I’ll return with individual highlights of any films we haven’t already covered; in the meantime, details from the press release:

IBW FILM FESTIVAL 2013 “9 years, 9 days” 

Full programme available at www.imagesofblackwomen.com

– IBW (Images of Black Women) Film Festival will take place 3rd May to 11th May. We are very proud to be back with a bigger festival, spread across 5 London venues, plus an Art exhibition with a focus on women’s experience and representation in film and art.

– To mark its 9th anniversary IBW Film Festival will host a 9-day festival, instead of its usual 3 days. To deliver this year’s rich programme the festival is co-presented by the Tricycle Cinema, Ciné Lumière, the Africa Centre, Peckham Plex and the BFI Southbank.

– Festivities will start at the Tricycle Cinema with the UK premiere of MIDDLE OF NOWHERE (USA) starring British Actor David Oyelowo & winner of Sundance Best Director 2012 for Ava DuVernay, the first black female recipient of this prestigious award.

– Another must see US film is PARIAH by Dee Rees produced by Spike Lee. Its leading actress Adepero Oduye was praised by Meryl Streep, during her acceptance speech for Best Actress at the Golden Globe 2012 for her performance in Pariah as a young teenager affirming her sexual identity. 

UK premieres by other female directors include:

– THE COMING OF ORG by St. Lucian director Davina Lee; 

– ELZA (Guadeloupe/France), Mariette Monpierre’s unusual view of lush island culture, and award winning film at the Pan-African Film Festival & FESPACO 2013;

– CAMEROONIAN WOMEN IN MOTION by Award winning director Florence Ayisi (Sisters in Law) who presents a vibrant display of pride & achievement in her latest short documentary.

Further UK premieres that highlight the contribution of black actresses are:

– The evocative and original JOY, IT’S NINA by UK director Jane Thorburn, based on actress Joy Elias-Rilwan’s life, including her friendship with the legendary singer Nina Simone. BLACK – Blaxploitation/heist/action feature with African mysticism – by Pierre Laffargue (Senegal/France) stars Carole Karemera as Pamela a no nonsense female Interpol agent.

FILMS EXPLORING YOUTH CULTURE

– DEAR MR CAMERON, directed by Martin Denham & produced by Karine Alexander (UK), which is a provocative short-film offering a different perspective on the 2011 England riots; 

– HANGING OUT: YOUTH CULTURE THEN & NOW by Lorna Holder & Yvonne Deutschman (UK) is a documentary exploring London’s diverse youth culture in the 1950s and 1960s drawing parallels with today’s youth culture. The film is richly illustrated with archive material such as Millie Small singing “My Boy Lollipop” & Muhammad Ali’s first visit to Brixton. 

– We also have an insight into UK cultural diversity with Lawrence Coke’s spoof documentary MELVIN: CHRONICLE OF A PLAYER counting Melvin growing lack of popularity with his various conquests united under the W.A.M. (Women Against Melvin). A film produced by Paulette Harris-German.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE 

– The documentary THE NAKED OPTION: A LAST RESORT by Candace Schermerhorn (Nigeria/USA) follows an organised protest by a Nigerian women’s group led by activist Emem J. Okon, who use the threat of stripping naked in public (a serious cultural taboo in Yoruba tradition) to make their voices heard by multinational oil companies that cause irreversible environmental damages to their community. 

– We close the festival with a special screening at the BFI Southbank putting Haiti back on the agenda 3 years after the 2010 natural disaster by showcasing ADOPTED ID by Sonia Godding Togobo (Canada/Haiti). A documentary that provides a rare insight into the conditions surrounding interracial & inter-country adoptions. An issue exacerbated by the disaster, where none orphans are also given away to orphanages by poverty stricken parents who want a better future for their children.

IBW ART EXHIBITION 

– Finally IBW is expanding its vision by adding a free Art exhibition FEMININE EXPRESSIONS & REPRESENTATION that provides a platform for female artists to express their creativity. The exhibition will showcase selected photographs and paintings from Fiona Campton, Shay Crozier and Frederique Rapier. Feminine Expressions & Representations will be touring across 4 of the festival’s venues to coincide with film screenings. 

9 years, 9 days marks the expansion of the festival across London as well as its constant presence to promote race and gender equality in film & society as a whole by shining the spot light on black women who suffer both race & gender inequality in front and behind the camera. IBW is delighted to be the first in the UK to present the achievement of Ava DuVernay who is not only a brilliant filmmaker (winner of Sundance Best Director 2012) but also a film entrepreneur who challenges conventional film distribution circuits with AFFRM. Beside Ava Duvernay, the programme presents a great line-up of inspirational women who are role models for younger generations and IBW will pursue its mission to bring such achievements to light.

Full programme available on www.imagesofblackomen.com