Atlanta HipHop Film Festival Award Recipients Ink Deals with HBO, Warner Bros., and Maverick Platinum Entertainment

2005 Hip Hop Film Festival Award Recipient Success Stories.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 27, 2005 -- Of the six awards presented at the 2005 Atlanta HipHop Film Festival, three of the honorees inked distribution deals with major film distribution companies.

Best HipHop Documentary - “Definition of Freedom,” directed by South African, Sharmin Mackay currently in negotiations, exclaimed, “Thank you so much for honoring me. After winning the award, the film took on a life of it's own; traveling all over North America and attracting attention from distributors and satellite networks.”

Best HipHop Feature – “HipHop Task Force Vol. 1” directed by Corey Grant received a distribution deal with Maverick Platinum Entertainment Group. Grant acknowledges AHFF, ”Thank you for your support. Your festival helped me gain even more leverage in brokering a great deal for HipHop Task Force that distributors don't normally give. Now I have two projects in the works, one is with a major studio and is being considered for a theatrical release, the other I'm shooting in the next two months.”

Audience Choice Award – “Treasure N Tha Hood Producer, Director Greg Carter, who received a Warner Brothers distribution deal explains, "After winning the AHFF Award, Treasure N Tha Hood got a distribution deal with Warner Brothers. The movie is out now and getting great reviews. The staff at the AHFF really care about the filmmaker and the film, we thank AHFF for everything.”

Dominating the evening, winning Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Short Award, “Male Groupie,” written by Morrocco Omari, inked a two-year series with HBO.

About AHFF

HipHop has held the fascination of young people from New York City’s South Bronx parks in the 70’s to the Bullet trains of Tokyo today, the youth can be seen and heard expressing themselves through the language, dress and music that is HipHop. The Atlanta HipHop Film Festival is dedicated to creating an electrifying Festival bonded by the common thread of a social responsibility to ensure positive, beneficial messages are relayed to HipHop’s invaluable on-screen audience. Becoming a launch-pad for indy filmmakers by exposing their work across the HipHop world is a gratifying but unanticipated reward that the AHFF organizers gladly accept.

AHFF’s Mission

To allow aspiring entertainers, an avenue to reach the masses with their product and skills, providing exposure and networking opportunities for all those within the film industry. In addition, we will celebrate and embrace the collaboration of HipHop and film by awarding upcoming and established filmmakers as well as known HipHop artists for their outstanding accomplishments within their given professions. Lastly, our Festival foundation will support art indiscriminately and provide education in the form of seminars to empower entrepreneurs with the adequate skills to prosper in their given industry.

Organizers for the first Annual event in April, Shameka Gumbs (Founder), Dee Dee Cocheta, Aneesah Hardnett, MiMi Cartier, LaKisha Smith, Chantell Welch and Tammy McCoy, made history producing the first film festival of its’ kind. Poised to do it again, The 2nd Annual Atlanta HipHop Film Festival takes place April 28-30, 2006. Deadline for Film and Music Video submissions is December 9th, 2005. This year Honorees are: LAURYN HILL, LL COOL J, ICE T and F. GARY GRAY. For more info on Atlanta HipHop Film Festival, visit – www.AtlHipHopFilmFest.com.

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