Welcome to the 27th annual Harlem Film Institute Film Festival. This year we have six films, starting with “A street renaming: Black Panther Party Way”. The film takes a look at a street in Harlem, renamed in dedication to the Black Panther Party, Our second film, “The Million Youth March”, takes a look at the million youth rally, lead by the late Dr. Khalid Muhammad. The film premiered at the first film festival.
The next film, “African Burial Ground Memorial” follows the ceremony and dedication to the burial site of Africans in lower Manhattan. The site includes the World Trade Center area, as well as the center street Courthouses. “Merci’s Journey” chronicles the life of my daughter, Dr.Merci Best, from a toddler to grad school, she is now a neuroscience researcher in Boston,
Anasia: the art of Anasia Mapp”, showcases the exquisite art of Anasia Mapp. The sixth and final film “Mr. Jason Andrew”, tells the haunting story of a life of former Harlem Film Institute student Jason Andrew.
The Harlem Film Institute is honored to induct Hailie Gerima into our Hall of Fame..
Director Turns To AI For Stereotypical Roles Black Actors Won’t Take
Director Paul Schrader sparked a debate after using AI in a film to portray three Black men as a corrupt cop, drug dealer and sexual deviant.
Hollywood has come a long way in its depiction of Black culture, going from an era where we couldn’t even be hired to portray our own race to becoming award-winning actors and actresses in our own right.
Unfortunately, we still deal with controversy when it comes to stereotypical roles reserved specifically for Black people. Although many thespians of color have shown autonomy in what acting jobs they choose to take or deny, the recent developments in artificial intelligence are threatening to add yet another hurdle to clear.
Famed director Paul Schrader proved that with his decision to use A.I. as a replacement for actors in his upcoming film, Three Guns At Dawn. His reason? No Black actors wanted to play the lead roles, which include a corrupt cop, a drug dealer and a sexual deviant.
“We sent it out to actors, and no Black actors wanted to play in a movie where there are no good Black people,” Schrader said in an interview with The Playlist, going on to blatantly add, “And it sort of died. But then AI came along, and I didn’t need Black actors.” The film, which originally had Antoine Fuqua attached to produce it, will reportedly be completely AI-generated. Schrader sees this decision as the project’s main source of pushback, completely ignoring the fact that Black actors simply don’t want to put on a performance that further perpetuates false characteristics of our race.
The Taxi Driver director’s affinity for A.I. has been brewing for a hot minute, even defending the use of it back in 2025 when he wrote on Facebook, “I just asked chatgpt for ‘an idea for Paul Schrader film.’ Then Paul Thomas Anderson. Then Quentin Tarantino. Then Harmony Korine. Then Ingmar Bergman. Then Rossellini. Lang. Scorsese. Murnau. Capra. Ford. Speilberg [sic]. Lynch. Every idea chatgpt came up with (in a few seconds) was good. And original. And fleshed out. Why should writers sit around for months searching for a good idea when AI can provide one in seconds?”
A few days ago, he added to the theory after getting self-satisfying results from ChatGPT on a prompt for a screenplay adaption of the Russell Banks novel, Affliction. “To ignore AI is to ignore the future,” he wrote as a closing statement. Our only rebuttal is, what about ignoring human decency?
The 25th annual Harlem Film Institute Film Festival
Seneca Village “The forgotten community”.
We kick off the 25th Festival with a film that premiered at our 2nd annual Festival, in August of 2000. Seneca Village “The forgotten Community”, was produced by independent filmmaker, David L. Baughan. When this film was screened, that was the first time i heard about this community of African Americans who lived in what is now known as Central Park. 24 years ago the festival introduced this, as well as a host of topic that remains unreported on.
In 2007, the Slavery and reconciliation Statue was dedicated in Richmond Virginia. This Statue to symbolize Slavery’s reconciliation, connecting Africa, Europe and The United States. This film follows a day of events with speeches by politicians and the unveiling of the statue.
2003, an African Burial Ground Memorial was dedicated to the desecration of African American burial sights in lower Manhattan. The monument is to honor the African American burial sights in lower Manhattan that were bulldozed to make way for the building of the municipal courts in lower Manhattan.
We will be inducting Denzel Washington into the Harlem Film Institute hall of fame. In honor of his illustrious career in film and television, he joins a list black creator who trail- blazed their way to the top of their industry.
Join us for the 25th annual film festival, where we will induct Denzell Washington into our Hall of fame, on August 23rd. In addition to honoring Washington, we will be screening a number of films, including Seneca Village “the forgotten community”, a film that premiered at our 2nd festival, in August of2000.
In honor of Hip Hop’s 50th birthday, we celebrate hip hop with our 24th Film Festival. My first introduction to Hip Hop came in the Summer of 1979, with a record by the Fat back band featuring a rapper by the name of King Tim III, that my older brother had bought. Although Hip Hop started in 1973, the sounds from this record started a love affair with Hip Hop, which continues to this day.
