Kartemquin films, which produced outstanding documentaries like Hoop Dreams and The Interrupters is looking for diverse filmmakers for their Diverse Voices in Docs professional development program. The application deadline is December 3, 2013 – you can access the application HERE
Here’s some more information on Kartemquin and the program from one of my favorite blogs, Shadow & Act:
Fusing words, dance, music and film this story chronicles the quest of a mixed-race daughter from Southern Appalachia who eventually finds her homeless Vietnam Veteran father suffering in Hawaii. SNAPSHOT was nominated for BEST ACTRESS at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, special selection at: Cape Town Festival South Africa and International Women’s Festival Tornio Finland and recipient of: Brooklyn Arts Council Individual Artist Grant, and Kentucky Foundation for Women Arts Meets Activism Grant. See the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdNsYF6UJro
West Virginia PBS premiere Sunday November 10 at 8pm and Tuesday November 26 at 9pm
Find out more about this storyteller at: www.mitzisinnott.com
Although it comes with a hefty price tag ($200), if you know of a worthy filmmaker, actor, singer or writer who tells Mixed Roots Stories, this is a great way to show your support. The fee is tax deductible and they are accepting submissions until November 15, 2013. Click this link for their Guidelines and Instructions packet: https://www.naacpimageawards.net/submissions/45th_NIA_GuidelinesandInstructions.pdf
from indiewire.com
Gary Anthony Williams and Jeannie Roshar are an interracial writing team (who also direct and act). They co-founded the LA Comedy Shorts Festival, which premiered the short film I Own You – about the ups and downs of interracial love. They have now sold the film as a feature to Lionsgate (the company that brought us Crash, Precious)
Here’s a plot synopsis of the film, written by Roshar:
Ronnie, an African-American man, and Betsy, his Caucasian wife, are shocked to learn that in the 1800’s, her family owned his in slavery. At first, Ronnie brushes it off, but then an ax, a dashiki, Oprah Winfrey and a cotton ball cause him to look at his wife in a whole new way.
We’ll be keeping track of the film here on our blog. Let us know if you had a chance to see the short and what your thoughts are! We at MixedRootsStories.org are cautiously optimistic.
Yayoi L. Winfrey filled out our ‘promote your story link’ to promote her film Watermelon Sushi. Let us know if you have any projects you’d like us to promote!
“Michiko Johnson looks Asian. She says she’s black. A hip-hop head, soul sistah who greases on greens and cornbread, Michiko is outspoken about her African roots. She adores her younger sister, April, whose physical features are more African than hers. But April speaks fluent Japanese and eats only vegan meals with chopsticks.”
“Told against the backdrop of the rising rap music scene of the early 1980’s,Watermelon Sushi plans to feature old school rappers like Chuck D, Kool Mo Dee, LL Cool J, Afrika Bambaataa and newcomers like Japan’s superstar enka singer, Jero-san.”
In addition to being in film production Watermelon Sushi is an art exhibit series, a blog, and book of photos/poetry/illustrations “Watermelon Sushi: The Story of a Black Girl and Her Japanese Mother.”
http://www.watermelonsushi.com/
The theme for the 2014 Critical Mixed Race Studies conference is ‘Global Mixed Race,’ so we were excited to learn about this new film: The Colour of Love – a documentary out of Southampton, England. You can watch the trailer for the film on the official website: http://don338.wix.com/don#!the-colour-of-love
I participated in Film Independent’s Project:Involve program back in 2007, when, after several years of pursuing an acting career, I decided that I wanted to be an actor who also knows how to write and produce. I was growing tired of the kinds of roles my agent sent me out for – e.g. ‘Party Girl #1’ for Bud Light commercials – and was especially tired of not seeing people I could relate to being represented in the media. That’s how I found Film Independent.
Film Independent is dedicated to nurturing underrepresented filmmakers through workshops, mentor programs (like Project:Involve) and the Independent Spirit Awards. Project:Involve surrounds its participants with mentors, professionals and other filmmakers whose voices have often been rejected in the mainstream. The application process is rigorous, but if you are chosen, any of Film Independent’s programs will change the trajectory of your filmmaking career – and the media will greatly benefit from having your added voice.
Upcoming deadlines:
2014 Directing Lab: October 7th 2013
2014 Documentary Lab: December 2nd 2013
The next Project:Involve deadline is April 2014.
Best of luck – and keep telling your story!
Here’s a review of the film Belle, which just played at the Toronto Film Festival:
click HERE to continue reading
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is hosting a workshop for emerging filmmakers and film students. Here’s a chance to learn how to take those Mixed experience stories floating around in your head and get them into a visual medium. The deadline to apply is September 12 – so get those applications IN!
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I love the story of how Marcelitte Failla and Anoushka Ratnarajah met: both were Fellows at the Hemispheric Institute for Performance and Politics’ Emerging Artist Program. In many ways it parallels my own journey in creating more comfortable spaces for Mixed-identified people: through sharing stories I forged relationships that would lead to wonderful projects like Mixed Chicks Chat, the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival and now, Mixed Roots Stories!
Marcelitte and Anoushka have teamed up to produce Toasted Marshmallows – a documentary exploring the experiences of Mixed-identified North American women. They’ve already completed a successful Indiegogo campaign (raising well-over their initial goal) and are now participating in a project with the Brooklyn Museum. Check them out and support them and the film in any way you can!
Website: www.ToastedMarshmallowProject.com