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FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Angela Robinson Witherspoon ‘s CURTSY MISTER showcased at 12th Harlem International Film Festival celebrates independent filmmaking on the weekend of May 6th and 7th

The 12th Harlem International Film Festival’s red carpet on Saturday, May 6th, again gave a diverse group of filmmakers their due in front of the cameras. Sunday’s closing night presentation of Angela Robinson Witherspoon’s CURTSY, MISTER included a very special guest to see Witherspoon’s feature film directorial debut.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Daniel Peddle’s GARDEN OF THE PEACEFUL DRAGON Opens The 12th Harlem International Film Festival with style to spare

The 12th Harlem International Film festival’s Opening Night Afro Punk celebration, highlighted by the world premiere presentation of Daniel Peddle’s GARDEN OF THE PEACEFUL DRAGON featured more style on the red carpet than most. The impressive looks on the carpet showed that these filmmakers have figured out that the attention you get in front of the photographers and interviewers there can be useful to get attention for your film when it plays in the fest – and beyond.

TEN MOST RECENT FILMS WATCHED: Nicholas Ray ‘s JOHNNY GUITAR among unheralded cool films at The Harlem International Film Festival from Films Gone Wild

This list is dominated by the films I saw at the Harlem International Film Festival. Since my duties at this fest included doing A LOT of film introductions and Q&As, I saw more films than usual at a fest I am doing the press & PR thing at. But that was a big win for me, as I saw films not necessarily in my wheelhouse that I really enjoyed, appreciated, and affected me quite a bit. Making discoveries at film festivals is what it is all about – and that is exactly what happened here.