Washington, D.C, District of Columbia Jun 5, 2022 (Issuewire.com) - FILMTEENTH launches its inaugural film festival in celebration of Juneteenth this June 19th and June 20th in Bethesda, Md. Festival organizer, retired systems engineer Will Gorham, created the festival as a STEM fundraising effort to support underserved students. “I felt this was a great way to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday while also raising STEM awareness and education in communities.” Filmteenth sees itself as a celebration of diverse American history, art, and STEM. “We’re mostly interested in promoting community, educational and entrepreneurial empowerment,” says Gorham.
The festival is scaled back this year to screenings only to accommodate pandemic concerns. Filmteenth will however offer virtual screenings via the Eventive.org streaming platform. “We wholeheartedly embrace technology and wanted to leverage it to safely reach as many viewers as possible this Juneteenth” Gorham says.
The festival opens with “The Last to Know”, a film that documents the 89-year-old retired educator and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, Opal Lee (the “Grandmother of Juneteenth"), as she embarks on a years-long campaign to make her vision of Juneteenth becoming a federally recognized holiday. Festival award winning filmmakers will receive the official “Opal Award” named in her honor.
Filmteenth will also screen the award-winning films “The Dalai Lama: Scientist”, and “Tell Them We Are Rising”, director Stanley Nelson’s film about the history of Black colleges and universities. An equally exciting world premiere is the untold story of African American soldiers in World War I. “Fighting For Respect” reveals never before seen images of the soldiers' experiences in France.
Local filmmakers make their presence known also, from the short film “Netfins and Chill” to Miss Alma Thomas: A Life in Color. Alma Thomas was the first Fine Arts graduate of Howard University and the first Black woman to have her paintings exhibited in the White House, yet she did not receive national attention until she was 80.
Media Contact
Filmteenth Festival info@filmteenth.org 7034740186 45591 Dulles Eastern Plaza http://www.filmteenth.com
