- Highly Anticipated Film Festival Serves as Catalyst for Increased Film and Television Production in Atlanta Festival Programming, New Collaborations and Film Screenings -

(BLACK PR WIRE) – CORRECTION...by BronzeLens

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The corrected release reads:

BRONZELENS 2011 PRODUCERS CONTINUE THEIR MISSION TO BRING NATIONAL AND WORLDWIDE ATTENTION TO ATLANTA AS A PRIME LOCATION FOR FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION

Highly Anticipated Film Festival Serves as Catalyst for Increased Film and Television Production in Atlanta Festival Programming, New Collaborations and Film Screenings

The second annual BronzeLens Film Festival (BronzeLens) will take place over the course of four days, November 10-13, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. BronzeLens producers are committed to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta, helping to showcase the city as a leader in the thriving film industry. The festival is set to be a creative platform designed to empower, entertain and educate from various disciplines and inspire aspiring filmmakers. Narrative fiction, documentary, music video, and short film screenings coupled with the who’s who of the film industry make BronzeLens one of the nation’s most substantive film festivals. BronzeLens events will take place at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis (Festival Headquarters), Georgia Pacific Center Auditorium, American Cancer Society Auditorium, Regal Theaters Atlantic Station and the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center on the campus of Spelman College.

Champions of the BronzeLens include Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. “I am delighted that the BronzeLens Film Festival will be kicking off in November,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “Events such as BronzeLens strengthen Atlanta’s role in the entertainment industry and bring national and worldwide attention to our great city as a center for film and film production. This industry continues to have a tremendous economic and cultural impact on the city of Atlanta, and I’m looking forward to working with our partners to ensure this festival is a success.”

Roger Bobb, CEO and producer of Bobbcat Films and actress Nicole Ari Parker will serve as honorary co-chairs of BronzeLens 2011. Master Classes and Workshops will be led by top names in film, direction, and production. Legendary director and actor Bill Duke will host his 3 Day Actors Boot Camp, award winning screenwriter Pilar Alessandra will conduct her Screenwriting Master Class, Founder of the African American Film Releasing Movement (AFFRM) Ava DuVernay will host How to Make and Market an Independent Film and Atlanta’s own actress, choreographer and director, Jasmine Guy will present Transitions: The Experience Behind and in Front of the Lens.

Filmmakers representing the United States, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe comprised the more than 50 submissions received for BronzeLens 2011. More than 30 films will be screened during BronzeLens and of the films to be screened, 11 represent submissions from Atlanta filmmakers. Feature films to be shown are Shanghai Hotel starring Hill Harper and Eugenia Yuen, The Start of Dreams by Atlanta based filmmakers The Horne Brothers, 2011 Sundance Audience Award winner for World Cinema Drama, KINYARWANDA and the world premiere of We The Party produced by Mario Van Peeples.

Festival workshop highlights include: Distribution Options for Independent Producers; Creating a Documentary That Makes a Difference; Production Design: Creating the Look for Your Film; Below the Line Jobs in Film & TV; and BronzeLens Interactive a 3-session series comprised of: BronzeLens Interactive Minority Representation in the Media, Tech & Entertainment Industry: The State of the Union, How to Build Sustainable Digital Entertainment Business Models: Monetizing Your Content for the Multi-Screen Universe and Digital Evolution of the Music Business: Merging Music Content With New Technologies.

New Collaborations that expand the duration and reach of the BronzeLens are the Atlanta Pitch Summit, produced by Ty Johnston and HBCU Network -Audition and Casting Call, produced by Candace Walker. The Atlanta Pitch Summit will take place November 3-5, 2011 at the Georgia Tech Research Institute Conference Center. The event will host workshops designed to educate attendees about the processes of pitching, packaging and production. It also will provide insight on the television and film industry and how to get to the green light. The event celebrates the art of television and filmmaking by creating the marketplace for partners and entertainment entrepreneurs to brand and sell their next big project.

The HBCU Network - Audition and Casting Call event is designed to discover fresh, untapped talent from HBCU students and alumni from the Atlanta University Center Consortium and beyond. Top talent will be offered on-air positions on the new HBCU Network in various capacities, from host to correspondents and from poets to musical artists. The event is scheduled for November 8, 2011, on the campus of Morehouse College.

Addressing community and civic engagement issues is a critical component of BronzeLens. This year the topic is human trafficking. The screening the of the film Shanghai Hotel Staring Eugenia Yuen and Hill Harper will bring together organizations that work towards eradication of this crisis and provide opportunity for expose to the issue through film.

BronzeLens is an international film festival. This year France Atlanta and BronzeLens have collaborated to present landmark films, thought provoking issues about African cinema and the importance of diversity in film at what has been named “France-Atlanta at the BronzeLens Film Festival.” For this component of the festival one of the most notable African filmmakers of his generation, Gaston Kaboré, will be joining American filmmakers as a special guest in a roundtable discussion on the importance of African cinema and diversity in film Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Georgia Pacific Theatre. Among African films to be screened are Gaston Kaboré’s critically acclaimed Buud Yam (Best Film award at the 15th Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO)) and Sarabah, by Maria Luisa Gambale / Gloria Bremer. On Sunday, November 13, 2011 France-Atlanta at The BronzeLens will present Mandela in the Name of Liberty by Joël Calmettes. Also in cooperation with the Maryland India Business Roundtable BronzeLens will be screening a Bollywood Film titled Speedy Singhs and Bollywood shorts to be announced.

Women Superstars Luncheon remains a high point of BronzeLens. Some the nation’s most successful women of color in the film and television will be an honored at this signature event. The event was created to inspire women from all walks of life and provide a platform to network with leaders in the film and television production industry. New to BronzeLens this year is the BronzeLens Awards which was created to honor the best of the festival filmmakers in their perspective categories and other noteworthy industry leaders. Cinema and Social Justice Sunday which takes place at the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center on the campus of Spelman College will be produced in conjunction with Center for Civil and Human Rights. Later that evening We The Party, by Mario Van Peeples will also be screened at Spelman.

About the BronzeLens Film Festival

Founded in 2009, The BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a center for film and film production for people of color. Its mission is twofold: to promote Atlanta as the new film Mecca for people of color; and to showcase films and provide networking opportunities that will develop the next generation of filmmakers. Visit www.bronzelens.com for more information regarding the BronzeLens Film Festival and for registration information.

Media Credentials

Approved media will have access to interview areas, and red carpet arrivals, for which press has RSVPed in advance and received written confirmation from Terri Vismale-Morris or Jen Farris. This includes media opportunities for the filmmakers and cast who are in town for their films, as well as other Festival events. All media must e-mail tvmorris@bronzelens.com and jenfarris@zdennismediagroup.com to request access to cover these opportunities. For more information regarding the BronzeLens Film Festival registration visit www.bronzelens.com.  

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