Founded by French Huguenot refugees in 1688, The City of New Rochelle is home and host to a medley of cultures but few film related events specifically attend to the need for cross-cultural awareness and education akin to communities of color. On Friday, July 12th and Saturday, July 13th, in in the Ossie Davis Theater of the New Rochelle Public Library, the Creatively Speaking Film Series will present a unique film festival that will facilitate engaged dialogue among community members, educators, students, artists, activists, media professionals and filmmakers. The festival is curated with films that include little known history lessons; the significance of family and education; identity and culture; coming of age and uplifting migration stories. The facilitated discussions, many of which will include the films’ directors, are designed to encourage bold, thoughtful conversation, as well as discussion of the craftsmanship of filmmaking.
On Friday, July 12, at 6:00 pm, the first of two full-length films will be Elza by Mariette Monpierre. At 8:00 pm, the featured film will be Double Play, directed by Ernest Dickerson and produced by Lisa Cortes. This movie has mature content. On Saturday, July 13, two programs of shorts will take place, beginning at 2:00 pm and at 4:30pm. Auntie by Lisa Harewood, De Colores by Luz Zamora, Charcoal by Francesca Andre, Zahra and the Oil Man by Yusef Mayes, A Girl Like Me by Kiri Davis, Standing on the Scratchline by Julie Dash, Sticks and Stones by Rehema Imani Trimiew, and The Woodpecker by Alberto Morales. Over the course of twenty-four years, Creatively Speaking has become the leading, curated film series offering a diverse forum that highlights independent film by and about women and people of color. Working outside the mainstream, often with limited resources, the filmmakers represented in the Creatively Speaking Film Series provide a model for working within and around a historically underrepresented system that continues to this day. The Creatively Speaking mission is to change the cultural narrative, one image at a time, and to expand audiences for independent film and video artists of color through community screenings and thoughtful discussions.
Michelle Materre is founder of Creatively Speaking. Her professional background spans more than 30 years’ experience as film producer, writer, arts administrator, distribution/marketing specialist, film programmer and college professor. She is currently Associate Professor of Media Studies and Film at The New School, and Director of the Bachelors’ Program for Adults and Transfer Students. As an independent media consultant, Ms. Materre advises filmmakers and organizations on fundraising, distribution, community engagement, marketing, and exhibition strategies. Ms. Materre’s expertise in these areas is recognized in the independent film world for her aesthetic sensibilities, cultural sensitivity, educational impact, awareness and relevance. She is a resident of New Rochelle.
For more information on Creatively Speaking, please visit: www.CreativelySpeaking.tv