The Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival is gearing up to celebrate it’s 20th anniversary this summer and we’ve already got a good gauge on the types of talent and projects set to appear. It will include iconic directors such as Questlove, Spike Lee, Tyler Perry and Kasi Lemmons and more.
Per Variety, Questlove will participate in a panel discussion for the documentary Descendant, in which he serves as producer, which follows “members of Africatown, a small community in Alabama, as they share their personal stories and community history as descendants of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to illegally transport human beings as cargo from West Africa to America.” The film debuted at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and comes from Netflix, Participant Media and the Obama’s Higher Ground production banner. It will be screened on opening night at MVAAFF.
For his part, Perry will preview his forthcoming film, A Jazzman’s Blues. As previously reported by The Root, the film will be told from 1937-1987 and centers around “an investigation into an unsolved murder unveiling a story full of forbidden love, deceit and a secret that has been held for 40 years.” Perry will also participate in discussions afterwards.
Additionally, Lemmons will be honored with the the Legacy Spotlight for her classic film “Eve’s Bayou,” which marks its 25th anniversary this year. Immediately following, she will participate in a talk about her successful career and touch on her upcoming Whitney Houston biopic, I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
Additional screenings and talks featuring Michael Ealy, Al Sharpton, and morewill revealed as the weeks progress. The 20th annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival runs Aug. 5-13. For more information on MVAAFF and how to snag tix, head to mvaaff.com.