Pulling Focus Black Film Festival Winner's Showcase at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center -- August 19.
Saturday, August 19, 3 – 5 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 630 Ninth Street, Rock Island IL
Held in tandem with the weekend's Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival and Rock Island's annual Family Fun Day, the August 19 Pulling Focus Black Film Festival's Winner's Showcase finds the Azubuike African American Council for the Arts partnering with Polyrhythms and the MLK Center for the first time in this celebration of African American and Black Diasporic voices.
Promising an inspiring celebration of diverse voices and artistic excellence, the centerpiece of the Pulling Focus Black Film Festival of the Quad Cities is the collection of exceptional films from winning selections at this year's Juneteenth Festival. This showcase of the brilliance and creativity of independent Black filmmakers found five short works awarded: Us (Best Short Film); Fishing Her (Best First-Time Filmmaker); Faith in Blackness (Best Inspirational Film); Because I Know How Beautiful My Being Is (Best Student Film); and The Wait We Carry (Best in the Moment). Runners-up at this year's Pulling Focus Black Film Festival included We Live, Interception, African. American., Redemption, and Man Down, while other works receive either Honorable Mention or Audience Choice laurels included Momma, The Duppy Man's Walk, Disables Artists Showcase, Yaba, 8-Bit Memories, Reparations, and Trust Issues.
After several years of holding the Urban Exposure Independent Film Project Summer Film Program, which teaches filmmaking to underrepresented and at-risk young people in our community, Azubuike has identified the need for a regional film festival that celebrates and promotes Black filmmakers. In response, the arts council has established the Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities, which is set to be held annually during the Juneteenth federal holiday to commemorate and celebrate, in our region, the struggles and triumphs of the Black Diaspora.
Azubuike African American Council for the Arts expresses heartfelt gratitude to esteemed partners, including the Regional Development Authority, Quad City Arts, Iowa American Water Company, the Doris and Victor Day Foundation, the Marc & Gma Howze Charitable Foundation, the Quad City Community Foundation, and the Downtown Davenport Partnership. Their support has been instrumental in making this festival a reality. The contributions of institutions such as the Putnam Museum, the Figge Art Museum, the TMBC Lincoln Center, the Friends of MLK Center, Steam on Wheels, and the Urban Exposure Independent Film Project further enrich this collaboration.
The Pulling Focus Black Film Festival Winner's Showcase will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. on August 19, admission is free, and more information is available by visiting PullingFocusBlackFilmFestival.com.
