingdom) – Directed by Iqbal Mohammed (World Premiere)
THE LAST DAYS (United Kingdom) – Directed by Dipo Baruwa-Etti (New York Premiere)
The Pie Shop (United Kingdom) – Directed by Tyler Pierreson (World Premiere)
The Trucker – Directed by Raven Johnson
Wouldn’t Mean Nuthin’ – Directed by Tristan Mack Wilds (World Premiere)
X US (United Kingdom) – Directed by Akinola Davies (U.S. Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
Ale Libre – Directed by Maya Cueva (New York Premiere)
Halima – Directed by Dina Valentin (World Premiere)
The Road to Justice – Directed by Kaliya Warren, Brendan Hall (New York Premiere)
Wonderfully Made – Directed by Benita Ozoude (New York Premiere)
ANIMATION SHORTS
FOOTSTEPS ON THE WIND (Brazil/United Kingdom) – Directed by Maya Sanbar, Gustavo Leal, Faga Melo (New York Premiere)
Lines – Directed by Claire Fleming (New York Premiere)
Nuevo Rico – Directed by Kristian Mercado Figueroa
Step Into the River (China/France) – Directed by Weijia Ma (New York Premiere)
The Ballad Of Joe Pass – Directed by Jordan Hendrickson
The Black Disquisition – Directed by Quincy G. Ledbetter (New York Premiere)
EXPERIMENTAL SIDEBAR
At The Wall (Mexico) – Directed by Sandra Varona (World Premiere)
Black Love Manifesto – Directed by Liza Jessie Peterson and Jason K. Battle (World Premiere)
Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma – Directed by Topaz Jones and rubberband.
The Antimatter Suite – Directed by Steven E. Mallorca (World Premiere)
Why Do I Love Us So Much? (United Kingdom) – Directed by Jade Hackett (World Premiere)
Would You Kill God Too? – Directed by WJ Lofton and Natalie Lauren
ENVIRONMENT + SOCIAL IMPACT SIDEBAR
On the Fenceline: A Fight for Clean Air – Directed by Tara Eng, Kristen Harrison, Alex Klein, Alisha Tamarchenko (New York Premiere)
Once Upon A Time in Venezuela (Venezuela) – Directed by Anabel Rodríguez Ríos
YOUTH v GOV – Directed by Christi Cooper
WEB ORIGINALS SHOWCASE
Kontaxt – Directed by Andrew Bachelor (East Coast Premiere)
Last Bodega In Brooklyn – Directed by Mosiah Moonsammy and Jared Glenn (World Premiere)
Ms/Manage – Directed by Caralene Robinson and Michael "Boogievision" Pinckney (New York Premiere)
The Corps – Directed by Tijuana Ricks (East Coast Premiere)
Our Shag Pad – Directed by Aldo Pisano
MUSIC VIDEOS
Calendário (Featuring ANAVITÓRIA) (Brazil) – Directed by The Fridman Sisters (U.S. Premiere)
Tesfay (Featuring Witch Prophet) – Directed by Leah Vlemmiks
Take Your Time (Featuring Fool The Fox and Jamie Broad) (Jamaica/United Kingdom) – Directed by Rasheed Bailey
North Star (Featuring Mumu Fresh and D Smoke) – Directed by T.L Benton (East Coast Premiere)
SCREENPLAYS
Gun Powder – Written By R Cadell Cook
Inheritance – Written By Fedna Jacquet
Tarabull – Written By Esdras Romero
The 84 – Written By Sonja Perryman