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Urbanworld
Kicked off its Sixth Year with Drumline and Capped it with the MECCA
Awards
By Ramona Prioleau
Through
its Asian, Black and Latino film offerings, the Urbanworld Film
Festival has exhibited diverse visions of city life. In 2002, the
festival took an extra step in bringing its film content to audiences
by jumpstarting its sixth annual event with the crowd-pleasing
Drumline. While Drumline certainly thrilled the star-studded audience,
Urbanworld's decision to precede the screening with a local drill team
electrified area residents and filmgoers alike, as the troupe of
steppers and musicians made their way along Harlem's 125th Street and
performed in front of the Magic Johnson Theater.
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© 2002 RLP Ventures, LLC
Chuck
Stone, Director of Drumline and Paid In Full
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After a spectacular
Harlem opening, the bulk of the festival's remaining screenings were
in Midtown Manhattan and the films maintained their high quality. Some
of the major motion pictures that premiered at the festival included
Paid in Full with Wood Harris (Hendrix) and Crazy As Hell, starring
Eriq La Salle (ER).
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This
year Urbanworld amped its celebrity presence by adding an event that
toasted trailblazing, excellence and promise in the arts. Coined as
the Minority Entertainment for the Cinematic and Creative Arts Awards,
the MECCA Awards featured a special screening of the comedy Barbershop
and spotlighted the achievements of Ice Cube (Career Achievement), Lee
Daniels (Visionary), Kerry Washington (Future of Film) and Topdog/Underdog
(Theatrical Excellence).
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Held at the packed DGA
Theater in Midtown Manhattan, the audience buzzed with excitement as
music and film star Eve arrived to present the Career Achievement
Award to Ice Cube. But Eve was not the only rapper turned actor in
attendance, Ice T of New Jack City fame and lately of Law & Order:
SVU arrived with arm candy to the delight of the paparazzi. But
photographers got very few snapshots of a couple of the honorees.
Jeffrey Wright (Shaft) and Mos Def (Bamboozled), the stars of the
Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play Topdog/Underdog, were quickly
ushered in to receive their honors and just as hastily whisked away in
order to make an 8 pm curtain call. After the award ceremony, the
evening concluded with a roof-raising jam at Chateau in Greenwich
Village. MORE >>>
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© 2002 RLP Ventures, LLC
The
Sights and Sounds of Urbanworld 2002
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In
what has become has known to some Urbanworld regulars as the Planet
Hollywood Salute to the Indies, the Maryland Film Office hosted
Urbanworld's annual brunch at the eatery where prizes were bestowed
upon eager filmmakers. Award recipients included:
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Director Rick Derby for "Rocks With
Wings" - HBO Documentary Feature Prize ($5,000);
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Directors Sandra Krasa and Bianca White for
"Ocoee: The Legacy of the Election Day Massacre" - HBO
Documentary Short prize ($2500);
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Writer/Director Eric Eason for
"Manito" - Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Film;
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Director Bertha Bay-Sa Pan for "Face"
- Grand Jury Prize for Best Director;
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Director Neema Barnette for "Civil
Brand" - Audience Award for Best Film and a Special Jury
Award;
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Director Grace Lee for "Barrier
Device"- Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film;
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Writer/Director Brin Hill for "Morning
Breath" - Special Award for Creative Writing; and
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Writer Deborah Goodwin for "Cherrys" -
Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay.
Among the recipients were those new and seasoned in
filmmaking, but all were equally overcome with joy upon receiving
their awards. In commenting on Civil Brand receiving the Audience
Award for Best Feature Film, director Neema Barnette declared,
"this film if for the community. When I saw that Black audiences
liked this film, I felt like I did my job. Everything else is
gravy."
M
August 2002
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