The August Wilson Center – African American Cultural Center presents the second Annual Black Bottom Film Festival (BBFF), a series of screenings and discussion of African-American made and themed contemporary, classic, and independent film, on Friday, February 23, 2017, at 5:30 p.m. until Sunday February 25 at 9 p.m. Pittsburgh audiences will enjoy intimate acting and writing workshops, unique podcasts, and celebrate groundbreaking cinema, speakers, and filmmakers at the August Wilson Center. 

“We’re excited to keep up the tradition of the Black Bottom Film Festival, bringing together community, art, and, action,” says AACC president and CEO Janis Burley Wilson. “This year, the community can continue engagement not just with African-American films but also filmmakers who were pioneers of different realms of the film industry. As part of Black History Month, the festival is a unique way to celebrate the societal influence of African-American contributions to film and society.”

From age-old classics to contemporary work, the second annual Black Bottom Film Festival will illuminate and celebrate African American cinema and unique Black people. The festival will showcase movies that converge on the recurring themes of spirituality, race, family conflict, honor, duty and working-class struggle, themes ever-present in August Wilson’s The Pittsburgh Cycle plays. In particular, the festival will celebrate African-American filmmaking pioneers of recent decades. The BBFF fosters an examination of how Black filmmakers use art to inspire, challenge, confront, and influence American culture.

Additionally, the festival will feature guest appearances and Q&A’s with Wynn Thomas, April Reign (as part of the August Wilson Center’s TRUTHSayers series), creator of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag and campaign, actor Khalil Kain, film producer Lisa Cortes, who has two films in the festival, Michael Phillip Edwards and Bobby Huntley II.

Feature Length Films

Cinderella Man, production design by Wynn Thomas

Odds Against Tomorrow, produced by Harry Belafonte (August Wilson Center Global Advisory Board member)

Love Jones (20th Anniversary Tribute), directed by Theodore Witcher, (actor Khalil Kain will be in attendance)

Double Play, produced by Lisa Cortes (will be in attendance)

The Magnificent Life of Charlie, directed by Bobby Huntley II (will be in attendance)

Last Life, directed by Michael Phillip Edwards (will be in attendance along with Tamika Lamison)

Shorts

Tale of Four directed by Gabourey Sidibe

HER TIME to SHYne Hip-Hop Documentary directed by Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A
Black Film Now Exploring The Current State of Black American Film” directed by Mike Dennis

Documentaries

Betty Davis: They Say I’m Different, U.S. Premiere - produced by Native Voice Films (also will screen at Row House and Pittsburgh Filmmakers) directed by Phil Cox (will be in attendance)

Wendell Freeland: A Quiet Soldier, directed by Billy Jackson

Litany for Survival – The Life & Work of Audre Lorde (co-presented with the Kelly Strayhorn Theater), directed by Michelle Parkerson and Ada Gay Griffin

Queen Nanny: Legendary Maroon Chieftainess – (Screened at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers Harris Theater)

Special events will include (times subject to change):

Question and Answer Sessions with Black Bottom Film Festival Directors

30-minute Q&A’s will take place before and after several screenings throughout the festival weekend. On Saturday afternoon there will be a presentation by TRUTHSayers series guest April Reign (2:30 p.m.)  and Black Bottom Film Award recipient Wynn Thomas (3:30 p.m.) and a joint Q&A to follow.

Black Bottom Film Festival Award for Cinematic Excellence Ceremony

The ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 24 at 5:30 p.m. The event will Honor Wynn Thomas for his 30+ years of contributions to the cinematic landscape.

About Wynn Thomas:

Wynn Thomas has conceived the design for over 10 films with Spike Lee including She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do the Right Thing and Mo’ Better Blues. He’s devised sets for the famed off-Broadway company, The Negro Ensemble Company, and The Public Theatre. Wynn is the first African-American Production Designer in the history of movies. Some of his work includes the Academy Award-winning, A Beautiful Mind, Malcolm X, Inside Man, Mars Attacks, Cinderella Man, Wag the Dog and Get Smart. His most recent movie was the Academy Award-nominated Hidden Figures. Wynn is also the first African American production designer to become a member of the Art Directors Guild in Los Angeles, and the first African American nominated for the Art Directors’ Guild award (for his design work on Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!) and he is a member of the Academy Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

About April Reign:

April Reign is one of social media’s most influential voices on race, politics, and pop-culture. As the creator of the rallying cry and viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, she has challenged the lack of representation of marginalized communities in Hollywood, resulting in the most sweeping changes in the history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Black Bottom Film Festival is presented by the August Wilson Center and is in collaboration with Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and Row House Cinema. The documentary Betty Davis –They Say I’m Different will be screened at Pittsburgh Filmmakers Harris Theater and Row House Cinema the week following the festival. Row House and Filmmakers will also offer special Betty Davis themed dance parties and concerts with Betty’s former band Funk House.

About August Wilson Center – African American Cultural Center

The August Wilson Center is a venue dedicated to the presentation of art and culture reflective of African-Americans and the African Diaspora. It is located in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District at 980 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222. The “Center” offers multiple exhibition galleries, a 472-seat theater for performances, and spaces for classes, lectures and community events. It was designed by African-American architect, Allison Williams.