This weekend, May 21 - May 24, The Dayton Black Women's Film Festival returns to The Neon for it's third annual year. Filmmaker and founder Ange Mitchell says that she is grateful to be able to provide a platform for Black women that wasn't available when she was in school.
"I'm blessed to be able to create a space like this that wasn't there when I started film school. Hopefully, other Black women who do decide to go to film school, or in this area that is Ohio with all its quirks and cool things, are able to have this space and know that they're safe and they're seen and they are heard and their work can be explored and celebrated right in their own backyard."
This theme for this year's festival is,"Black women educating through film." The films curated for this weekend are intimate views into the stories of women from around the world and from right here in the Miami Valley.
On Saturday, May 23: Celebrating its 35th anniversary A Powerful Thang by Zeinabu Irene Davis will be joined by a screening of Julie Dash's The Diary of an African Nun. These films are dedicated to life and legacy of actress Barbara Olivia Jones who was one of the leaders of the L.A. Rebellion movement of the 60s and 70s. Davis will be in attendance for these screenings as a special guest.
On Sunday, May 24: Celebrating the next generation of storytellers the evening will begin with the Hometown Heroes Shorts Program. Three local black women filmmakers will present their short films for a chance at a $500 scholarship. Following the shorts will be the 30th anniversary screening of Cheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman. Dunye is widely recognized as one of the first openly gay black filmmakers to direct a feature film, and this film continues to inspire across generations.
To get more info and to buy tickets to this year's Dayton Black Women's Film Festival head on over to daytonbwff.org.
