Hollywood Black Film Festival 2008

THE DISCIPLE explores the ramifications of the current Iraq war through the lives of four trans-cultural friends living in Los Angeles, as they struggle to maintain the façade of contentment in the face of rising dissatisfaction with personal life choices. Things begin to crumble beyond their control following a visit from Michael, a British Gulf war veteran who arrives in LA hoping to reconnect with his estranged childhood cousin Jud. Michael appears humorous and outgoing, coaxing Jud together with roommates Pete, Lisa and close friend Mary into temporarily escaping the complex lies they live. They abandon their protective façade joining him in embracing the richness and beauty of Los Angeles. As their tenuous boundaries begin to fray, secrets are revealed and the friends are forced to evaluate volatile personal truths and confront their suspicions about the deadly nature of Michael’s visit.

As technology expands, so goes ones focus. When tragedy strikes, how does one react? Whether good or bad, karma rules.

'The Doll' is set in the early 1900s and tells the story of Tom Taylor, the black proprietor of the Wyandot Hotel barbershop. Taylor's humanity, his dignity, and his responsibility to family and community are severely challenged when it becomes apparent that he has an opportunity to avenge an injustice that was inflicted on his father decades earlier. Viewers see that human emotions cross racial lines, that anger and revenge are natural emotions, and controlling them is fundamental to a civil society. The screenplay is based on a short story by Charles w. Chesnutt. Charles W. Chesnutt, a master storyteller, was born before the end of the Civil War and grew up in North Carolina during the Reconstruction Era. When he began his writing career, African Americans had been free for only twenty-five years. Long before the Harlem Renaissance, before Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, Chesnutt, was the only major African American fiction writer in the United States in the second half of the 19th century to explore the complex web of race relations. No African American fiction writer had been published, and the stories about the black experience by white writers were often degrading, paternalistic, and featured negative stereotypes. Chesnutt began to define black Americans from their own point of view. His stories reflected the dignity and humanity of black people while also capturing the horror of slavery, racism, and oppression.

A nerdy Jr. High School student finds fame and popularity when hustling banned sodas and snacks at school.

Kevina King is preparing to reconcile in her relationship with boyfriend Malcolm James. As she does her best friend Lacey confronts her over all of the problems with the relationship. As the two argue back and forth the conversation gets more and more contentious, culminating in Kevina forcing Lacey to angrily storm out. Meanwhile Malcolm is at his home arrogantly entertaining two women and bragging to his best friend Dean on the phone. He upsets both women with his verbal and physical and forces them out. He also upsets the peace in Dean's home as he unsuccessfully attempts to justify his friendship with Malcolm to his sister and his girlfriend.While this is going on, Kevina is in the final preparations to go see Malcolm. As she is ready to leave, she believes she hears her friend Lacey returning to stop her. Instead she is confronted by someone totally unexpected: her future self, her Spirit. Kevina's Spirit tells her what is to come and what she needs to do. Kevina resists but her Spirit is too strong. She convinces Kevina to end her relationship with Malcolm and take back control of her life. Not willing to let go, Malcolm attempts to regain control until he too is shown a glimpse of the truth.

Black Male Exotic Dancers (who perform non-obscene dance routines for women) fought the government in federal court for their Constitutional Rights (with a Black lawyer) in order to maintain their livelihoods and support their families and won! The female patrons are from all walks of life and prefer to watch male entertainment rather than go toclubs or happy hours where they have to deal with the unwelcomed advances and harassment from male patrons.Prince George's County, Maryland, a local government, passed an ordinance that among other things, prohibited tippingof dancers during their performance, restricted a patron's distance from a performer to 6 ft and required a male entertainer to wear a shirt and short anytime he is not on stage.The ordinance also made it a crime to touch a dancer while he is in a g-string. This is a story that the government does not want you to know about. It is not often that Black Men fight the government in federal court with a Black lawyer and win! This documentary will address a lot of the myths surrounding male adult entertainers. It will also show you that they are regular people, like you and I with families, goals, and dreams. They are more than just eye candy! Despite the title, there is no nudity in the film. "the adult entertainment's answer to Footloose..." Playgirl Magazine, October 2007 issue. "The dancers are charismatic as all hell, with bodies that will haunt you in your dreams. And man, these dudes can dance! I kept wanting to throw dollar bills at the screen." Philip Huang, culturevulture.net (2007) "Too often in film, Black Men are portrayed as innately savage, animalistic, destructive and criminal. They are depicted as an anti-social predators terrifying the community in which they dwell. This film depicts Black People (as they truly are) as people relating to other people -- not as mere plot devices and not as characters defined solely by how they relate to the white world.When the government tried to take away the dancers constitutional rights they did not riot in the streets or picket in front of a government building. Instead, they got a lawyer and went to court to fight the government...It is not often that Black Men fight the government in federal court with a Black lawyer and win!" Comment, Dr. Emanuel Levy - April 19, 2008

Lonely and new to the city, Samantha meets Levi, a nine year old boy displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

fantasy is a doc about the reality in which we come from in los angeles,ca in this doc we address issues on how we are raised and how music has impacted our lifestyle the main question is does rap music hurt our community are does it make it better without the bling bling interviews from hip hop artist as well as interviews from common folks

'A Father's Promise' story is about a man, named Jamal, who has spent several years of his life in prison leaving his family behind. While in prison, he has managed to turn his life around for the better. He vowed that once he got out of jail, he would make that time up with his wife and son. After being released from prison, he decided to stop by a corner store near his house called Tommie's to pick up some flowers for his wife. While inspecting the flowers two teenage boys come into the corner store with guns attempting to rob the place. A FATHER'S PROMISE is a suspenseful and heartwarming movie about one man's struggle to redemption.