Cadence Announces the Premiere of the Sitelines BLM ACTION Film Festival
ACTION opens on Saturday, October 14th at 1:00 pm the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Three films written by and featuring some of Richmond’s favorites will be shown. The lineup includes Margarette Joyner’s Still Fighting (directed by Margarette Joyner), Brittany Fisher’s Bleach (directed by Omiyẹmi (Artisia) Green)* and dl Hopkins’ Break (directed by dl Hopkins). The festival will include a post-show Q&A with the writers to draw audiences nearer to the artists. A key feature of the festival will also include three Welcome Table discussions inspired by the aspirational work of James Baldwin, the inclusive homemaking practices of Josephine Baker, and continued in work such as artist Lois Weaver’s “Long Table.” Facilitators trained by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities will help support the communal dialogues meant to inspire participants to continue identifying areas of mutual understanding beyond the festival that lead to ACTION or social transformation.
In October 2020, Cadence commissioned five writers to create screenplays for the Sitelines BLM program. The other two commissioned writers included two students, Colocho Mairena (University of Richmond) and Obadiah Parker (Virginia Commonwealth University). One of the key considerations of the adjudication process was the degree to which the work was Richmond site-specific, and the possibilities for it to deepen human intervisibility and incite meaningful public conversation. Screenplay development and filming took place over a three year period as funding for each film was sourced.
Each work was filmed at, responds to, or is in conversation with historic or iconic locations in the City of Richmond and surrounding counties, as when the program was initially conceived by Omiyẹmi in 2020, “these were some of the new seeing places for reflection on the multiple dimensions of the pandemic and for bringing communities together in the absence of live theatre due to Covid-19,” she says. Still Fighting was filmed at the Virginia War Memorial. Bleach was filmed in front of and features prominently Kehinde Wiley’s Rumors of War statue, and Break was filmed at both the Richmond Reconciliation Statue and the Historic Westover Plantation. To buoy the effort around public dialogue, Cadence has invited historian Dr. Adrienne Petty (William & Mary) and film and mass communications professor Dr. Cathy Jackson (Norfolk State) to contextualize the films and offer provocations for the discussions to follow. Round table discussions will be led by Dr. Erin Hanley of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC).
Adrienne Petty is an associate professor at William & Mary and a historian of the United States South who examines the transformation of southern farming and rural life since the Civil War. Petty co-directs the oral history project “Breaking New Ground: A History of African American Farm Owners.” She and the project’s co-director, Mark Schultz, are currently completing a history of African American farm owners that draws upon on the interviews. Petty is the author of Standing Their Ground: Small Farmers in North Carolina Since the Civil War.
Cathy M. Jackson is an associate professor at Norfolk State University and teaches courses in multiculturalism and the mass media, media history, film history, and the history of the African Americans in movies. Her scholarly interests include the history of print journalism in the Old West, folklore, diversity, and press coverage of Old West outlaws. She published articles and book chapters, and for her expertise on Jesse James, her dissertation was awarded the 2005 James-Younger Gang Milton Perry Award for Outstanding Research, in addition to an appearance on a 2006 American Experience documentary “Jesse James,” and 2011 segment of the Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum. Her career in newspapers included stints as a general assignment and features reporter at the Flint (Michigan) Journal and as a features reporter at The Tampa Tribune.
Dr. Erin Hanley is a Vice President of Programs at the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC), an organization that works with schools, businesses, and communities to achieve success through inclusion. In her role, she designs and facilitates educational programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a particular focus on workplaces and communities across Virginia.
With a background in counseling and social justice, Dr. Erin has spent most of her career in education, specializing in creating safe spaces for Black women and other underserved populations. She received the 2022 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. Before coming to VCIC, Dr. Erin was the Assistant Director of Exploration and Transitions within Career Services at Virginia Commonwealth University. Previously, she was a high school counselor in Prince William County, VA.
Dr. Erin received her doctorate in Counselor Education from Virginia Commonwealth University, her masters in School Counseling from UNC Chapel Hill, and her undergraduate degree in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is passionate about creating opportunities that allow people to be seen, heard, and understood. In that vein, Dr. Erin can also be found delivering identity-based programming that fosters community, connection, and career development for Black women in Richmond. To learn more about the VCIC in the community, please visit https://inclusiveva.org.
Of the event, Artistic and Managing Director Anna Johnson says, “Since 2020, we've anticipated this very moment. As the year has turned to 2023, the significance of illuminating these crucial narratives has grown more vital than at any other time.”
Cadence encourages anyone interested in the arts, filmmaking, and community dialogue to attend, but most especially students, educators, and families. The event is free and open to the public, but patrons will have to cover a nominal parking fee at the VMHC. Parking is available behind the facility, with entrances at Kensington Avenue and opposite the VMFA parking garage (from N Sheppard St. or Stuart Ave). For a full description of each film, visit our Sitelines page, or click here to see event details and reserve a spot. Press materials are available here and make sure to check out the 2023 Action trailers below.
Sponsors
ACTION is sponsored by CultureWorks, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Little Star Publishing, Omiwerx, and Raven & Crow.
Sitelines
Sitelines is an exciting initiative that brings contemporary works to public spaces and cultural venues throughout Richmond. This innovative program was made possible through an Innovative Priority Grant from CultureWorks’ Grants Program, which received support from several partners including Altria, The City of Richmond, The Tomato Fund, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. By offering performances in public spaces, Sitelines aims to increase community participation in live theater and encourage people to rediscover and engage with our city spaces. Sitelines is also focused on building connections, promoting inclusion, and encouraging dialogue within our community.
Accessibility
Cadence is extremely pleased to partner with Virginia Voice, who will provide live audio descriptions for this event. Live audio description provides access for individuals with blindness, vision impairment, and other disabilities through technology and the human voice. PRIOR REGISTRATION WITH VIRGINIA VOICE IS REQUIRED. For further information or to make a reservation, please call (804) 266-2477 or email Felicia Smith at pgmcoord@virginiavoice.org. For guests with hearing impairments, each film will be equipped with closed captioning.
*Bleach is the recipient of Vesuvius International Film Festival (Finalist for Best Trailer); 4Theatre Festival (Finalist for Best Low Budget Short, Finalist for Best Drama Short, Finalist for Best First Time Short); Focus International Film Festival 2022 (Finalist, SAPPHIRE Trailer Award), Festival for Trailers Monthly (Official Selection); Indie Short Fest (Official Selection, Honorable Mention for Best Trailer); International Independent Film Awards (Silver Winner 2022); WILDsound Festival (Official Selection); and Austin Indie Fest (Nominee).