Courtney B. Vance, Debbie Allen, Dwyane Wade and Issa Rae Join Lineup for Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)
The 23rd edition of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) will feature special appearances by A-list talent, including Courtney B. Vance, Debbie Allen, Dwyane Wade and Issa Rae, who will travel to the Vineyard with exciting new projects and to engage in captivating culture-focused discussions, dubbed Color of Conversations.
Founded in 2002 by Floyd and Stephanie Rance, the annual MVAAFF supports African American filmmakers by screening, promoting and celebrating feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. The festival runs Aug. 1-9 in Oak Bluffs, Mass., on the campus of the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center (MVPAC) and the Vineyard Lounge.
On Aug. 5, Vance will present the Black Storytellers Panel alongside Keith David and Bassett Vance Productions’ president Lynnette Ramirez. The discussion is designed to give attendees a behind-the-scenes understanding of the content creation process and how to maintain cultural resonance and relatability while building collaborative and profitable businesses. The panel follows the recent launch of the Effie LIONS Foundation, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more creative and effective marketing industry. The Black Storytellers Panel is also sponsored by FX and Bassett Vance Productions.
On Aug. 6, Wade will participate in the festival’s third annual Men’s C-Suite Luncheon. Coined “The Bonds of Brotherhood,” the event brings together industry leaders to discuss leadership, legacy and cultural capital in today’s media landscape. As part of the program, Wade, a global ambassador for Intuition by Aramis, will debut the brand’s new fragrance. The luncheon is also presented by McKinsey & Company, The Nature Conservancy and The Walt Disney Company.
On Aug. 9, actor, director, producer and dance icon Allen will be feted with a special nostalgic tribute to “A Different World,” followed by a Color of Conversation discussion.
Then, Rae will close the festival with a preview of Part 2 of the documentary “Seen & Heard” — a project that traces the trajectory of Black creatives in television. Following the screening, Rae and the film’s director and producer, Giselle Bailey, will be joined for a Color of Conversation discussion by director and producer Phil Bertelson and Montrel McKay, Hoorae Media’s president of development and production.
This year’s lineup also features EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, who will sit for a Color of Conversation discussion that chronicles her career, including hosting her hit eponymous talk show, and Tracee Ellis Ross, who will present her Roku travel series “Traveling Solo.” Joy Reid will sit for a fireside chat during the annual Women C-Suite luncheon, hosted by Google, L’Oréal Group and The Walt Disney Company; meanwhile, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and Reverend Al Sharpton engage in a special one-on-one conversation.
Another highlight is a special screening of the upcoming Starz docuseries “Magic City: An American Fantasy,” which will serve as the centrepiece event on Aug. 6. The five-part docuseries examines Atlanta’s most influential Black cultural hub, the Magic City strip club; for four decades, the venue has been a cultural institution, shaping the landscape of music, entertainment and business in Atlanta and beyond. A Color of Conversation discussion will follow the screening with executive producer Cole Brown and director Charles Todd.
Other screening events at this year’s festival include HBO Max’s “The Gilded Age”; the Tyler Perry Studios-produced film “Old Gray Mare,” written and directed by Courtney Glaudé; Netflix’s “The Perfect Neighbor” documentary, presented in partnership with Brown Girls Doc Mafia; the feature documentary “Wait Until Tomorrow,” about Black economic progress; and Ryan Coogler’s box office blockbuster “Sinners.” As MVAAFF is an Oscar-qualifying festival in the short film category, the annual brunch, sponsored by Xfinity, honors the emerging filmmakers whose films screen at the festival.
Among the festival’s sponsors are ESPN 30 for 30 — which returns as the presenting sponsor and supports the festival’s annual White Party, held at the Island Inn — as well as New York Magazine’s The Cut, which debuts as the official media partner.
For the full MVAAFF schedule and more information, visit their website.
Founded in 2002 by Floyd and Stephanie Rance, the annual MVAAFF supports African American filmmakers by screening, promoting and celebrating feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. The festival runs Aug. 1-9 in Oak Bluffs, Mass., on the campus of the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center (MVPAC) and the Vineyard Lounge.
On Aug. 5, Vance will present the Black Storytellers Panel alongside Keith David and Bassett Vance Productions’ president Lynnette Ramirez. The discussion is designed to give attendees a behind-the-scenes understanding of the content creation process and how to maintain cultural resonance and relatability while building collaborative and profitable businesses. The panel follows the recent launch of the Effie LIONS Foundation, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more creative and effective marketing industry. The Black Storytellers Panel is also sponsored by FX and Bassett Vance Productions.
On Aug. 6, Wade will participate in the festival’s third annual Men’s C-Suite Luncheon. Coined “The Bonds of Brotherhood,” the event brings together industry leaders to discuss leadership, legacy and cultural capital in today’s media landscape. As part of the program, Wade, a global ambassador for Intuition by Aramis, will debut the brand’s new fragrance. The luncheon is also presented by McKinsey & Company, The Nature Conservancy and The Walt Disney Company.
On Aug. 9, actor, director, producer and dance icon Allen will be feted with a special nostalgic tribute to “A Different World,” followed by a Color of Conversation discussion.
Then, Rae will close the festival with a preview of Part 2 of the documentary “Seen & Heard” — a project that traces the trajectory of Black creatives in television. Following the screening, Rae and the film’s director and producer, Giselle Bailey, will be joined for a Color of Conversation discussion by director and producer Phil Bertelson and Montrel McKay, Hoorae Media’s president of development and production.
This year’s lineup also features EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, who will sit for a Color of Conversation discussion that chronicles her career, including hosting her hit eponymous talk show, and Tracee Ellis Ross, who will present her Roku travel series “Traveling Solo.” Joy Reid will sit for a fireside chat during the annual Women C-Suite luncheon, hosted by Google, L’Oréal Group and The Walt Disney Company; meanwhile, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and Reverend Al Sharpton engage in a special one-on-one conversation.
Another highlight is a special screening of the upcoming Starz docuseries “Magic City: An American Fantasy,” which will serve as the centrepiece event on Aug. 6. The five-part docuseries examines Atlanta’s most influential Black cultural hub, the Magic City strip club; for four decades, the venue has been a cultural institution, shaping the landscape of music, entertainment and business in Atlanta and beyond. A Color of Conversation discussion will follow the screening with executive producer Cole Brown and director Charles Todd.
Other screening events at this year’s festival include HBO Max’s “The Gilded Age”; the Tyler Perry Studios-produced film “Old Gray Mare,” written and directed by Courtney Glaudé; Netflix’s “The Perfect Neighbor” documentary, presented in partnership with Brown Girls Doc Mafia; the feature documentary “Wait Until Tomorrow,” about Black economic progress; and Ryan Coogler’s box office blockbuster “Sinners.” As MVAAFF is an Oscar-qualifying festival in the short film category, the annual brunch, sponsored by Xfinity, honors the emerging filmmakers whose films screen at the festival.
Among the festival’s sponsors are ESPN 30 for 30 — which returns as the presenting sponsor and supports the festival’s annual White Party, held at the Island Inn — as well as New York Magazine’s The Cut, which debuts as the official media partner.
For the full MVAAFF schedule and more information, visit their website.