NGAF Announces 3rd Annual National Black History Month Film & Discussion Series Tour

Selects Tennessee, District of Columbia, and New Jersey / Focus on US and Africa / Tribute to Mothers / Launches Black Docs and Urban Film & Discussion Series / Miramax Films, Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Cousin of Emmett Till, National Urban Debate League, Tennessee Arts Commission and Music Historian Joan Hillsman to Contribute.

Newark, NJ (PRWEB) January 20, 2006 -- Next Generation Awareness Foundation, Inc. (501(c)(3)) (NGAF) announces that it has selected Washington, District of Columbia (Feb. 11th), Newark, New Jersey (Feb. 25th) and Clarksville, Tennessee (Feb. 26th), as locations for its much-anticipated 3rd Annual National Black History Month Film & Discussion Series, often marketed as the Urban Film Series. The Series brings the motion picture industry, celebrities, and American heroes face-to-face with many underserved communities. “This year's events have two goals: to pay tribute to the mothers of the civil and human rights movements and to utilize film as a resource for spreading awareness of urban problems and solutions in the U.S. and Africa," says Corey Jennings, founder and Executive Director. The month-long fundraising event is part of NGAF's Coordinated Awareness Believing In Achievement Through Skills Development and Uplift philosophy (the "Can-I-Ask-U" program).

Who     Next Generation Awareness Foundation, Inc. (501(c)(3))

What     3rd Annual National Black History Month Film & Discussion Series, a/k/a, the Urban Film Series

Where/When     Washington, District of Columbia – “Heart of A People” Series, February 11th, 11am – 9pm @ Cramton Auditorium, Howard University

Newark, New Jersey – “Picking Up The Pieces” Series, February 25th, 12pm – 8pm @ Essex County Community College

Clarksville, Tennessee – “Reaching Back” Series, February 26th, 1pm – 6pm @ Customs House Museum & Cultural Center

Ticketing     Tennessee: Free, Compliments of the Tennessee Arts Commission, Mount Olive Cemetery Historical Preservation Society and Austin Peay State University

District of Columbia and New Jersey: Students: $5/session or $10/all-day pass Adults: $10 per session or $20 all-day pass

Press/Media: Members of the press should contact us at press at urbanfilmseries.com or (202) 409-7240. Please forward us your media credentials (media source, circulation/viewership, affiliation, title, and complete contact information) and state your request(s) as exact as possible (interview, article, pictures, attendance).

Vendors or Authors: Vendors and authors wishing to participate in this year’s Vendors or Authors Row, please contact us.

Sponsors: Sponsorship, signage and other marketing opportunities are available. Name sponsor opportunities are still available.

About the Series

NGAF has been fortunate to have participation from some of America’s most meaningful actors, actresses, filmmakers and legends, including Vanessa Williams, Mark Brown, Yvette Freeman, Andrea Kalin, Russell Williams, Ed Shockley, Tim Greene, members of the cast of HBO’s The Wire, Negro League Baseball Players, Association of African-American Vintners, Tuskegee Airmen, Great Blacks on Wax Museum, American Civil War Memorial Museum, Buffalo Soldiers and many others. NGAF continues to produce the Series for underserved communities that can benefit most from the program.

The 2006 Series will emphasize meaningful presentations and discussions about modern urban problems and solutions in the U.S. and Africa. The inclusion of Africa represents the many quality submissions that demonstrate that exposure to the black experience in Africa, America and other countries could benefit the general public in attendance. Viewers can expect the same high-powered, high-quality discussions and participants that they have now grown accustomed to with the Series. Hear firsthand from witnesses to tragedies and triumphs. Listen to the families that sacrificed as well as the filmmakers with cast and crew to discuss their experiences, their work and the motion picture industry.

Key Films for 2006

Almost all films used for the 2006 Series have received a great deal of recognition and numerous awards. Please visit us at www.UrbanFilmSeries.com for greater detail and a complete listing of films for the 2006 Series. NGAF will welcome the mid-Atlantic premiere of Miramax Films’ new South African film, Tsotsi (2005) already an Oscar Selection and nomination for a Golden Globe. Similarly, NGAF will screen filmmaker Antoine Fuqua’s (director of Training Day, Denzel Washington’s Oscar winning performance) new, award-winning documentary, Bastards of the Party (2005), directed by Cle “Bone” Sloan, immediately prior to its projected HBO release. “These two choices deal with the problem of gangs in Africa and the U.S. Yet, they awaken the eye to the complexity of urban life in ways too often overlooked until America witnesses incidents like Katrina,” says Jennings.

The 2006 Series will take on old and new tragedies in a way never-before dealt with in a single setting. In one day, witness such films as The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till (2005), The Adventures of Super N****r (2004), Golddigger Killer (2005), and Driving While Black (2004), which use the power of cinematography to deal with some of the harshest realities and tragedies of many American communities. The series will pay tribute to golden legacies that are often overlooked or little-known. Say Amen Somebody (1983) is a sparkling tribute to gospel music pioneers Thomas Dorsey and Willie Mae Ford Smith. Standing On My Sisters’ Shoulders (2002) is a remarkable award-winning civil rights documentary detailing the critical role played by women, both African-American and Caucasian, in the civil rights movement. The Last Colored Caddy (2005) examines the impact and legacy of and challenges faced by African-American golf caddies.

2006 Locations, Themes, Discussions & Participants

Visit UrbanFilmSeries.com or the INSIDE Scoop page at InsiderEntertainment.com for the full press release with complete schedule, themes, discussions and participants details.

Launch of Black Docs and Urban Film & Discussion Series

With over 150 entries for its popular Series and contributions from many top motion picture companies, including HBO, TNT and now, Miramax Films, for 2006, NGAF will produce Black Docs, a Series focusing on documentaries, and the Urban Film & Discussion Series.

Visit us at www.UrbanFilmSeries.com for this year’s complete schedule, links to all films and personalities, and tickets.

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