Communities First, Inc. partners with the Flint Institute of Arts to host the fourth annual African American Film Series. The series is designed to inspire, inform, empower and entertain attendees. The series kicks off on November 15 at 5:30pm and guests are advised that capacity is limited to the first 300 who arrive. This festive event features live entertainment, food, intriguing films and a panel discussion for a requested donation of $5. The galleries will be open for attendees to experience and the overall event has been a resounding success for the past three seasons. Check out this highlight video from last year! AAFS Highlights
The schedule for the film series is:
Thursday, November 15 – Brothers Hypnotic (Hypnotic Brass) Reception and live entertainment begins at 5:30pm. For the eight young men in the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, "brotherhood" is literal: they're all sons of anti-establishment jazz legend, Phil Cohran. Cohran and their mothers raised them together on Chicago's South Side on a strict diet of jazz, funk and Black Consciousness. Family band practice began at 6 AM. Now grown, as they raise eight brass horns to the sky, they make music that is at once indescribably joyful, unremittingly exciting, and undeniably together. But as the brothers try to make their own way in the wide world-while playing in the streets of New York City, collaborating with Mos Def, or wowing a jazz festival-they find the values their father bred into them constantly tested. They must decide whether his principles really are their own. Film not rated.
Thursday, December 13 – Pacoima Stories: Land of Dreams (Pacoima Stories) Reception and live entertainment begins at 5:30pm. PacoimaStories: Land of Dreams is an epic documentary that reveals the 1,500-year history of an area in Los Angeles called Pacoima. The town, which is located in the northeast San Fernando Valley, has been largely viewed as a hub for gangs and drug activity. However, when you scratch beneath the surface you discover a rich tradition of pride and heritage that defines American culture like never before. Film not rated.
Thursday, January 10 – The Possibility of Her (The Possibility of Her) Reception and live entertainment begins at 5:30pm. "The Possibility of Her" is a feature-length documentary which highlights 12 women of color who are actively involved in non-traditional careers or passions. The film delves into each woman's personal and professional life discussing their beginnings, challenges, their take on gender norms as well as addressing some myths and misconceptions about women in their respective fields. Film not rated.
Thursday, February 14 – Love Jacked (Love Jacked) Reception and live entertainment begins at 5:30pm. Love Jacked is a sophisticated small-town romantic comedy centered on Maya, a headstrong 28-year-old with artistic ambitions, and her father Ed, who wants a dutiful daughter to run the family store. Ed is shocked when Maya, asserting her independence, decides to travel to Africa for inspiration and returns with a fiancé who is not quite what he seems. Rated PG-13.
Doors open at 5:30pm and the films begin at 7:00pm. Seating is limited to the first 300 guests and there is a suggested donation of $5 per person. Following each film, there will be a brief discussion about the themes in the films.