The Urbanworld Film Festival, which took place in New York City August 7-10, has become a much-needed showcase for films by and about people of color. This year the festival hosted filmmakers from as far away as France and The Netherlands.
One of the highlights of the 2002 festival was the DGA–sponsored filmmakers' luncheon. More than 30 festival participants enjoyed a lunch and networking session at the Screening Room Restaurant where DGA filmmakers spoke spontaneously about what the film medium means to them and about the protections which DGA membership affords them.
Recent DGA director member Charles Stone, whose films
Paid in Full and
Drumline were in the festival, said that Urbanworld offers "a major platform or canvas for stories of color. It's so important to have a variety of films. It's just so important for us to see things that we don't like about ourselves, or things we love about ourselves, the subtleties of just living."
He emphasized that the DGA presents unique and invaluable opportunities for directors of color to become part of an influential organization.
Another DGA member at the luncheon with a film in Urbanworld was Rolando Hudson, a director of commercials. Because of film festivals such as Urbanworld, he was able to find a forum for his short film
The Life, what he calls his "stepping-stone" from commercials to theatrical movies.
Other DGA members who attended the lunch were Eriq La Salle, Leslie Harris, Rolando Hudson, Daniel Cooper-Bey and Malcolm Lee.
Urbanworld founder Stacy Spikes said the Urbanworld group is an "elite group" of filmmakers. "If you can remember 10 years ago, we wouldn't be here having this conversation. A lot of things are changing on the landscape about independent film, and especially minority films." Crucial in this changing atmosphere is participation by filmmakers in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the guilds. "It gives you power and it's important to be involved," Spikes said.
