The 10th Anniversary Edition of SRFF highlights BIPOC filmmakers on topics dealing with invisibility and marginality.
**Opening Night - Red Carpet - Walter Reade Theater Lincoln Center March 16
**Cinema Village - Shorts, Documentary, and Narrative films March 17-19

 

10th-Anniversary edition of SRFF opens at the Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater, on March 16, Red Carpet starting at 5:30 PM. The Opening Ceremony is at 6:00 PM with Honor Awards to three prolific individuals honored for their work in social justice and gender equality. A separate press release will announce the honorees. Two films screen with a reception in between to celebrate the 10th anniversary and blow the candles on the SRFF 2023 cake.

• SHABU - NEW YORK PREMIERE - Documentary Film,
  Directed by Shamira Raphaëla | The Netherlands | 75min.
• TNAASH - NEW YORK PREMIERE - Narrative Feature,
  Directed by Boudy Sfeir | Lebanon | 86min.

Opening Night tickets may be purchased here. The films, trailers, and synopses are on the festival website under SRFF 2023. Press and Media are invited. Sponsorships and partnerships are welcome.

"We take pride in telling the stories of invisible people; invisible because they are indigenous because they belong to marginalized groups such as LGBTQ, invisible because of their disabilities, because of the stigma of incarceration, homelessness, age, or disease. We take pride in shining the spotlight on wonderful films made by dedicated filmmakers who succeed in engaging an audience and raising awareness of social issues. We are lucky in that our hard work as volunteers is rewarded with the added bonus of learning so much from these films." Said Festival Founding Artistic Director Nora Armani.

The Official Selection program of 13 Documentaries, six Narrative features, and six thematically divided short film blocks (https://www.ratedsrfilms.org/2023-short-and-bipoc-films), Family and Adoption, Home and Health, Climate Change, LGBTQ, and BIPOC Films and Filmmakers, screen over three days at Cinema Village from March 17-19, and Uptown in West Harlem from March 20-23. The links above open the list and trailers of the films.

Rejoice Resist: BIPOC Films and events in West Harlem March 20-23, highlight films by and about BIPOC communities. This program takes place at MRHS (Morningside Health and Retirement Services), at Dear Mama in West Harlem, Maison Française Columbia University, and JCC Harlem. The program offers film screenings, a panel discussion on Diversity and Representation with the participation of the filmmakers, and invited guests, Justin Thomas, Joseph Jones, and HipHop by Division X.

Closing Awards Night - 5:00 PM Documentary, Maka (https://youtu.be/oXREqY1DtXU), about pioneer Black Italian activist Geneviève Makaping, Jazz by Kim Thomas. Closing Awards Ceremony at 7:00 PM where winning filmmakers are awarded by the International Jury. The evening is capped by the Tatev Jazz Trio and a reception.



The Award Categories: Best Narrative Feature, Best Actor and Best Actress, Best Documentary Feature, Best Narrative Short Film, Best Actor/ Actress in narrative shorts, Best Documentary Short Film, Best Script, WFCC (the Women Film Critics Circle award), in addition, there will be two Honor Awards given out on Closing Night, and these will be unveiled shortly.

The online section of the festival starts on March 24. It streams on https://srff.sparqfest.live starting March 24.

SRFF was founded by Actress/ Filmmaker Nora Armani in 2013. SRFF believes in the power of film in raising awareness of social issues and promoting positive social change.
During its first nine years, SRFF has showcased over 600 films from 40 countries. This year, a roster of 70 selected films is on offer, including narrative and documentary features, and shorts from 23 countries. More information here (http://www.ratedsrfilms.org), or contact rsvp.srff@gmail.com.