Montreal, Quebec (Top40 Charts/ Montreal International Black Film Festival) The Montreal International
Black Film Festival (MIBFF) is back with a diverse and exciting line-up featuring 115 films from nearly 40 countries! Moviegoers will have the chance to watch short-, mid- and feature-length films, documentaries, and narrative and animated films. Most films will be making their global, international, Canadian, or Québécois debut. In addition, a number of international celebrities will be appearing at the Festival.
This year, the legendary Harry Belafonte, activist and award-winning actor and musician, will receive the 2012 Honorary Humanitarian Award. Stedman Graham, internationally-renowned speaker, executive and best-selling author, will be awarded the Career Achievement Award.
Tribute to Harry Belafonte
The legendary
Harry Belafonte will receive the Montreal International
Black Film Festival's 2012 Humanitarian Prize on opening night, Wednesday,
September 19, 2012, at Cinéma Impérial, at 7 p.m. The Montreal International
Black Film Festival is granting Belafonte this award for his amazing contributions to the Civil Rights Movements as well as for his incredible selfless and dedicated efforts in addressing injustice and inequality in whatever form they took, even at the risk of his own wellbeing. In other words, for making the world a much better place.
"It is a tremendous honour and a real privilege for all of us to welcome the living legend, Harry Belafonte, to Montreal and to honour him with the very first Montreal International
Black Film Festival's 2012 Humanitarian Prize. Giving him this award is also an excellent way for us to recognize the true value of his spirit that goes far beyond the Award-winning singer and movie star everyone knows. His constant fight for human rights have allowed people from all over the world to believe, hope, break down barriers and achieve great things," said Fabienne Colas, president and founder of the MIBFF.
The tribute to
Harry Belafonte on
September 19 will be followed by the screening of the opening film, Darrell Roodt's WINNIE, presented by Global Montreal, co-produced by Equinoxe Films and starring Oscar - and Grammy-award-winning
Jennifer Hudson and Oscar-nominated Terrence Howard.
Special presentation and talk with Harry Belafonte
On Thursday,
September 20, at Concordia University (Room H-110) at 7 p.m., Mr. Belafonte is pleased to answer questions from the public following the special presentation of Susanne Rostock's bio-pic Sing your Song, which retraces the defining moments of Belafonte's life as an activist, singer and actor. Belafonte's appearance is an honor and a privilege for Montreal. Tickets are available at the festival website https://www.montrealblackfilm.com .
Conference and tribute to Stedman Graham
On Thursday,
September 27 at 7 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, best-selling author, internationally-renowned speaker, and successful executive, Stedman Graham will present his conference entitled The Nine-Step Plan for Success. He will also be awarded the Career Achievement Award. More than just a businessperson, Graham is also an educator and orator. He provides training to corporations and non-profit organizations on identity development, leadership, diversity, personal wellness and personal and professional branding. Graham has written eleven books, two of which have become New York Times best-sellers. He has always shown a commitment to youth and community and actively participates in leadership programs in South Africa. A big name coming to Montreal! Tickets are available at the festival website https://www.montrealblackfilm.com .
"We want the festival to be a place of inspiration, motivation and development for filmmakers, but also for individuals who want to further their professional and personal lives. We have the privilege of hosting Stedman Graham as the first of what is sure to be many great speakers, and to award him with the Festival's Career
Excellence Award." - Fabienne Colas, President - MIBFF Founder.
All program and ticket information is available online at: https://www.montrealblackfilm.com.
The 8th MIBFF will run from
September 19 to 30, 2012, and is brought to you by Global Montreal.
About the Montreal International
Black Film Festival (MIBFF)
The Montreal International
Black Film Festival was created in 2005 by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cinema, art and culture. The mission of the Montreal International
Black Film Festival is to stimulate the development of the independent film industry and to foster the creation of films on international
Black realities. The Festival wants to promote a different kind of cinema: cinema from both here and abroad that doesn't always make it to the silver screen. We showcase groundbreaking cinema that both moves and shocks us, all while raising awareness. MIBFF films deal with issues and raise questions that are at once provocative, funny, perplexing and shocking. Join us for a fresh look at
Black cinema from all four corners of the globe! https://www.montrealblackfilm.com.
Soure: Montreal International
Black Film Festival