George Floyd

San Pedro International Film Festival announces film lineup for return in February

By John Wildman 3 years ago

SPIFF Festival Director Ziggy Mrkich, said, “It will be wonderful to be back in theaters, bringing films and filmmakers back to San Pedro to the Historic Warner Grand Theatre, and the Terrace Cinemas, and more. The San Pedro International Film Festival celebrates truly independent films, and the film artists that put their lives into making them. We cherish the fact that this film festival brings together the San Pedro business and arts community and film festival fans like no other event does locally and we’ve got another great lineup in store for everyone.”

Courtney Haile Short Films, Big Stories: A Program of Diverse Voices at San Luis Obispo International Film Fest puts inclusion and racial equity front and center

By John Wildman 5 years ago

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “The intent of this program is to continue to be a platform for diverse voices in our community of San Luis Obispo. The murder of George Floyd last year and the increase in the Black Lives Matter protests that followed only amplified the need for more diversity within the arts and how crucially important representation can be. We designed this program to be free and accessible to all and an opportunity for all audiences to fall in love with film festivals and power of the cinema. This collection of films and panels aims to inspire, stimulate and engage our community and others to participate in creating change. Through the grant received by the City of SLO we are able to pay the filmmakers, programmers and panelists and this is something we hope to continue to expand and grow and be able to offer more opportunities in the future.”

FILMS GONE WILD: On this Juneteenth, Dallas International Film Festival Artistic Director James Faust gives a first person (and family) account of a life lived

By John Wildman 6 years ago

When you reach out to your friends of color and ask how they are doing…remember… you may be opening a box of systemic trauma that they don’t want to, or are ill equipped to deal with. Rancor and rage may come your way. I ask you to listen ..really listen… For every step forward…there’s a George Floyd. For every success story, there’s a Trayvon Martin. For every…you know what…it’s too much…there are too many. My mother shouldn’t have to check in on me and remind me how to act in front of cops.. I’m 50!