I have been really excited about the Roxbury Film Festival every since I failed miserably last year at attending any films. This year is the 10th Anniversary and it showed. The line for Of Boys and Men, 7 p.m. showing was a mob scene!! The line was all the way to the back of the MFA waiting area, and it was the same for those who were waiting for tickets to become available. I was glad I had spent the extra money for the pass. But, to avoid missing out on a flick you can purchase tickets on-line previous to the showing.
Photo: Representatives of The Color of Film Collaborative (TCOF) and ACT Roxbury
(Arts, Culture Trade) and They started out the film by giving awards to people who have helped the festival. The most notable to me to me was the founding funder,
Candelaria, who started seeded this festival 10 years ago with $5,000 and a dream. What an inspiration! They also gave a notable award to the only male member of the planning committee. I was so shocked that there is only one man on the whole team, that has been a volunteer for like 10 years! Men WHERE ARE YOU?? But I digress.
Photo: Founding contributor, Candelaria
Photo: The sole male participant on the planning committee of the Film Festival
The film was about a strong family that has to deal with a deep sense of grief when the mother/wife is lost in a tragic car accident. Robert Townsen stars as the father, Angela Bassett as the mother, Victoria Rowell plays the sister of Robert, with a steal-the-show-performance by Bobb'e J. Thompson of That's So Raven fame. The film displays the complexities of grief and the levels of human understanding one has to go through to make peace with a devestating loss.
After the showing, Robert took questions about the film and about the film industry along with the two other first time Executive Producers, Sheba Carter and Maisha R. Parsons. *Side Note: During filming Maisha experienced a loss exactly like what was portrayed in the film. She felt this allowed her to give a richer perspective to the storyline during the rewriting process.
Photo: Executive Producers Maisha R. Parsons and Sheba Carter
Robert Townsend is said to be one of the premiere black independent film makers, who still makes positive and uplifting Black films. He was very real, very open and had valuable insight on reasons why Blacks continue to be portrayed in a negative light in both film and television. He stressed thatwe don't support them siteing films like "The Great Debaters", "Akeela and the Bee" by saying "We didn't show up". He encouraged people to get involved, vote with their dollars and send messages to studios demanding better quality in both television and film.
Photo: Robert Towsend
Thank you for your important work
Robert. We appreciate you! And we HEAR you.
Stay Fab! :)
*The festival goes all weekend, for show times and more info click here!!
Send tips, upcoming events and recap information to: