A Day of Cinema Verite for Budding Black Filmmakers:

Urban Kidz Film Festival Workshops and Screenings Go Behind the Scenes, In Front of the Lens and Around the World

San Francisco, California (PRWEB) May 7, 2004 -- With explosive growth in attendance numbers and notoriety, the San Francisco Black Film Festival (SFBFF) has come of age in the six years since its inception. Now the SFBFF is passing the torch to the next generation of cinem-addicts via the Urban Kidz Film Festival, launching its third season on Saturday, June 12 at the African American Art and Culture Complex from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Fueled by a creative collective of African-American directors, screenwriters and actors, the Urban Kidz Film Festival presents a behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking industry through exclusive screenings and hands-on instruction.

Designed with the 5-to-12-year-old set in mind, special workshops like Animation 101 presented by Disney and Nicklelodeon alumni, John Gary. and Filmmaking from A to Z are geared to their interests. By engaging imaginations and offering direct experience of the cinematic process, the Urban Kidz Film Festival aims to introduce African-American youth to a range of independent filmmaking careers, both onscreen and off. Even kids who arent pursuing a career in cinema will come away culturally enlightened. Presenting films that are topically and culturally diverse, the festival encourages an expanded world view and drives involvement in global culture.

Urban Kidz Film Festival founder Ave Montague enjoys seeing the rush of excitement on childrens faces as they rush through the doors on the day of the event. "Its gratifying to see the level of enthusiasm and how eager they are to learn about the film industry. The screenings and workshops have opened up a whole new world for some of these kids. The festival provides them with a positive outlet for all their creative energy."

The Urban Kids Film Festival is a special feature of the San Francisco Black Film Festival, slated for June 9-13 at the Brava Theater Center, 2789 24th Street in San Francisco. A showcase for an astounding array of work from the United States, Africa,, Brazil, Canada and Cuba, the SFBFF expresses the range, depth and diversity of the African-American experience. With its focus on independent releases and avid artist promotion, the SFBFF has been instrumental in integrating the work of independent Black filmmakers into the mainstream.