Hamilton Black Film Festival (HBFF) is announcing that its 3rd edition will be held in person May 26-30, 2023, and online May 25-30, 2023. The Festival, which celebrates and showcases films, stories and voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) from around the world, will take place at the Westdale Theatre and on the eventive.org virtual platform. This year, the Hamilton Black Film Festival and its partner Centre francophone Hamilton will screen 24 films from 9 countries, including feature films, documentaries, and short films from established and emerging filmmakers. Some of the films include”
The Myth of the Black Woman will open the festival
The Myth of the Black Woman from Ayana O’Shun is a feature-length documentary that explores the images of Black women in society, from the hyper sexual Jezebel, the lovable Nurse to the sassy “Bitch”. Black women, all acclaimed leaders in their fields, tell of the challenges such images bring to their lives. Their compelling stories are supported by never-before-seen archival footage from the 1800s to the present day.
Finding Sally (Canada)
Finding Sally is a riveting portrait of a family history cast against the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution, uncovering the incredible story of a 23-year-old woman from an upper-class family who became a communist rebel with the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party.
Four decades after Sally’s disappearance, filmmaker Tamara Dawit pieces together the mysterious life of her aunt Sally..
Dope is Death (Canada)
Mia Donovan is a filmmaker based in Montreal. She has written and directed three feature documentaries, Inside Lara Roxx (2011), Deprogrammed (2015) and Dope is Death (2020). Her films have been presented worldwide at film festivals, on TV broadcasts, theatrically and on digital platforms such as Netflix. In 2016 she wrote and directed her first virtual reality experience called Deprogrammed VR which won the coveted IDFA DocLab Award for Digital Storytelling that year
Toronto Motel (Canada)
Street savvy Detroit native Tracy drags his polar opposite Toronto native cousin Christian to a house party even at the risk of getting fined for large public gatherings. To their surprise Christian’s 18 year old sister Angela attends the same party at the invitation of a notorious drug dealer named Repo who takes an obsessive liking to her.
HumaniTree (UK)
HumaniTree is a compelling 90-minute documentary that takes audiences on a journey through humanity’s collective story on earth. From our origins in Africa to the spread of civilizations across the globe, this film provides an up- to-date account of our shared history .The film is the creation of eight young people from South Wales, who joined forces with a professional film crew from London.
Bringing Back Christmas (USA)
It’s two weeks before Christmas and Daniel Reece has just been fired after 17 years of service and right before his son, with special needs, is slated for an expensive surgery. Daniel’s hopelessness cues a sassy angel, disguised as a Hobo, to take Daniel on a humorous and inspiring journey back in time to witness the trials of Joseph and Mary before the very first Christmas, which reminds Daniel how God’s love can carry him through any challenge.
Grand Gaillard / Big guy (USA)
Brahim is the sole caretaker for Mehdi, his 10-year-older-brother. They live in social housing in a suburban area. Mehdi, wounded at war, is now handicapped, forcing his brother Brahim to take on heavy responsibilities.
Between habits, chores, and his job as a delivery man to make ends meet, Brahim is exhausted and faced with a major dilemma.
The Exile of the sea (Colombia)
El exilio del Mar (The Exile of the Sea) is based on the true story of Johana a Colombian who must move from her homeland and is forced to change her life and leave everything back to look for a future. This is a story that seeks to create empathy for those who have the courage to change everything to seek a chance to survive.
Private Idiots (Canada)
Private Idiots is a comedy set in current-day Toronto. The film focuses on two PI’s following a scientist who is a key figure in the COVID-19 pandemic. To pass the time during their stakeouts, Steve and Boise hotly debate the polarizing topics of the 2020s. From Covid conspiracies to the toilet paper crisis, from Tiger King to the Karen apocalypse, every triggering topic is debated..
Tickets are available online and in-person events. Online pass ($35 until May 10) eventive.org/passes/buy
Visit hbff.ca for more information.
Performances are held at the Westdale Theatre: 1014 King Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 1L4
There is a danger that your message and your audience becomes so niche and so small that you can’t make it relevant to enough people to have a real impact. You simply can’t put together enough resources to do it well or present it well. If your festival adds too many modifiers or becomes a piece, of a piece of a piece of something it isn’t much of anything at all.