The Hollywood Black Film Festival, presented by Black Talent News, celebrated its third year with a five-day series of films and special presentations in Culver City on January 31 to February 4. The premier competitive showcase for black films, the HBFF screened a total of 45 films, ranging from shorts to dramatic and documentary features, by professional and student filmmakers.
In addition to providing an outlet for a number of films made by and featuring African-American talent, the festival also presented its annual Infotainment Conference, a series of discussion panels, conferences, and workshops with motion industry professionals for aspiring filmmakers. The highlights of the conference were roundtables with screenwriter Tina Andrews; director George Tillman Jr.; and Marlon Jackson, Alvin James, Cecil G. Fielder, and Willie Gary, founders of the African-American owned and operated cable network MBC.
Bookending the festivities were a pair of non-competing Los Angeles premieres, opening night selection The Caveman's Valentine, the sophomore effort from Eve's Bayou director Kasi Lemmons; and the prison drama Lockdown, which rounded out the festival the evening of February 4 following the festival's awards ceremony.
HBFF 2001 Award Winners
HBFF 2001 Reviews
HBFF Official Site
Hollywood Black Film Festival 2001/© Michael Dequina
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