FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 17, 2001

BLACK HOLLYWOOD BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 2002 TO UNVEIL 80 FILMS

(Los Angeles, CA)

Record High Submissions Received From Filmmakers Coast To Coast And Abroad Yielding 32 Short Films, 20 Documentaries, 15 Features And 9 Student Productions

Competitive Categories Include 51 World Premieres, 11 West Coast Premieres And 16 Los Angeles Premieres

Additional Categories To Launch In 2002 Include Inaugural Screenings of 3 Music Videos And 1 Animation Project

(December 17, 2001 – Los Angeles, CA) -- An unprecedented 80 films (up 48% from 45 in 2001) are scheduled to unspool at the upcoming Hollywood Black Film Festival 2002 (HBFF 2002), the premiere competitive showcase for Black films. Two thousand and two marks the festival’s 4th annual presentation scheduled for February 5-10 in Hollywood, California. Since its exception in 1999, the festival has experienced steady growth through increased industry participation, prompting festival executives to extend the 5-day schedule to six days for HBFF 2002.

Screenings will include 32 shorts, 20 documentaries, 15 features and 9 student films in the competitive categories. Keeping in step with technology and format diversification, festival programmers will present new animation and music video categories. Three music videos and 1 animation short will be screened as part of HBFF’s introduction of the new formats. Tanya Kersey-Henley, HBFF Founder and Executive Director and Programming Director, Jacqueline Blaylock made the announcement. “Over the past three years we have experienced steady growth through focused outreach to the Hollywood community that we’ve augmented by consistently presenting first rate films,” said Kersey-Henley. “The increased number of submissions received for the upcoming festival is another indicator of the heightened awareness and momentum that we intend to maintain moving forward,” added Kersey.

HBFF 2002 FINALISTS – 2

Films screening in the competitive categories represent 52 World Premieres, 11 West Coast Premieres and 16 Los Angeles Premieres. “HBFF 2002 will bring the works of talented Black filmmakers to the forefront and foster their sense of accomplishment in successfully completing their projects through exhibiting their films to the industry, press and public,” commented Blaylock. As in past years, HBFF 2002 will be a forum for industry executives and other prominent members of the Hollywood community to screen the works of emerging filmmakers and attend panels, seminars and workshops at the adjunct Infotainment Conference.

Films selected as finalists in the HBFF Features Competition include:

MAANGAMIZI – THE ANCIENT ONE (Screening), written and produced by Queenae Taylor Mulvihill, THE KINGSTON HIGH (World Premiere), written and directed by Stephen Townsend, HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS (World Premiere), directed by Eric Matayas and Daron “SouthBoy” Fordham, THE RIFF (World Premiere), produced by Roger Bobb, HONEYBEE (Los Angeles Premiere), written by Melvin James and directed by Roderick Powell, 100 KILOS (World Premiere), written and directed by Rod S. Scott, GO FOR BROKE (World Premiere), written and directed by Jean-Claude Lamarre, JOY (World Premiere), written and produced by Jackie Alexander, HIPHOPBATTLE.COM: HIP-HOP FOR LIFE (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by David Velo Stewart, THE MURDER MEN (World Premiere), written and directed by King Jeff, ALL ABOUT YOU (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by Christine Swanson, LOVE RELATIONS (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by Delvin Molden, ME & MRS. JONES (World Premiere), written and directed by Edward LaBorde, Jr., LIVING WITH MIMI, written and directed by Jonte¢ and BLUE HILL AVENUE, written and directed by Craig Ross, Jr.

The HBFF Short Film Competition includes:

THE SAINT-LASANTA (World Premiere), written and directed by Juliana Marchand, 12 MINUTES (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by Raymond A. Thomas.

HBFF 2002 FINALISTS - 3

Short Film Finalists Cont:

A SONG FOR JADE (Los Angeles Premiere), written by Eric J. Pullen, directed by Shari Lynn Himes, FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLE BEE, written and directed by Linda Hamblin Denton, FAITHLESS (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by Kirby Ashley, MARRIAGE & MARGARET COOPER (World Premiere), co-written by Vernon Hobson and P.J. Johnson who also directed, REV’O. LU SHUN (World Premiere), written and directed by Daoud Abeid and Dahkil Hausif, GABRIELLE (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by Stephanie La’ Keem Jones, MARAGRITA JONES (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by Brandi Megan Smith, OUR FATHER (World Premiere), written by Robert Alan Bellinger and directed by Toni Ann Johnson, WHOA (World Premiere), written and directed by James Gillard, ALSO KNOWN AS GIRL (World Premiere), written and directed by Julie Ann Lucas, CONCRETE JUNGLE (World Premiere), written and directed by Wondwossen Dickman, BEAUTIFUL DAY (World Premiere), written and directed by Jenna Starks, THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by JD Cochran, OUT OF FOCUS (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by James Gillard, A GOOD NIGHT (World Premiere), written by Jeff Tully, directed by Ross K. Marshall, GO WITH THE FRO (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by Marianne Lewis, CALL ME CHRIS (World Premiere), written and directed by John Y. Church, SHADES OF NAPOLEON (World Premiere), written and directed by Greg White, FIREBUG (World Premiere), written by Brian Burgoyne, directed by Michelle Harris, MILK & HONEY (World Premiere), written and directed by Niva Dorell, PATTI (World Premiere), written and directed by Ose Oyamendan, MORNING BREATH (World Premiere), written by SirmuMs, directed by Brin Hill, RUBY SLIPPERS (Los Angeles Premiere), written by Dare Aiyegbayo, directed by Stephen Rudder, ESSENCE OF KING & QUEEN (World Premiere), written and directed by Shawn Marcus Taylor, TRUTH (World Premiere), written and directed by Corey Shields, THE LIFE (World Premiere), written and directed by Roger Bobb, TARGET PRACTICE (World Premiere), co-written by Jamie Penekephman and Lanre Olabisi who also directed and THE DIPLOMAT (World Premiere), written and directed by J.L. Davis.

