To Mark Its 10th Anniversary, Independent Film Initiative (‘Diversity in Cannes’) Promoting Inclusion at Cannes Film Festival Celebrates Diverse Filmmakers With Top Ten Filmmaker Series.
In celebration of Black History Month and it’s 10th anniversary, Diversity in Cannes, the independent film movement promoting inclusion at the Cannes Film Festival announces its Top 10 Black Filmmakers to Watch.
Curated by the movement’s creator, Yolonda Brinkley and its globally diverse screening committee, the filmmakers are chosen based on their body of work, their ability to positively shape the perception of the black experience globally and their approach to filmmaking.
Selected from one thousand filmmakers who have submitted their short films and webseries to the Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase between January 2013 and April 2018, the filmmakers represent Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States. While all filmmakers weren’t official selections of the Showcase, they are recognized for their ability to educate, entertain and to impact the black narrative worldwide.
“I am excited to celebrate 10 years of independently promoting inclusion at the Cannes Film Festival and to announce the Diversity in Cannes Top 10 Black Filmmakers To Watch in honor of Black History Month,” comments Yolonda Brinkley, U.S. based entertainment publicist and creator of Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes. “At a time when the film industry continues to struggle with inclusion, I am thrilled to salut black filmmakers doing it for the culture.”
The Top 10 Black Filmmakers To Watch are:
· Jordan Pitt (United Kingdom)
· Nathan Hale Williams (United States)
· Shahari Moore (United States)
· Sean Addo (Ghana)
· Courtney Miller (United States)
· Candice Vernon (Jamaica)
· Bobby Ashley (United States)
· Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd (United States)
· Ng’endo Mukii (Kenya)
· Derek Dow (United States)
The filmmakers selected to the 2019 Top 10 Black Filmmakers to Watch will be celebrated on social media and acknowledged at the independent Diversity Day Reception during the 72nd Festival de Cannes. The inaugural Top 10 Filmmakers to Watch series will feature women during Women’s History Month and will culminate with the Diversity in Cannes Top 10 Filmmakers announced in May 2019.