I did not know what a big deal she was, until after her untimely demise. I entered the City University of New York as an architectural major but shortly after, my mother’s Thyroid condition and attending a lecture by Kathleen Collins, consequently, I was now a film major.
Kathleen Collins was the first African American woman to produce a feature length film. Although a prolific playwright, Collins “Losing Ground”, was trailblazing the way for female filmmakers. Written and directed by Collins, the semiautobiographical drama, won First prize at the Figueroa International Film Festival in Portugal. In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
I entered the City University as an architectural major and soon lost focus after my mom was diagnosed with Graves disease. All it took was one lecture from Kathleen and I was hooked into her cinematic world. It would all end too soon, as Kathleen would die from Breast cancer in my junior year, My mother would die of the same malady twenty years later. I never thought Kathleen was ill, always smiling and eating a healthy mix of nuts and raisins. I looked forward to our afternoon screenings of our class projects. She seemed to love my work and her hearty laughter was all the approval I needed. When she died, I took some solace in the fact that I brought some joy to her in her final days.
Although I did not have the privilege of her guidance during my senior project, I cherish the time I spent with her devouring her cinematic knowledge and giving me a love of the cinematic Arts. It is my honor to induct Kathleen Collins into the Harlem Film Institute, hall of fame.
“Amelia”
The first film, “Amelia”, was Kathleen’s favorite. “Amelia” was the result of a class project, on editing in the camera. The film was shot on 8mm film and the key word was edit in the camera, no cutting after shooting. Shot in chronological order, from beginning to end.
2. Daly
“Daly” was my attempt at making a vampire piece. Daly Germain and Adrian Cord were two actors that I could always count on so I have to give a big shout out to both of them for the love.
3. Animation
This Animation piece was produced with the help pf my 5 year old nephew, Brandon. This film was also an homage to my high school Animation teacher, Ms. Nickford.
4. “Alva”.
Always wanted to be a fashion photographer. My friend Alva was the perfect person to practice on. A big shout out to Alva Sam, who became a wonderful Nurse.
5. Art
Art was my first love so I had to make a film about it.
6. Love Triangle
This film of a love Triangle gone wrong, was made with some of my favorite actors.
7. Human Nature
“Human Nature” was made after I finished high school. with- the help of my brothers and sisters. This film helped to plant the cinematic seed in me.
Welcome to the 22nd Annual Film Institute Film Festival. This year we showcase two films, “The Revolution will not be televised: An evening with Rev. Charles Kenyatta, and “The making of Doctor Bello”. We are also pleased to announce the induction of Chadwick Boseman, into the HFI hall of fame.
1.”The Revolution will be Televised: An evening with Rev. Charles Kenyatta”.
“The Revolution will be televised: An evening with Rev. Charles Kenyatta”, follows the life of one of Harlem’s most articulate street corner speakers. Bodyguard, friend and constant companion to Malcolm X. Formerly known as Charles 37X and posthumously known as Reverend Charles Kenyatta. This film premiered at the 2nd Annual HFI Film Festival, in 2000.
2. The making of Doctor Bello.
“The making of Doctor Bello”, is a behind scenes look at the Netflix film, “Doctor Bello”, starring Isaiah Washington and Vivica A. Fox.
Join us August 20th, 2021 for the 22nd Annual Harlem Film Institute Film Festival. We will showcase two films, the making of the Netflix film “Doctor Bello”, and “The Revolution will be televised: An evening with Rev. Charles Kenyatta”. We will also be inducting Chadwick Boseman, into the HFI hall of fame.
“The Revolution will be televised: An evening with Rev. Charles Kenyatta”, follows the life of one of Harlem’s most articulate street corner speakers. Bodyguard, friend and constant companion to Malcolm X. Formerly known as Charles 37X and posthumously known as Reverend Charles Kenyatta.
“The making of Doctor Bello”, is a behind scenes look at the Netflix film, “Doctor Bello”, starring Isaiah Washington and Vivica Fox.
Welcome to The 21st Annual Harlem Film Institute Film Festival. We kick off this years festival with my introduction to the world of professional film making. In 1986 i started out as a production assistant on the set of the Heavy D and the Boyz music video, “Mr. Big Stuff”.The video was produced by the Hudlin brothers, Reggie and Warrington Hudlin, founders of the Black Filmmaker foundation.
“Mr. Big Stuff” Directed by: Reggie Warrington 1986
The second film was shot in 1998. “The Million Youth March 1998” documents the rally led by the now deceased, Dr. Khallid Abdul Muhammad. This documentary was screened at the first film festival, in 1999.
“The Million Youth March 1998” Directed by: Melvin Best 1998
The final film was made my senior year, at the City University of New York. “The Empty Garden”, my undergrad work, was done under the tutelage of my professors, Kathleen Collins and Ayoka Chensira.
“The Empty Garden” Directed by: Melvin Best 1988
The 2nd Annual Harlem Film Institute Film Festival
1970-2025
