Southampton African American Museum Presents “Raise Your Voice” 9th Annual African-American Festival

Southampton African American Museum will present “Raise Your Voice,” the 9th Annual African-American Film Festival for four days Thursday, October 2 to Sunday, October 5, 2014. The celebration of the artistry of African-American filmmakers, actors, personalities, musicians and performers will feature a powerful line-up of critically acclaimed, thought-provoking feature films, documentaries, shorts, jazz and spoken word.

Festival organizers led by Executive Director Brenda Simmons and Board Member, Oscar winning film director Nigel Noble have selected a group of important films that highlight the experiences of people of color from the joyous to the painful.

The common thread linking the film offerings is a clarion call to the community to “Raise Your Voice.” Be it the trigger quick actions of San Francisco police, the focus of the award winning, “Fruitvale Station;” the struggles of an internationally famed athlete to maintain his faith in troubled times, “The Trials of Muhammad Ali;” the story of the creation of one of the world’s most famous contemporary operas to overcome deep-seated prejudice as exemplified by “Porgy and Bess: An American Voice” directed by Oscar winning director Nigel Noble; the lifelong commitment of actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis who for their entire lives balanced dual careers as social activists and consummate actors on stage and screen as lovingly filmed by their grandson documentarian Muta’Ali Muhammad in “Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee;” a black waiter’s life of quiet desperation working in a whites only restaurant artfully told in “Booker’s Place;” a young heiress of mixed race coming to terms with life’s limitations in 19th century England, in “Belle;” Anne Makepeace’s look at a Massachusetts Native American tribe’s efforts to hold onto their heritage in a fast paced 21st century in “We Still Live Here -(Âs Nutayuneân).”

In addition to the films to be screened, there will be An Evening of Spoken Word and Jazz highlighted by performances by Grammy winning hip-hop artist J. Ivy and soulful jazz stylings by Charles Certain and his Certain Moves Jazz Band.

Screenings will take place at the Southampton Arts Center (25 Jobs Lane, Southampton) and An Evening of Spoken Word & Jazz will be held at the Southampton Cultural Center (25 Pond Lane, Southampton).

For information, visit www.southamptonafricanamericanmuseum.org.