Sandra Evers-Manly, President and Founder and John Forbes, Executive Director of The Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC) announce the opening of the 28th Annual African American Film Marketplace & S.E. Manly Short Film Showcase (AAFM SEMSF) with the popular “A Great Day In Black Hollywood” signature event.
Hosted by veteran and award-winning actor, William Allen Young, 9-1-1: Lone Star, NCIS, and CBS Code Black, the program is an in-person event for the first time in two years due to COVID restrictions. The event takes place at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center 4718 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90016, Friday, August 19th at 7:30 PM. Purchase tickets at www.bherc.org.
BHERC has led the way in spotlighting Black talent in entertainment for just shy of three decades. Connecting both the big and small screen with audiences and creating pathways into the industry for those who dream of careers in the many fields of entertainment.
This popular gala honors diverse leading and legendary professionals, as well as the filmmakers selected for the 2022 AAFM S.E. Manly Film Showcase (AAFM SEMSFF), a top short film festival in the industry.
The films are clear examples of the best and brightest, and inspirational life journeys are revealed in ways unmatched anywhere else. Some of the filmmakers who have had their short films exhibited at the SEMSFF, as they were launching their now extraordinary careers include Black Panther and upcoming Wakanda Forever director, Ryan Coogler; Oscar-nominated writer-director of Mudbound, Dee Rees, and writing-directing icon Gina Prince-Bythewood Old Guard and upcoming Woman King.
The “A Great Day In Black Hollywood” event introduces the up-and-coming 2022 Class of AAFM SEMSFS whose films were selected from over 1500 entries, however, the opening gala raises the curtain and spotlights icons and trailblazers in the entertainment industry and with an impact on the community.
This year’s honorees are Pioneer Gil L. Robertson, IV writer/author and co-founder of the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), recipient of the Ivan Dixon Award; Beverly White, Award-winning Journalist, recipient of President’s Award; The iconic triple threat of theater, film, and music American treasure Ketty Lester, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Creative Coalition of Color (CCC), a black-led, minority-majority coalition vital to shaping diversity in the Entertainment industry, recipient of the Community Service Award.
Past honorees include Lillian Benson, ACE Film Editor; Ivan Dixon, Actor/Director; Preston Holmes, Producer; F. Gary Gray, Director and Gina Prince-Bythewood, Writer/Director to name a few.
“We are extremely excited and humbled by our honorees who are deserving of praise and recognition. It’s with the highest respect that BHERC chose these entertainment and community executives, whose work many have enjoyed. We greatly appreciate their contributions to the community, and most importantly to Black Hollywood and the community at large.” States John Forbes, Executive Director, BHERC.
