Urban World Film Festival Lineup announced Sept 21-25 in NYC

Tickets and passes for the festival are on sale now. For additional announcements in September, go to www.urbanworld.org. Follow @UWFilmFest and use #UW20 to join the conversation about Urbanworld on social media.

URBANWORLD 2016 FILM SLATE

SPOTLIGHT PRESENTATIONS

Queen of Katwe – Directed by Mira Nair, Presented by Disney
Class Divide – Directed by Marc Levin, Presented by HBO Documentary Films
Black – Directed by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, Presented by Saboteur Media
Honeytrap – Directed by Rebecca Johnson, Presented by ARRAY
TITLE VII: First Look Clips & Conversation – Directed by Nicole Franklin

THE REVOLT YOUNG FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE

Loved Like This – Directed by Christopher Lewis Dawkins (U.S. Premiere)
Madaran – Directed by Rayka Zehtabchi (East Coast Premiere)
Hush – Directed by Whitney Clinkscales (New York Premiere)
AMERIKKKA – Directed by Sheila Wilson (New York Premiere)
The Bench – Directed by Cameron Burnett
A Silent Night – Directed by Gino Ricardo Green (World Premiere)

U.S. NARRATIVE FEATURES

72 Hours: A Brooklyn Love Story? – Directed by Raafi Rivero (New York Premiere) Chee & T – Directed by Tanuj Chopra (East Coast Premiere)
Destined – Directed by Qasim Basir (New York Premiere) Lucky – Directed by Bari Kang (World Premiere)
My B.F.F. – Directed by Greg Carter (World Premiere) No Regrets – Directed by Mark Harris (World Premiere)
Sepulveda – Co-Directed by Jena English & Brandon Wilson (World Premiere)
She’s Got A Plan – Co-Directed by Fatima Washington & Corey Johnson (World Premiere)
Steps – Directed by Jay Rodriquez and Rock Davis

WORLD NARRATIVE FEATURES

A Moving Image (UK) – Directed by Shola Amoo (New York Premiere)
Brotherhood (UK) – Directed by Noel Clarke (U.S. Premiere)
Dar Noir (Tanzania) – Directed by Hamadi Mwapachu (U.S. Premiere)
Gidi Blues (Nigeria) – Directed by Femi Odugbemi (U.S. Premiere)
Like Cotton Twines (Ghana) – Directed by Leila Djansi (East Coast Premiere)
The Farm / La Granja (Puerto Rico) – Directed by Angel Manuel Soto Vazquez (New York Premiere)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Beatbox Boom Bap Around The World (France/Germany/U.S.) – Directed by Pascal Tessaud (U.S. Premiere)
Daddy Don’t Go (U.S.) – Directed by Emily Abt Jewel’s Catch One (U.S.) – Directed by C. Fitz
Martha & Niki (Sweden) – Directed by Tora Mkandawire Mårtens
The Revival: Woman and the Word (U.S.) – Directed by Sekiya Dorsett (East Coast Premiere)
Until 20 (U.S.) – Directed by Geraldine Moriba Meadows & Jamila Paksima Rowell

SHORT FILMS

[Re]defined – Directed by Danae Grandison (New York Premiere)
A Gentleman Always – Directed by Drue Metz (New York Premiere)
A Silent Night – Directed by Gino Ricardo Green (World Premiere)
AMERIKKKA – Directed by Sheila Wilson (New York Premiere)
After The Storm – Directed by Jessica Oyelowo (World Premiere)
And Nothing Happened – Directed by Naima Ramos-
Chapman Balcony – Directed by Toby Fell-Holden
Blessed – Directed by Jennifer Derwingson (East Coast Premiere)
Bird – Directed by Booker T Mattison
Born In Battle – Directed by Yangzom Brauen (New York Premiere)
Buried Deep – Directed by Timothy Naylor (World Premiere)
Chameleon – Directed by Reza Dahya (New York Premiere)
Class 15 – Directed by Dean Leon Anderson (World Premiere)
Flowers – Directed by Yvonne Michelle Shirley, Nikyatu Jusu (New York Premiere)
Hush – Directed by Whitney Clinkscales (New York Premiere)
I Rise – Directed by Yoruba Richen (World Premiere)
Leche – Directed by Gabriella A. Moses (New York Premiere)
Lilly’s Secret – Directed by Emanuele Michetti (World Premiere)
Loved Like This – Directed by Christopher Lewis Dawkins (U.S. Premiere)
Madaran – Directed by Rayka Zehtabchi (East Coast Premiere)
Mast Qalandar – Directed by Divij Roopchand
Mixtape: An Unauthorized Biography – Directed by David F. Mewa – (New York Premiere)
Mrs. Nebile’s Wormhole – Directed by Pinar Yorgancioglu (World Premiere)
Olde E – Directed by Xavier L. Neal-Burgin (East Coast Premiere)
On Time – Directed by Xavier L. Neal-Burgin (East Coast Premiere)
One Per Person – Directed by Nasheet Zaman & Jacquelyn ‘Jac’ Piette (East Coast Premiere)
Peace the Policy – Directed by Kervin Marseille & William Leonard (U.S. Premiere)
Post Life – Directed by Salli Richardson-Whitfield (World Premiere)
Samaria – Directed by Kiel Adrian Scott (World Premiere)
Second Words – Directed by Jake Hull (New York Premiere)
Slumflower – Directed by Tremaine Romeo & Nicole Taylor Roberts (New York Premiere)
Sugar – Directed by Dime Davis (World Premiere)
The Bench – Directed by Cameron Burnett
The Jump – Directed by Jamal Hodge (New York Premiere)
The Suit – Directed by Jarryd Coetsee (U.S. Premiere)
Three Minute Warning – Directed by Iqbal Mohammed (East Coast Premiere)
Univitellin – Directed by Terence Nance (New York Premiere)
Victor XX – Directed by Ian Garrido

