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Showing posts with the label Blue Bistro Creative

Grateful for My RICE Awards Vanguard Award Nomination

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GRATITUDE… Every day, I wake up and work to move the needle forward on my ventures. Some days, it feels like rolling a stone uphill; other times, it’s like being Wile E. Coyote—chasing that roadrunner, only to find yourself back at the drawing board. But through it all, this is my life’s commitment, so I keep going. That’s the reality of being an advocate for community, especially in the arts and entertainment industry. How we are seen on screen and how our humanity is shared matters deeply. There must be space and opportunity on larger platforms to present the full scope and scale of our humanity—sharing stories that are more authentic, accurate, and complete. Much of that requires the quiet, behind-the-scenes work that often goes unseen. I’ve learned not to do it for recognition, but because it’s who I want to be—for myself, my family, and especially my kids and grandkids. That’s why being nominated for the Vanguard Award by the RICE Awards Executive Committee means so much. A specia...

Matching Grant Announced for Alma Film Festival to Support Emerging Global South Filmmakers

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Matching Grant Announced for Alma Film Festival to Support Emerging Global South Filmmakers The Alma Film Festival is pleased to announce a generous gift from an Atlanta-area private family charitable fund. The contribution, made through the Alma Global Community Development Corporation , will directly support the Dandelion Institute’s Film & Television Fellowship , which equips emerging filmmakers from the Global South with mentorship, training, and opportunities for global exposure. Our inaugural group of fellows includes filmmakers from Honduras, South Africa, Jamaica, Lesotho, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands , working across narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental cinema. Highlights include Joe Ramos (Honduras), the first Black director in his country’s film industry; Athi Petela (South Africa), acclaimed for storytelling depth; Khotso Jaden Maphathe (Lesotho), a multidisciplinary artist; Tumeli Toqota (Fiji), creator of Fiji’s first animated film; Regina & ...

The Alma Film Festival Launches Global Audience Survey In Partnership with the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Circle

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The Alma Film Festival Launches Global Audience Survey In Partnership with the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal "Like so many others, we’re adding our voice and energy to support the needs of BIPOC filmmakers and the desires of BIPOC audiences—helping to increase capacity, amplify more underrepresented stories, and expand what’s possible within the global film landscape through deep partnerships and shared purpose. There’s a lot that needs to be done, and none of us can do this work alone.” ~ Anthony R Page, Festival Director, Alma Film Festival ------------------------------------- The Alma Film Festival , an emerging global platform for cinema and culture rooted in the Global South, has officially launched its Global Audience Survey in partnership with the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal . This initiative is part of the festival’s commitment to building a more inclusive, human-centered cinematic future—by directly listening to the audiences who will help shape it. Designed to engage audie...

We Are Thrilled to Announce the Debut of the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal, Launching This Month!

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AFRO-MOSAIC CINEMA JOURNAL We are thrilled to announce the debut of the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal , launching this month! This inaugural issue serves as a global invitation to engage in meaningful conversations about cinema and the communities that shape it. Through compelling stories, insights, and creative perspectives, the journal bridges filmmakers and cultural movements across the diaspora. Inside, you'll discover a rich collection of articles, essays, and editorials spotlighting film communities in Colombia, Jamaica, South Africa, Honduras, Cameroon, the Solomon Islands, Lesotho, Nigeria , and the Democratic Republic of Congo . A production still from the film Origins  written & directed by Jamaican filmmaker Kurt Wright Contributions come from an extraordinary range of voices, including: Dr. Boisha Wofford (Editor-In-Chief, Tampa, FL) Yolanda Chase (Aurora, CO) Itzel "Izzy" Fernandez (Filmmaker, Atlanta) Ess The Essample (Brooklyn, NY) ...