Tanya Kersey, Founder and Executive Director, is excited about the 2012 season of the Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) with an exciting line up of films, panels, panelists and festivities over a four day period.   HBFF happens October 25 ““ 28, 2012 and will be hosted at The W Hotel, 6250 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028.   TheOpening Night  will be held on October 25 @ 7:00 PM. All films will be screened around the corner at the Montalban Theater, 1615 Vine Street, Hollywood, CA.Note To Self, the Opening Night Film, centers around a handsome and popular student-athlete who embarks on a journey of self-realization while navigating the choppy waters of a love triangle. The film stars  Christian Keyes, LeToya Luckett, Richard T. Jones, Brian McKnight, Eva Marcille, Clifton Powell, Valarie Pettiford, Jason Weaver, Brely Evans, Sebastian Siegal, Willie Taylor, Mishon Ratliff, Brian McKnight, Jr. and more. Trey Haley directs from a script by Christian Keyes.   ND Brown, Eric Tomosunas, Veronica Nicholas and Keith Neal are the producers. Gregory Anderson and Reginald Jones are the executive producers.   The film is produced Tri Destined Studios and Swirl Films, and is being distributed by One Village/Image Entertainment.   Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the director, writer and cast, and a college-themed after-party will follow.
Festival goers can look forward to three (3) FREE Events;  Monologue Slam with Twinkie Byrd and Celebrity Friends  (Actor Omari Hardwick,  Sparkle; Actress Erica Hubbard,  Akeelah and the Bee; Actress Naturi Naughton,  Fame, Actress Kym Whitley,  Greg’s Anatomy & Oh Drama)  on Saturday, October 27 @ 5:15 PM, followed by  Michael Baisden presents the HBFF Storyteller Competition Live Staged Reading (Kenny Lattimore, Keith Burke, Jermaine Jacox, Alexia Peebles, Danny Delloyd, Sy Richardson, Roger Payano, Marvin Gay and Adenrele Oji-Allen)  @ 7:00 PM. On Sunday @ 11:30 AM with  Faith in Films: A Conversation with DeVon Franklin.
The HBFF has an impressive list of panelist which include notable names such as  Amber Rasberry,  Director of Development, 34th St Films, a subsidiary of Tyler Perry Studios;  Bentley Kyle Evans, Creator/Executive Producer, “Love That Girl” (TV One);  Billy Hawkins,  Motion Picture Literary Agent, Creative Artists Agency (CAA);  Brian Dobbins,  Talent Manager,  Partner, Principato-Young;  Christopher Mack, Vice President, Warner Bros. Workshop;  Dana Sims, Talent Agent, ICM;  DeVon Franklin, Senior Vice President, Production, Columbia Pictures;James Lopez, Senior Vice President, Production, Screen Gems;  Karen Horne. VP, Entertainment Diversity Programs, NBC Ent/Universal Television; Entertainment Attorney  Matt Johnson;Robert Mendez, Senior Vice President, Disney/ABC Television Group;  Traci Lynn Blackwell, Vice President of Current Programs, The CW Network and Casting Director  Twinkie Byrd.
Three Key Sessions you don’t want to miss:  New Avenues To Finance, Produce & Distribute Films on Any Budget  on Friday, October 26 @ 11:45 AM;  Master Class: Film Producers Roundtable  on Saturday @ 2:45 PM and the  Pitchaton  on Sunday @ 1:30 PM.
The HBFF closes with the world  premiere of  24 Hour Love, which showcases seven stories of everyday people experiencing love, laughter, life and relationships of the heart “¦ the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The film stars  Melinda Williams, Tatyana Ali, Keith Robinson, Eva Marcille, Flex Alexander, Chico Benymon, Lynn Whitfield  and  Darius McCrary. Fred Thomas directs from a script by Don B. Welch.   The producers are Eric Tomosunas and Don B. Welch. Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the director, writer and cast.   The festival wrap-party will follow.
