The Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival opened Thursday night with The Chi, a drama on Showtime about life on the South Side of Chicago.
The Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival opened Thursday night with The Chi, a drama on Showtime about life on the South Side of Chicago.
The 23rd annual event continues through Saturday, August 9 with a full schedule of movies and discussions with film creators and executives.
On Friday evening festival co-founders Stephanie and Floyd Rance addressed the crowd. Ms. Rance said she was happy to see the festival become a place for Black storytellers to come together every summer and to spotlight important voices.
Natasha Ero, Angella Katherine and Maybella Barnor.
Natasha Ero, Angella Katherine and Maybella Barnor.
“This Island becomes more than a destination,” she said.
Spike Lee then presented scenes from his latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, a crime thriller that comes out later this month. Between showing scenes from the movie, he also joked with the crowd, telling them how golfers often hit balls into his yard, which is located beside a fairway on Farm Neck golf club. The balls are covered in messages berating The Knicks.
Mr. Lee then spoke with actors from the film, including LaChanze, Ilfenesh Hadera and John Douglas Thompson, about the production of the film, which is a re-interpretation of the Akira Kurosawa movie, High and Low.
“We all love Julie Andrews singing My Favorite Things, but Johnny Coltrane, that’s a different vibe. Put some new stuff on it, add some hot sauce,” Mr. Lee said.
Dr. Katharine Marshall Woods and Dr. Aisha Densmore-Bey.
Dr. Katharine Marshall Woods and Dr. Aisha Densmore-Bey.
Mr. Lee’s film follows David King, a music mogul played by Denzel Washington, who is targeted by criminals who attempt to kidnap his son, but end up taking somebody else instead.
“You would do anything for your child, but what if it wasn’t your child? It deals with the moral dilemma,” Mr. Lee said.
A$AP Rocky plays Yung Felony in the film and has two songs on the soundtrack. When one of the songs was played on Friday, the audience members got on their feet and started dancing to the music.
Also on Friday, the festival screened the world premiere of Unraveling George, a documentary about George Raveling, a former basketball player and coach, who was also a marketing director for Nike.
Screenings take place at the Performing Arts Center.
Screenings take place at the Performing Arts Center.
The film is narrated by Marlon Wayans, who played George Raveling in the movie Air, which told the story of Michael Jordan signing with Nike.
Sharrie Williams, a reporter who worked on the film, said in a discussion following the screening that she was proud to help record the story of a trailblazer.
“As a journalist we are always looking for what we call the gems, the nuggets, what is really driving what we see...and that’s where we want to put the light,” she said. “That is George Raveling....He was the first in so many areas, but he’s the one who is behind the scenes.”
The film festival continues through Saturday. For a full schedule and tickets, visit mvaaff.com.
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