While Hollywood, filmmakers and television productions struggle to maintain any type pf programming during the SAF-Aftra and WGA strikes, the Atlanta-based BronzeLens Film Festival in solidarity and support for and other union members the striking writers is reimagining its 14th annaul event in Atlanta.
“BronzeLens Film Festival supports the SAG-AFTRA and WGA members in their fight to achieve a fair and equitable contract. Since its inception in 2010, BronzeLens has been a film festival that champions underrepresented independent film voices. Over the years it has become a safe and trusted resource for creators of color. We look forward to continuing our commitment to showcasing the emerging talent of BIPOC content creators from around the world,” states BronzeLens executive producer Kathleen Bertrand.
In that vein, the Women SuperStars Honors and Sunday Brunch with the Brothers will be moved to the first quarter of 2024. What remains is a robust schedule of 124 films and a curated mix of film industry panels:
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August 23-27
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A robust schedule of 124 film screenings that will take place at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and the Southwest Arts Center
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Official selections categories include short narratives, feature narratives, documentaries, short documentaries, dance, web series, music videos, and students’ films from Angola, Australia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, China, Canada, Dominican Republic, France, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Portugal, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom, and the United States.
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Highlights
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Wednesday, August 23
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Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
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Film Screenings All Day
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Opening Night Feature film Latasha Harlins
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A Bronze Carpet Event
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Thursday, August 24
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Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
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Film Screenings All Day
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Panels
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Seed&Spark Presents – How to Find your Audience
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Presentor – Emily Best, Founder & CEO Seed&Spark
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Indie Filmmaking Best Practices
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Moderator – Fr3deR1cK, Filmmaker, Panelists: Bobby Huntley, Filmmaker, Shandra McDonald, Filmmaker, and David M. Massey – Producer/ Director
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Entertainment Law for Creatives
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Moderator – Attorney James L. Walker, Jr., Panelists: Keisha Perry Walker, Esq – The Perry Law Group, Kendall Minter, Esq – Greenspoon Marder, Jonathan D. Goins, Esq – Lewis Brisbois
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Friday, August 25
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Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
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Film Screenings All Day
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Panels
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Welcome To Atlanta
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Moderator – Shaunya Chavis-Rucker – Fulton Films Panelists: Victor V. Hogan II – Producer/ Partner, QVH Media, Fatimah Abdullah – Head of Studio, BWA Studios
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Amazing Stories
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A Fireside Chat with Rob Hardy – Amazing Stories founder and Shaakira White – Amazing Stories Alumnus/ Current Production Coordinator at Revolt TV
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Indelible Impact – Celebrating Atlanta’s Hip Hop Legacy-
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The Friday Night Special Event hosted in tandem with the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop
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A Bronze Carpet Event
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Moderator – Cardellia Hunter – Director, Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment and Phillana Williams – Director, Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment, Panelists: Ian Burke – Music Executive & Filmmaker, Lisa Cunningham – Film Director, Joe Howell – Producer
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Saturday, August 26
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Film Screenings at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and the Southwest Arts Center
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Sunday, August 27
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Film Screenings at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and the Southwest Arts Center
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Cinema and Social Justice Sunday – Southwest Arts Center
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The BronzeLens Awards – The Carter Center
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A Bronze Carpet Event
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A Bronze Carpet Events Details
Wednesday, August 23
Opening Night: at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
Media Check-In: 6:45 PM
Bronze Carpet: 7:00 PM
Event Time: 8:00 PM
BronzeLens 2023 Opening Night screening will feature the Atlanta premiere Latasha Harlins, a film about sports enthusiast Latasha Harlins who becomes a beacon of light to all those she encounters but growing up in South Central LA will come with a heavy price.
Friday, August 25
Indelible Impact – Celebrating Atlanta’s Hip Hop Legacy: at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
Media Check-In: 6:15 PM
Bronze Carpet: 6:30 PM
Event Time: 7:30 PM
A Friday Night Special Event hosted in tandem with the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop.
Panelists:
Ian Burke – Music Executive & Filmmaker
Lisa Cunningham – Film Director
Joe Howell – Producer
Moderator – Cardellia Hunter – Director, Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment & Phillana Williams – Director, Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment
Sunday, August 27
The Bronze Awards: at The Carter Center – Cecil B. Day Chapel
Media Check-In: 6:00 PM
Bronze Carpet: 7:00 PM
Event Time: 8:00 PM
BronzeLens Awards Show will honor the best of the festival and more.
Nominated filmmakers associated with the listed films and videos will be on the Bronze Carpet.
2023 BronzeLens Nominations
DOCUMENTARY
Wade in the Water: A journey Into Black surfing and Aquatic Culture
King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones
MOVE WHEN THE SPIRIT SAYS MOVE: The Legacy of Dorothy Foreman Cotton
Who in Da Mornin’
Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land
SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Conducting Life
Descended: The Fight for Harris Neck
John Leguizamo at Rikers Island
OnBoard
Clean Slate
DANCE
formula
I(N)finite
Next
Atali’i O Le Crezent (Sons of the Crezent)
SHADES
MUSIC VIDEOS
Here You Go Again
Lunarcode: The Light
Marck Angel-Justice
Timeless
FEATURE
Latasha Harlins
The Aquatics
Trap City
The Song of the Rifles
STUDENTS
Black Magic
Cuffed
Imprint
Instant Noodle
The Fire of the Firefly
Love Taps
TikTok Challenged
WEB SERIES
The Table
Tokens
A Version
BEST ACTRESS
Jo Martin – My Jerome
MaYaa Boateng – Reunion
Daijah Peters – Latasha Harlins
Aries Sanders – Jerome
Daniela Griffin – Etto
Idella Johnson – Benediction
BEST ACTOR
David Harewood – Man to Man
John Leguizamo – John Leguizamo Live at Rikers Island
Elias Ferguson – Jerome
Sanou Titiama – The Song of The Rifles
Marchant Davis – Incomplete
SHORTS
Boy. With. Angel. Wings
As the Cookie Crumbles
Ricky
Speak Up Brotha
Port of a Prince
The Kill Floor
The Andrew Young Cinema and Social Justice Award
MOVE WHEN THE SPIRIT SAYS MOVE: The Legacy of Dorothy Foreman Cotton
Shape the Culture Then & Now
About the BronzeLens Film Festival
BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia, is a non-profit organization, founded in 2009, that is dedicated to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a center for film and film production for people of color. Its mission is two-fold: to promote Atlanta as a film mecca for people of color, and to showcase films and provide networking opportunities that will develop the next generation of filmmakers.
BronzeLens is an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences qualifying film festival for the Short Film Awards category. The short film that receives the BronzeLens Best Short Award may now be eligible to enter the Academy’s Short Subject competition for the concurrent season.
BronzeLens Sponsors
2023 BronzeLens Sponsors are Amazon, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Discover Atlanta, Fulton Films, Fulton County Arts & Culture, East Point Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Georgia Pacific.