Five projects are being supported by the award, which is named after the founding father of American Black Cinema.
The Fayetteville Film Fest Board has announced the winners of the Micheaux Award for the 2020 Winter Cycle. Board members were “overwhelmed by the incredible submissions” from around the state, so they raised more money to fund five projects, according to a press release.
The Micheaux Award Recipients for the 2020 Winter Cycle are:
Arienne Dawes for Yes, Andie — Andrea is a 30-something comedic actor whose love life is blocked. When she meets Gabe after an improv show, she’s excited to “Yes And” a new relationship until she learns disturbing details about his past.
Chris James for Stuck in 1919 — Two ambitious filmmakers documenting one of America’s bloodiest events, The Elaine Massacre, discover the city is haunted by and stuck in its dark past, and they might get stuck too.
Obed Lamy for Haitian TPS — For years, thousands of Haitian Temporary Protected Status recipients have navigated their daily lives and the U.S. immigration system with hope and uncertainty. The film takes a closer look at the journey of three of them.
Bernard Oliver for Lost in the Sauce — A true, unfiltered look into the struggles and triumphs of championship prize fighter Kalvin Henderson. Nothing is off limits — his coach, his team and all the things you never knew you didn’t know about a boxer’s journey.
Melanie Teoh for Conditional Love — A short film exploring the experiences of the oh-so taboo topic of love within the Chinese-American community.
The festival’s first virtual FFF-BIPOC Film Lab in the coming weeks will feature a panel discussion with the five Micheaux Award recipients as well as tips and insights on the selection process.
The Summer 2021 Cycle will open for applications May 15, 2020. Details are available on the festival website and their social media channels.
The Micheaux Award — named in honor of Oscar Micheaux, a founding father of American Black cinema — will distribute up to $4,000 in two cycles per year. Awards will be distributed to two to three film projects per cycle with no single application receiving more than $1,500.
Eligibility:
- Open to film projects in all stages of development, scope and genre.
- Open to film projects made by BIPOC individuals living or working in Arkansas. Preference will apply to filmmakers focused on the BIPOC communities of which they are a part.
- Films that address issues of social and racial justice are especially encouraged.
- The submitter must be at least 18 years of age.
The FFF-BIPOC Film Lab will facilitate educational workshops and networking events to encourage diverse content creation, equip filmmakers of color to tell their own stories and cultivate audiences that are truly reflective of our whole community.
There are three areas of focus for the educational/mentorship plan:
- Technical aspects of filmmaking
- Business fundamentals
- Networking opportunities to broaden reach and impact
Networking opportunities will come in the form of regular quarterly meetings (online in the short-term and in-person once it is safe to do so given the current health crisis), as well as occasional community events and public film screenings.
The Film Labs are open to all Arkansas BIPOC filmmakers. The Micheaux Award and the BIPOC Film Labs are sponsored by Visionairi Enterprises, Arkansas Soul and Rockhill Studios.