sistas are doin` it for themselves

Black Hollywood Education and
Resource Center
P
R
E
S
E
N
T
S
The 22nd Annual
SISTAS
ARE DOIN’ IT
FOR
THEMSELVES
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015
RALEIGH STUDIOS
HOLLYWOOD, CA
Moderated by: LaRita Shelby
LOITS JACKSON 26:00 MIN.
L
aRita Shelby aka “Jazzy Rita” is a tour-de-force. She is an
accomplished actress, jazz singer, radio broadcaster,
author, entrepreneur, filmmaker, writer, producer, a
mentor to mentally challenged teens and a proud mother.
Now rooted in Los Angeles, Shelby is a transplant from
Tennessee and Washington, D.C. She earned a B.A. in
Theatre and Communication Arts from Loyola Marymount
University and last year she graduated Summa Cum Laude
from Touro University Worldwide where she received a
Master of Arts degree in Media and Communications
Psychology, with a concentration in Media Leadership.
Theatrically, Shelby has starred in South Central, Kings Of
The Evening, Walk By Faith, Outrighteous and more! She
has numerous television and stage credits as well. Shelby
authored the book Dictation: Plays, Poems & Monologues
where selections have been performed on BET, and stages
from New York to Los Angeles. For the past year Shelby has
worked with mentally challenged teens with a therapeutic
curriculum called Acting From The School of Life. Shelby is
also a former broadcaster for the Armed Forces Radio and
TV network. Shelby’s critically acclaimed jazz CD titled
A Date With A Song is described as an album without
borders. It tips into Smooth Jazz, dives into Classic AC
and Straight Ahead Jazz, then reaches into Urban and
R&B while flirting with every listener who enjoys a teasing
lyric, a haunting melody and relevant music that speaks to
the reality of life. LaRita also finds time to work as an indie
writer/producer of radio and video projects for Lee Bailey,
The Electronic Urban Report (“EUR”) while managing her
company Shall Be Productions. Look out because Shelby
has several artistic works on the slate for 2015/2016.
Lotis Jackson, A Young Man and his
Dream, is a documentary short that
chronicles the daily grind of a young
every-man as he pursues his life long
dream of being an R&B singer.
P.R. Hawkins: Director
P.R. Hawkins is a published author,
playwright and filmmaker. Her books can
be purchased on Amazon.com and her
plays have premiered to standing room
only sold out crowds.
RESET 30:00 MIN.
RYLEE, a mixed-race (South-Asian/
African-American) woman descends into
drug addiction while struggling with her
difficult childhood. After entering treatment
at a rehab facility, working through issues
of identity both physical and emotional,
Rylee learns recovery is a life-long
process that holds no guarantees.
Arun K. Vir: Director/Writer/Producer
Lance Dickinson: Producer
An Award-winning filmmaker with
many years of experience on both
sides of the Atlantic, Arun began
her love affair with filmmaking in
London at a young age, coordinating
documentaries and news magazine
programs for British television. Her
screenplay THE LAST WEEKEND
earned her the prestigious “Directing
Workshop for Women Award”
sponsored by the American Film Institute
and Gale Anne Hurd and was Arun’s
first short film, which starred Suzzanne
Douglas (Parenthood).
The Last Weekend won “Best Short”
at the Pan African Film Festival; Emerging
Artist at the Kodak sponsored “National
Black Programming Consortium Festival
and in 2008, Vir was named HBO’s
“Women To Watch”.
TWO-A-DAYS 15:00 MIN.
Michelle Parker, 15, loves football.
She looks up to her father, a former
football star. At the beginning of her
sophomore year, she decides to try
out for the high school football team
to the chagrin of her older brother,
Stephen, the star quarterback.
Throughout tryouts, Michelle and
Stephen’s relationship is challenged
as she learns what it takes to make
the team and how to be seen as an
equal within her family.
April Wilson: Director
April Wilson is interested in
creating work that explores the
themes of self-identity (sex, gender,
race, orientation, and religion) and
how identity influences our life and
choices. She makes work that is
diverse and multicultural. Her work
draws on her experiences growing up
as an African-American female on the
south side of Chicago, living in New
York City, working with teenagers,
and being a student of life.
She holds a BFA in Film &
Television from New York University’s
Tisch School of the Arts. She also
has a M.Ed. from DePaul University
in Secondary Visual Arts Education.
She has spent many years cultivating
her creativity in New York City and
Chicago, recently completing her
MFA in Cinema Writing and Directing
at Columbia College Chicago. “TwoA-Days” was the winner of the 2014
Urban Mediamakers Film Festival’s
Best College Student Film.
YOUR LOVE 8:00 MIN.
In a world where young couples
have a hard time juggling family, career
and temptation, one young couple
takes the time to nurture their partnership
and romance. “Your Love” explores
a day in the life of James, a young
violinist married with children.
Liala Petrone: Director
Oliver Webb: Writer
Nina Spensley: Producer
Bridgette Wright: Co-Producer
Born in London, Laila Petrone is half
Italian and half Dominican and was
raised between Rome, Italy and Los
Angeles, CA. As a child of actress Iris
Peynado, she appeared in a number of
films, including Luigi Magno’s historical
masterpiece “State Buoni, Se Potete”.
As a college undergrad, Laila
studied International Affairs while
simultaneously acting in a number of
projects. She starred in the popular
Italian music video “Guantanamera” by
Banda Bassotti. She also appeared in
the cameo role of Pina for Spike Lee’s
“Miracle at St. Anna” in 2007. Over
the past five years, Laila has focused
on working as an assistant director and
producer in Los Angeles. “Your Love” is
Laila’s directorial debut.
OLOR
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narratives explore “sadness, strength,
joy, and the ultimate hope that binds us
all to fight for a better tomorrow.”
Nia T. Hill: Director/Writer/
Executive Producer/Producer
Shannon Nash, LaDonna Y. Hughley,
Donna Hunter, Tisha Campbell-Martin,
Tammy McCrary: Executive Producer
Jerome Martin, Shannon Nash,
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Best’s contestant LeAndria Johnson. She
completed the Libretto for an Opera
called: Nina Simome presents “Cest
Tout Absourde” A Coloured Ballet,
which she was engaged to write by
the daughter of Ms. Simone herself.
Ms. Hill recently collaborated with five
African American mothers and created
a touching docu-feature, Colored My
Mind, which she also directed, about
raising autistic children. Colored My
Mind was presented to congress to
make an effective legislative change
for this demographic of autistic children and the bill has been signed by
President Obama and passed into
law. Currently, Ms. Hill is producing
several projects with Academy Award
winning producer Ed Saxon, including My Soul to Keep.
BHERC STAFF: Sandra Evers-Manly H Billie J. Green H Ralph Scott H John M. Forbes
Lynne Conner H Sheralyn Richardson H Courtney Cook H Raina Ilunga H Gerald Alexander
1875 Century Park East, #600
H Los Angeles, California 90067 H
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program design by paula n. white designs: 424.209.7252