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Video Interview, The Forgotten Occupation: Jim Crow goes to Haiti 🪢 Forbidden History with Filmmaker Alain Martin 🎬

🎙️ On this episode, we speak with Haitian filmmaker, Alain Martin. Alain continues our series “From Haiti to Hollywood,” as he offers us a gripping ‘forbidden history lesson’ about the Caribbean diaspora. In Alain’s award-winning documentary, and extremely important cultural work, “The Forgotten Occupation: Jim Crow Goes to Haiti,” Alain explores the history of the United States occupation of Haiti from 1915 – 1934. Watch “The Forgotten Occupation: Jim Crow Goes to Haiti” feature length documentary now on Filmocracy.com, August 20 – 28, 2023, as part of the virtual screenings of the Haiti International Film Festival #HIFF2023.

Video Interview, Working on Studio Projects 🍿 Production Coordinator Sharice Keyes Star Wars Disney+ Ahsoka

🎙️ On this episode, we speak with filmmaker Sharice Keyes. We discuss what it was like producing her first short film, as well as her role as a postproduction coordinator at the George Lucas-founded, and now Disney-owned Industrial Light & Magic, working on the biggest projects in Hollywood, including Marvel’s “The Eternals,” “Dungeons and Dragons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” and the upcoming new Star Wars Disney+ streaming series, “Ahsoka.”

Video Interview, How to Make it in Film and TV “From Haiti to Hollywood” 🇭🇹 Filmmaker Romane Antoine Simon 🎥

🎙️ On this episode, we speak with multi-award-winning Haitian actor, dancer, model, stuntman, fight choreographer, and filmmaker, Romane Antoine Simon. Romane continues our series “From Haiti to Hollywood,” as he shares his life’s journey as an artist through the release of his most recent feature film, “#FamilyMan.” #FamilyMan tells the gripping story of an Indian father’s life who is turned upside down when his family is killed in a senseless car accident, by a prominent man, who was driving while drunk.

Video Interview, Haiti International Film Festival 2023 🇭🇹 Haiti is a Nation of Artists 🎥 Haitian Bricolage Gallery

🎙️ On this episode, we speak with the most important person in Haitian cinema, filmmaker, cinema professor, and executive director of the Haiti International Film Festival (August 19-20, 2023), Jacquil Constant, MA. We discuss his groundbreaking multi-award-winning documentary, Haiti is a Nation of Artists, the Haiti International Film Festival, and the Haitian Bricolage Art Gallery. In addition, Jacquil gives us an impromptu Master Class in Impact Producing with a multitude of opportunities, to screen your work, beyond the Hollywood film, and television studio system.

15 Best Latino Film Festivals in the United States for Emerging Independent Filmmakers 🎞️

After authoring the original “12 Best Black Film Festivals” list, I took the time to do what that list did for emerging independent Black filmmakers of color and canonize the best and most important opportunities for emerging independent Latino filmmakers of color by creating the definitive list of “15 Best Latino Film Festivals in the United States for Emerging Independent Filmmakers.”

Submitting to Film Festivals

Every festival has its own personality. If you can’t differentiate personalities between festivals, you’re not digging deep enough. You definitely want everything that you are using in your body of work to promote yourself to have an accolade for each project. A festival win, place, show, or screening, no matter the size, are all equally persuasive ways to provide third-party validation for your work.

Documentary Film Grants

Finding funding for documentaries is much healthier than finding funding for narrative works. There are many special interests groups, organizations, fiscal sponsors, and grants available for documentaries, but be aware that they are very competitive. In a competitive playing field, preparation plus perseverance, can sometimes tip the hat in your favor.