Halifax Black Film Festival ready to show why it’s getting noticed

Launching February 24, the 6th annual HBFF offers more than 70 films as well as its Canadian Screen Award-nominated ‘Being Black in Halifax’ program and more

CITYnews halifax \ Steve Gow

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In spite of the ongoing pandemic, the Halifax Black Film Festival is continuing to grow.

With an aim to promote cinema which presents the reality of Black people at home as well as around the world, the festival will launch virtually from February 24 to 27 and all signs seem to predict that the 6th annual event will be a great success.

“The festival is growing by the day,” insists Fabienne Colas, the founder of the HBFF. “Because of the pandemic, we’ve had to pivot virtually and because of that, people all over Canada can now access the program as well, which makes the festival more accessible not only to people in Halifax and HRM but also outside HRM.”

Founded in 2017 by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, a not-for-profit cultural organization that is dedicated to “building bridges and advancing education through the arts,” the HBFF will be showcasing more than 70 films from across the globe as part of this year’s online celebration.

“The audience gets a chance to dive into this world of great cinema and Black films and stories,” says Colas about the opportunity that the HBFF provides audiences. “That’s fantastic but most importantly, the Black Film Festivals have allowed a lot of emerging artists and early-career artists to showcase and premiere their first film or work because sometimes other festivals will be closed to them — especially the big guys, the big festivals.”

Tickets are now available for the festival, which will open on February 24 at 7 pm with the Halifax premiere of The White Line from filmmaker Desiree Kahikopo-Meiffret. Set in the mid-60s, the Namibian drama follows an interracial affair and aims to “shed light on the untold love stories during Apartheid, putting in motion what is predominantly now the new Namibia.”

“The White Line is a powerful, social and love story (and) you can witness all the social, racial problems they were living at the time in southwest Africa,” says Colas, adding that she credits her programming team for finding the opening selection. “There’s so many great films telling so many powerful realities and stories that it’s always hard to single out one and say this is the opening film so when that happens, it’s because that film is a must-see film for everybody.”

This year’s closing night film will be Murder in Paris. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Enver Samuel, the stirring documentary attempts to uncover hidden agendas and the motives behind the unsolved 1988 assassination of anti-Apartheid activist, Dulcie September.

Of course, the HBFF will have local representation as well. In the Narrative Short program, two Halifax films will make their premiere.

In Israel Ekanem’s Kill Your Masters, two slave girls take destiny into their hands in an attempt to escape from their white slave master.

As well, acclaimed local artist Koumbie will premiere her latest short film, I Hate You. The short drama follows her and co-director Taylor Olson as the real-life couple “have to work through a rejection before they can move on to breakfast.”

One of the HBFF’s signature programs is Being Black in Halifax, a documentary series that gives four local filmmakers an opportunity to be mentored and trained in order tell their stories about living in Nova Scotia through the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada incubator program.

Over the course of the year, the quartet of local filmmakers were supported to create a stunning set of films that will be offered for just $12 for the duration of the festival.  Among the four filmmakers are Guyleigh Johnson (Scratching the Surface), Jodell Stundon (Finding a Way Out), Deborah Castrilli (Framework) and Tyus Mcsween (Washed Up).

“These films talk about what it’s like to be Black in Halifax,” says Colas. “Those are powerful films and they open up our eyes so I believe people will have a great delight to really be exposed to these films.”

On February 15, the Being Black in Halifax program and last year’s selection of films were nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards.

Another important part of the HBFF will be the Black Market, an industry series that features industry professionals sharing their experience about today’s most critical filmmaking and social issues with a selection of free panel discussions on everything from creating powerful pitches to exploring misrepresentation in the media and what impacts are caused from a lack of diversity.

“This is really where the magic happens as well because a film festival is not just about watching films,” says Colas. “This is a safe space where (people) can have frank conversations about not only the industry but also about social realities and socio-economic issues.”

For a full list of programs or more information on the HBFF, visit the website.