Tanya Kersey, Hollywood Black Film Festival Executive Director to Keynote Houston Black Film Festival & Book to Film Screenplay Search Awards Gala

Tanya Kersey is one of Hollywood's most respected and well-regarded entertainment journalists and commentator. As the founder and editor-in-chief of Black Talent News, the leading trade publication for Blacks in the entertainment industry, and the founder and executive director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival, Kersey is the most likely choice to speak during the inaugural year of the Houston Black Film Festival.

(PRWEB) February 3, 2005 -- This is the first ever Black film festival in the fourth largest metropolis in the world. According to Rick Ferguson, Executive Director of the Houston Film Commission, over 150 films have been shot in and around the great filming Mecca of Houston, Texas.

Industry giants, filmmakers, distributors, actors, actresses, directors, producers, and others as the highly acclaimed writer producer and filmmaker, Ralph Farquar, Executive Producer, UPN, Second Time Around, Proud Family, Moesha, Marc Hernandez with Cresendo Entertainment Group, Dawn Carter of Fox TV, Andrea Wiley, Executive Producer, Parkers, UPN, Kathy Busby, Sr. VP Development at CBS and others will converge on Houston for a roundtable discussion and to review screenplays derived from works by nationally known best-selling novelist. We hope to generate the end product, a number of quality screenplays that will result in a better selection of projects for filmmakers, actors and actresses as well.

Some of the noted honorees and invitees are actors, producers, Vivica A. Fox ,Loretta Devine, LisaRaye, Ice Cube, Hill Harper, Jordan-Walker Pearlman, Sanaa Lathan, and more. Our Book to Film honorees, are authors, Jacquelin Thomas, Walter Mosley and J. California Cooper.

We are screening films from such notable film companies as Fox Search Lab's "Youngster", Simmons Lathan Media Groups, Industry," "Black Theater Today: 2005," Thea -Marie Perkins, "My Purple Fur Coat" starring Hill Harper a film by Kathy Busby, "Endangered Species," by the Earth Conservation Corps and other documentaries, shorts and features.

There are several panels planned including a pitch fest, on site open casting call and more. The Page to Stage panel will be hosted by Houstons dynamic duo, Executive Producers, Gary Guidry & Je'Caryous Johnson of I'm Ready Productions.

www.imreadyproductions.com. I'm Ready Productions brought us the stage production adaptation of Michael Baisden's "Men Cry In the Dark," & "Maintenance Man." They are currently producing, Carl Weber's "Married Men," & Eric Jerome Dickey's "Friends & Lovers."

We are also planning an actors panel with such actors as Pierre, www.happycomic.com, "For The Love of Money," and "Baps" and actresses, such as Cee Cee Michaela, www.ceeceemichaela.com formerly of the Hit UPN TV Show "Girlfriends," & the upcoming movie with Monique & Vivica A. Fox, "Hair Show."

Also on Friday, a concert with R&B recording artist, Anthony Hamilton sponsored by Hot Ticket Entertainment, followed by an after party at the Renaissance Hotel Greenway Plaza. A spectacular celebrity golf tournament with well known celebrities and athletes takes place Sunday morning February 27th at Herman Golf Course.

Other highlights are the Kickoff Comedy Showcase held at Houston IMPROV February 23rd and the February 24th opening night reception with Sony recording artist LYFE. We are also having the celebrity fashion show hosted two top Ebony Fashion Fair Models modeling designs by ENYCE; a, main comedy showcase with comedians from such shows as BET Comic view, Last Comic Standing, as well as comedic actors.

Nationally Known best-selling authors as Mary Morrision, Gloria Malette, Pat G'Orge Walker, & others will be on hand to sign their novels.

Other authors interested in signing at the event or businesses interested in vendor space may contact us at info@houstonblackfilmfestival.org

If you have questions or need clarification regarding any aspect of the upcoming festival, please feel free to contact Sheba Media Group, Renee Byrd at 1-888-898-9297 ext 84.

To obtain media credentials email us at press@houstonblackfilmfestival.org

The official host hotel is the Inn At the Ballpark (across the street from the venue, Minute Maid Park)

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