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A local filmmaker’s short film is set to kick off Windsor’s first-ever Black film festival, shining a light on Black storytelling and filmmaking.
“I think Black stories are really important,” said Carlos Anthony, a Windsor-based filmmaker and author who writes about the historically unspoken experiences of Black men. “It allows us to change the narrative of how Black people are looked at.”
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Anthony’s short film Triggered has been selected to open the festival on August 16.
The 25-minute film follows four women who awaken in the aftermath of a night of partying with a womanizer and realize that one of their friends is missing. As they frantically piece together their fragmented memories to find her, they’re unaware that his girlfriend is en route to his apartment, setting the stage for a chaotic and suspenseful chase.
“I think this film festival, especially with having a diverse number of films, allows the community to participate in it to see the very different narratives and cultures that are part of the Black diaspora,” Anthony said.
From a pool of over 50 films submitted, a group of judges will select up to 15 films, spanning from documentaries, comedies, feature films, and children’s films.
The festival will screen films from countries across the world — such as France, Finland, Africa, the United States, and Canada.
“This is for everybody in the community,” said Christie Nelson, vice-president of the film festival. “It’s not just for people of colour.
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“It’s for people from all walks of life who are curious about the stories of Black people.”
The festival takes place at the downtown Armouries Theatre from August 16-18. The first day will include a meet-and-greet mixer. Day two will offer daylong screenings and a table discussion. A red carpet awards ceremony will highlight day three.
“The vision of the film festival is to give a voice to Black people and allow them to express themselves,” said WIBFF president Hermes Fomutar.
“We are trying to create cinematic access here in Windsor for the production of black films.
“Black films by Black people.”
mholmeshill@postmedia.com
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