SHARE:  
135th Header
UW Logo
Filmmakers Honored at the
Urbanworld Awards Brunch
Free, Urbanworld founder Stacy Spikes, Datwon Thomas
Free-Stacy-Datwon

NEW YORK, NY (September 20, 2010) - The 14th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival, presented by BET Networks, has announced the winners of the narrative feature, documentary feature, narrative short, documentary short, screenplay, teleplay and audience award categories. The five-day festival was held September 15-19 in New York City and concluded yesterday with an awards brunch -- hosted by tv/radio personality FREE and VIBE editorial director Datwon Thomas -- at Tribeca Grill Loft. Founded by Stacy Spikes, Urbanworld, which screened 71 films this year, is the largest internationally competitive festival dedicated to the exhibition of independent cinema by and about people of color.

The 14th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival winners are:

Best Narrative Feature
MOOZ-LUM
Written and Directed by Qasim Basir; Produced by Dana Offenbach and Samad Davis

Best Narrative Short
KATRINA'S SON
Written and Directed by Ya'Ke; Produced by Ya'Ke and Ralph Lopez

Best Documentary Feature
BOUNCING CATS
Written and Directed by Nabil Elderkin, Isaac Hagy: Produced by Nyla Hassell, George Mays, Claude Merkel and Charles Spano

Best Documentary Short
ONE OF THESE MORNINGS
Directed and Produced by Valery Lyman

Best Screenplay
GRACEY
Written by Julian Breece

Best Teleplay
LOVE AND POLITICS
Written by Tracy Oliver

Audience Award
FINDING GOD IN THE CITY OF ANGELS
Written by Simon J. Joseph, Ph.D; Directed by Jennifer Jessum; Produced by Jennifer Jessum, Simon J. Joseph and Edward Osei-Gyimah

Audience Award Honorable Mention
I WILL FOLLOW
Written, Directed and Produced by Ava DuVernay
Photos by Stephen Knight
Qasim Basir Ava Honorable Mention Valery Lyman
Qasim Basir - Mooz-lum Ava DuVernay - I Will Follow Valery Lyman - One of These Mornings
Jennifer Jessum and husband Free and Datwon host
Jennifer Jessum w/ husband - Finding God in the City Angels Awards Brunch hosts FREE and Datwon Thomas
Julian Breece - screenplay Ya Ke Tamara Gregory
Julian Breece - Gracey Ya Ke - Katrina's Son Tamara Gregory - BET Networks
Brunch Crowd Team UW
Over 120 film VIPs attended the brunch at Tribeca Grill (l-r) Brian Jones, Stacy Spikes, Stacy's daughter Ellery Spikes,
Samantha Debicki, Brittany Ballard and Gabrielle Glore
For more information on the Urbanworld Film Festival, visit www.urbanworld.org.
###
Dotted Line (Orange)
'I WILL FOLLOW' CLOSES URBANWORLD
Royale Watkins, Dijon Talton, Michole White, Ava DuVernay, Salli Richardson, Omari Hardwick
Cast of I Will Follow
Urbanworld closed its 14th film festival on Saturday with the world premiere of I Will Follow, directed by Ava DuVernay (My Mic Sounds Nice) and starring Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Sci Fi Channel's "Eureka"), Omari Hardwick ("Dark Blue," For Colored Girls), Dijon Talton ("Glee"), Michole White ("Medium"), and comedian Royale Watkins. The film - which screened to a theater so packed, people sat on the floor - received a standing ovation, after which ESSENCE entertainment director, Cori Murray, moderated a Q&A session.

Additional screenings on Saturday included the ESPN "30 for 30" documentary One Night in Vegas, directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood and HBO's Boardwalk Empire, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Michael Kenneth Williams (The Wire).
Photos by Stephen Knight
Salli Richardson Salli and Omari Michole White
Salli Richardson-Whitfield Salli Richardson-Whitfield & Omari Hardwick Michole White
Dijon Talton Michael Kenneth Williams Reggie Bythewood
Dijon Talton Michael Kenneth Williams Reggie Rock Bythewood
Kid Capri Ava and Michaela
Kid Capri Ava DuVernay & Michaela Angela Davis
Cori Murray moderates Smokey Fontaine
Cori Murray Smokey Fontaine
Salli at Q&A Closing Night audience
Michole and Salli at the I Will Follow Q&A Standing room only at the I Will Follow screening
For more information on the Urbanworld Film Festival, visit www.urbanworld.org.
###
Dotted Line (Orange)
FANS FLOCK TO FRIDAY NIGHT'S
'MOOZ-LUM' PREMIERE
Nia Long
Nia Long
Friday night at Urbanworld was a sold-out success, as hundreds flocked to see the premiere of Mooz-lum, directed by Qasim Basir and starring Nia Long, Danny Glover, Evan Ross, Roger Guenveur Smith, Dorian Missick and newcomer Maryam Basir. Additional premieres on Friday included Bouncing Cats (narrated by Common and starring the Rock Steady Crew's Crazy Legs), Kid Capri Presents: The Lionz Den and Hear Me, directed by Kenn Michael.
Photos by Stephen Knight
Nia poster Evan Ross Roger G Smith
Nia Long Evan Ross Roger Guenveur Smith
Qasim Basir Maryam Marilinda Rivera
Mooz-lum director Qasim Basir Maryam Basir Marilinda Rivera ("Project Runway"/Hear Me)
Crazy Legs Roger - Nia - Stacy
Crazy Legs (Bouncing Cats) Roger Guenveur Smith, Nia Long, Stacy Spikes
Nia and Muslim sisters Serius and Lux
Nia Long with Mooz-lum fans Serius Jones and Loaded Lux from The Lionz Den
For more information on the Urbanworld Film Festival, visit www.urbanworld.org.
###
Dotted Line (Orange)
AND LAST WEEK AT ATL LIVE ON THE PARK...
ATL Live Stage

If you missed it, the September edition of Shanti Das and Marlon Nichols' ATL LIVE ON THE PARK last Tuesday featured show-stopping performances by Anthony David, Elisabeth Withers, and Britni Elise. Check out what went down at Park Tavern...
Photos by James Pray
Anthony David, Shanti, Britney, Elisabeth Rodney Perry
Anthony David, Shanti Das, Elisabeth Withers, Britni Elise Rodney Perry ("The Mo'Nique Show")
Anthony David Elisabeth Winters
Anthony David shows out on stage. Elisabeth Withers hits a high note.
Britney Elise Marlon Shanti Kenny DJ Salah
Britni Elise feels the spirit. Marlon Nichols, Shanti Das and Kenny Burns DJ Salah Ananse
For more information on ATL Live on the Park, visit www.facebook.com/shantidasandmarlonnicholspresents.
Dotted Line (Orange)
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/135stagency

135th logo
Shante Bacon
Founder/CEO
Saptosa Foster
Managing Partner
404-909-6493
Green Bottom 1