SCREENPLAYS

Fried Catfish – Written by Inda Craig-Galván
Generational Curses – Written by Kenya Branch
Take the L – Written by Kim Washington
The Turnpike – Written by Keith Josef Adkins

Queen of Katwe opens Urban World Film Festival in NYC Sept 21-25

Disney’s Queen of Katwe  will be featured on Thursday, September 22 at 7:45 p.m. The film “Queen of Katwe” is the colorful true story of a young girl selling corn on the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion. Directed by Mira Nair, the film stars Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo, Tony nominee and Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o and newcomer Madina Nalwanga. A Q&A with Oyelowo, recently announced as one of Urbanworld’s 2016 festival ambassadors, and Nair will immediately follow the screening of the film.

Donald Glover "Atlanta" screening in NYC 8/23/16

On Tuesday August 23 the cast of "Atlanta" which stars Donald Glover,Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stansfield and Zadie Beetz. The new series was screened in front of an pack Paley Center for Media where the audience was given an chance to view the first 2 episodes of the show, both episodes are 30 mins long. The show centers around two cousins working in the city's rap music scene. Below is Q&A session with the cast which was moderated by New York POWER 105 VJ Angela Yee of The Breakfast Club.





Part 1






Part 2

Frank Ocean "Blonde" officially released

On Saturday evening, Ocean launched a handful of pop-up shops in major cities, where fans could get their hands on his much-talked-about zine as well as his highly anticipated second studio album. Shortly after that announcement, he released the project, titled Blonde,on iTunes.


Since the release of Ocean’s debut studio album in 2012, the world has been eager to hear what the 28-year-old singer was going to release next. His follow-up to channel ORANGE has been making headlines for years, specifically for its slew of rumored release dates that never came. Well, the wait is finally over.

Frank Ocean NIKES Music Video

After giving us “Endless” the visual album, Frank Ocean & Apple sneak in one more video on us with this new song & video titled “Nikes”. This will have the fans on alert now knowing Frank Ocean album, “Boys Dont Cry” is close to being released. For now check out the official video below and tell us what you think?

Frank Ocean Visual Album "Endless"

Frank Ocean has released a 45-minute long video titled “Endless.” A representative from Apple Music calls it his new “visual album.” The rep also told Pitchfork to “keep an eye out this weekend for more from Frank.” It features new Frank songs and takes place in the same warehouse where Ocean has been hosting a web stream. The status of Ocean’s Boys Don’t Cry and its long-reported accompanying print publication are currently unclear. Find the tracklist below, and watch “Endless” here. 

Earlier tonight, Frank Ocean returned to the mysterious web streamthat began on his website www.boysdontcry.co two weeks ago. He assembled the wooden boxes that he had hand-built into a spiral staircase. The stream featured new music.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/endless/id1143705097

Endless Trackless:

01 Device Control
02 At Your Best (You Are Love) (Isley Brothers cover)
03 Alabama
04 Mine
05 U-N-I-T-Y
06 Ambience 001: “In a Certain Way”
07 Commes Des Garcons
08 Ambience 002: “Honeybaby”
09 Wither
10 Hublots
11 In Here Somewhere
12 Slide on Me
13 Sideways
14 Florida
15 Deathwish (ASR)
16 Rushes
17 Rushes To
18 Higgs

Black LGBT film "Moonlight" starring Janelle Monae and Mahershala Ali

Moonlight is a coming-of-age story following a kid named Chiron as he faces various obstacles with masculinity, his sexuality and falling in love for the first time. The film takes place in Miami during the late '70s War on Drugs. Written and directed by Barry Jenkins (best known for 2008's Medicine for Melancholy),Moonlight stars Mahershala Ali (House of Cards, Luke Cage), Naomie Harris (Spectre), Andre Holland (Selma), Jaden Piner, Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders (Straight Outta Compton), Trevante Rhodes (Westworld) and singer Janelle Monáe in her film debut.

Look out for its theatrical premiere on Oct. 21, following screenings at the New York and Toronto Film Festivals. The credit block on the trailer gives screenplay credit to Jenkins and story credit to Tarell Alvin McCraney. McCraney’s play “In Moonlight Black Boys Turn Blue” is the basis for the movie.