Co-Director Bhawin Suchak’s OUTTA THE MUCK

Three OSCAR-SHORTLISTED AAPI Filmmakers at OPENING NIGHT

By Mabel Pais

The Justice Film Festival (JFF) returns to New York City for its 11th anniversary March 1-4, 2023 with screenings at three venues throughout the city. Screenings will take place throughout the week at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema for Documentary Film (87 Lafayette Street, NY 10013), the Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street, NY 10012), and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) New York’s Katie Murphy Amphitheater (227 West 27th Street, NY 10001).

For the first time at a mainstream film festival opening night, three Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) documentaries come together with their directors. Oscar-shortlisted documentaries ‘Bad Axe’ and ‘38 at the Garden’ kickoff opening night, followed by the New York premiere of ‘UNCONDITIONAL.’ “This opening night is a groundbreaking moment. I wish our festival was not the first,” says Justice Film Festival director and founder Andy Peterson. He went on to say, “These three directors are part of a trailblazing wave of filmmakers.”

“Now in our second decade we are embracing the opportunity to create space for these vitally important conversations by expanding our reach and creating more ways for people to engage in the Justice Film experience. And as always we are proud to participate in the greater movements of equity and inclusion by sharing these groundbreaking films.”

The complete film program comprising 13 feature films and 15 short films. 42% of this year’s filmmakers (directors & producers) are female, and a record 43% of our films are from creators who identify as BIPOC or AAPI.

2023 FESTIVAL LINEUP

FEATURES

SENTENCED – New York City Premiere

Directors/Producers: Connor Martin & Mark Allen Johnson

THE FIRST STEP

Directors/Producers: Kramer Brothers

OUTTA THE MUCK

Directors/Producers: Bhawin Suchak & Ira McKinley

38 AT THE GARDEN

Directors/Producers: Frank Chi, Travon Free & Samir Hernandez

LOVELY JACKSON – New York City Premiere

Directors/Producers: Matt Waldeck & Rickey Jackson

THE FLAGMAKERS

Directors/Producers: Cynthia Wade & Sharon Liese

THE SMELL OF MONEY – New York City Premiere

Directors/Producers: Shawn Bannon & Jamie Berger

STRANGER AT THE GATE

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE: Best Documentary Feature

Directors/Producers: Joshua Seftel & Suzanne Hillinger

STREET REPORTER – New York City Premiere

Directors/Producers: Laura Waters Hinson & Bryan Bello

ITHAKA

Directors/Producers: Ben Lawrence & Gabriel Shipton

ANGOLA DO YOU HEAR US?

Directors/Producers: Cinque Northern & Catherine Gund

UNCONDITIONAL – New York City Premiere

Directors/Producers: Richard Lui & Alex Lo

For the updated lineup of Features and Shorts, visit justicefilmfest.com

UPDATES & TICKETS

For updates, visit justicefilmfest.

twitter.com/justicefilmfest, and

instagram.com/justicefilmfestival

For Tickets, visit justicefilmfest.com

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NYICFF COMES TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

By Mabel Pais

New York city, considered the cultural capital of the world, brings you the Oscar-qualifying New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) which takes place March 3-19.

NYICFF IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

New this year, as a forerunner to the Festival, there is a NYC Special Event happening on February 24, 25, 26 – ALL FIVE BOROUGHS –  FREE to all

Recommended Ages: 3 to 8

SHORTS  Runtime: 54 min. | Recommended Ages: 3 to 8

Fully explore all New York City has to offer with the little ones in your life (looking at you, folks with Tots).

So NYICFF is teaming up with organizations in all five boroughs to present nyicff.org/niyn, a free culture crawl to help you find your new go-to spot for art, film, books, and more.

For the full lineup, visit nyicff.org/programs/nyicff-in-your-neighborhood

The New York International Children’s Film Festival

(NYICFF)

Ringing in its 26th year, NYICFF is North America’s largest and most prestigious film festival for young audiences. NYICFF this year is thrilled to return to all in-person screenings and events. The festival begins Friday, March 3rd and will run weekends through March 12th in New York City. Expanding to venues across Manhattan and Brooklyn, hosts include: SVA Theatre, Film Forum, DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema, Scandinavia House, and Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn. The final weekend of March 18th & 19th will be at the Sag Harbor Cinema (Staten Island), a new addition this year.

For its 26th edition, the festival celebrates friendship, community and art as vital forces in our lives and crucial tools to push against the status quo and open new avenues of joy and possibility.

With seven U.S. and International Feature Premieres and titles hailing from France, Mexico, Japan, The Netherlands, and more, this year’s program continues NYICFF’s commitment to curating diverse stories told from a multitude of places and perspectives. Stylistically, the festival also offers a broad range of options from live action to the many compelling styles of animation, spotlighting hand-drawn artistry in particular.

FILM LINEUP

For the complete film lineup, visit nyicff.org

TICKETS

For tickets to the Fest, visit nyicff.org/tickets

NYICFF

NYICFF is a place for the next generation of moviegoers—and even movie makers.

However, NYICFF is not only for kids! The festival has rich programming to offer film lovers of all ages. The festival is committed to quality and challenging content and serves families, educators, filmmakers, and media arts professionals.

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OXFILM CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

By Mabel Pais

Featuring

Sandip Rai’s MISSISSIPPI CREATES: ANDREW BRYANT

Snigdha Kapoor’s LOOK LIKE YOU

Suraj Savvkor’s FOR PALOMA

and many more

The 2023 Oxford (Mississippi) Film Festival (Oxfilm) for its 20th anniversary brings us the lineup of selections and events, March 1-5.

OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

Opening Night

Little Richard: I am Everything

Director: Lisa Cortes l USA l 1h 38m

Closing Night

The Banality

Directors: Michael Stevantoni, Strack Azar l USA l 1h 18m

Special Screenings

Belief: The Season Ole Miss Baseball

Director: Merrick McCool l USA tates l 1h 43m

The Crisis (1916)

Director: Colin Campbell l USA tates l 1h 40m

Faulkner: The Past Is Never Dead

Director: Michael Modak-Truran l USA l 1h 33m

Fire Bones

Directors: Greg Brownderville, Bart Weiss l USA l N/A

Narrative Features

There are Twelve Narrative Features.

Documentary Features

There are Fifteen Documentary Features.

Narrative Shorts

Among the Fifty Seven Narrative Shorts, Suraj Savvkor’s ‘For Paloma’ and Snigdha Kapoor’s ‘Look Like You’ are featured.

Documentary Shorts

Among the Twenty Nine Documentary Shorts, Sandip Rai’s Sandip Rai’s ‘Mississippi Creates: Andrew Bryant’ is featured.

Music Videos

There are Eighteen Music Videos.

Project (ion)

There are Seven Project (ion)s.

TICKETS

For Tickets and Passes and more information, visit ox-film.com

OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL

Learn more at oxfordfilmfest.com.

(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)