HBFF 2002 FINALISTS - 4

Documentary program finalists are:

WRITE OR DIE (Los Angeles Premiere), written by LaNa Jones, co-directed by Jones and Tshombe Walker, A NIGHT IN THE MARINA (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by Wayne Calvin Byrd III, OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by Phil Bertelsen, FIRST PEOPLE, OUR PEOPLE: ACIENT EGYPT REVEALED (West Coast Premiere), directed by Ivan J. Juzang, co-written by Pamela Weddington and William Juzang, MY MAN DONE ME WRONG (World Premiere), written and directed by Anita Singleton Prather, THE DAY THEY BOMBED THE PROMISE LAND (World Premiere), written and directed by Tim Reid, HONOUR BEFORE GLORY (World Premiere), written and directed by Anthony Sherwood, IT’S BLACK ENTERTAINMENT (World Premiere), produced by RJ Johnson, directed by Stan Lathan, COMBAT: FROM STREET FORM TO MARTIAL ART (World Premiere), written and directed by Damon Bradford, THE TRUTH THE PAIN THE SACRIFICE: AN ACTOR’S REALITY (World Premiere), written and directed by Sandra Hodge, SEVERED SOULS (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by Cynthia Morton, STEP SHOW: PORTRAIT OF A BLACK FRATERNITY (West Coast Premiere), directed by Beverly Oden and Marcie Aroy, STREET DREAMS VOLUME ONE: FROM THE STREET TO THE EXECUTIVE SUITE (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by Tony Dofat, KEEPING THE FAITH WITH MORRIE (World Premiere), written and directed by Ashley Rogers, MOVING WALL OF EMOTIONS (World Premiere), produced and directed Arthur Byrd, Jr., EMINH CARA: THAT’S MY FACE (Los Angeles Premiere), co-written by Don Perry and Thomas Allen Harris who also directed. BROTHER MEN (World Premiere), directed by Demetria Royals, A BOY! (World Premiere), written and directed by Monte C. Wilson, ROOTS & WINGS: A CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNEY (World Premiere), written and directed by Tanya Montgomery, ROOTS: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS (Los Angeles Premiere), directed by Judith Leonard, WE ARE NOT VANISHING (World Premiere), written by Lance Moody and directed by Alphonzo Wesson and THE BOOTH (World Premiere), written and directed by Anthony Alleyne.

HBFF 2002 FINALISTS – 5

The HBFF Student Film Finalists include: LUCKY (Los Angeles Premiere), written and directed by Olufunmilayo, THOU SHALL NOT KILL (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by Yuk Tin Chan, SUMMONING (West Coast Premiere), written and directed by Jacob Estes, PEEPING TOM (World Premiere), written by Aaron Rahsaan Thomas and directed by Jason Todd Ipson, VWB-VOTING WHILE BLACK (World Premiere), written and directed by Malissa Strong, WHAT HAPPENED (World Premiere), co-written by Jason Mendoza and Michael Martin, who also directed, ONE QUIET SUBURBAN NIGHT (Los Angeles), written and directed by Robbie Pickering and HOW I GOT OVER (World Premiere), written and directed by Kevin Shaw.

The animation category includes:

PHANTOM, created by Jesse Ford.

Titles to be screened in the music video category include:

I’LL BE THERE (World Premiere), written and directed by Ben Morris, I DO LOVE (World Premiere), written by Gerrard Howland, directed by Mateen Kemet and 805’n (World Premiere), directed by Monte C. Wilson.

HBFF 2002 is presented by Black Talent News (BTN), the premiere entertainment industry trade publication for African Americans. Kersey-Henley, BTN’s publisher and editor-in-chief has directed production of the festival since its inception. The Hollywood Black Film Festival is a non-profit organization. The festival aims to enhance the careers of emerging and established Black North American filmmakers through a public exhibition and competition program, and bring independent works by Black filmmakers to Southern California area audiences, thereby fostering a greater appreciation for Black filmmaking.

The Hollywood Black Film Festival is supported by a prestigious group of leading industry professionals who serve on the festival’s Advisory Board. They are: Tina Andrews, Paris Barclay, Frederick W. Brown, Esq., Bill Duke, Roy Campanella II, Carl Craig, Suzanne De Passe, Antwone Quenton Fisher, Ray Forchion, Peter Gathings Bunch, Kevin Hooks, Nedra Jenkins, Esq., Stan Lathan, Franklin Lett, Sandra Lord, Bobby Mardis, Darrell D. Miller, Esq., Denise Nicholas, Cleveland O’Neal, Dinah Perez, Esq., Tim Reid, Matty Rich, George Tillman, Robert Townsend, Gary A. Watson, Esq., and Preston A. Whitmore II.