The Urbanworld Film Festival Presented By BET Networks Announces 2013 Festival Slate

NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 17^th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (www.urbanworld.org), presented by BET Networks, announced its 2013 slate today. The nation's largest competitive multicultural film festival, Urbanworld will take place September 18-22, 2013 at midtown Manhattan's AMC 34th Street and will screen 60 films, including 4 world premieres and 2 U.S. premieres.

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The Opening Night Film – taking place September 19 at the SVA Theater in Chelsea (333 W 23rd St  New York, NY 10011) – is the highly anticipated David E. Talbert's Baggage Claim, a romantic comedy starring Paula Patton (Precious, Jumping the Broom, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), Derek Luke (Notorious, Sparkle),Taye Diggs (Rent, "Private Practice"), Grammy^®-winner Jill Scott (Why Did I Get Married?,  "Steel Magnolias"), Boris Kodjoe (Soul Food, Resident Evil: Retribution), Tremaine Neverson (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, Step Up: The Streets), Adam Brody (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, "The O.C."), Jenifer Lewis (Think Like a Man, Cars), Ned Beatty (Toy Story 3), Lauren London (Madea's Big Happy Family),Tia Mowry ("The Game"), La La Anthony (Think Like a Man), Christina Milian (Be Cool), Affion Crockett (Never Back Down), Terrence J (Think Like a Man Too), Rickey Smiley (First Sunday), Thomas Miles (Think Like a Man) and Academy Award^®-nominee Djimon Hounsou (In America, Blood Diamond).

Talbert is an Urbanworld alum, winning "Best Dramatic Feature" at the 1997 film festival for his comedy A Woman Like That. Baggage Claim opens nationwide on September 27.

BET Networks proudly presents its second original movie to premiere at Urbanworld: Gun Hill (directed by Reggie Bythewood and starring Larenz Tate, Emayatzy Corinealdi and Aisha Hinds), a gritty Cain and Abel drama set and shot in New York City.

Additional highlights of Urbanworld 2013 include: a Season 4 episode of the HBO^® drama "Boardwalk Empire" (starring Michael Kenneth Williams and Jeffrey Wright); the black western They Die by Dawn (starring Erykah Badu, Rosario Dawson, Idris Elba, Giancarlo Esposito, Jesse Williams, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Isaiah Washington); and the documentary Finding the Funk (starring George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, D'Angela, Sheila E., Sly Stone and Questlove).

Urbanworld is also announcing the launch of Urbanworld Underground, a platform designed to highlight maverick content creators who are transcending conventional filmmaking with innovation in their storytelling. In addition to Jeymes Samuel's They Die by Dawn, Urbanworld Underground will feature Kahlil Joseph's What Matters Most Shorts Block, which includes "Black Up," "Until the Quiet Comes," "The Model (Parts 1 & 2)," and "Wildcat."

BET returns for a sixth year as presenting sponsor along with founding sponsor HBO^®, who will host the Urbanworld Digital program again this year, with sessions presented by HBO, Interactive One, and MoviePass.

"Urbanworld Film Festival celebrates established multi-cultural screenwriters, producers and directors and aims to empower hopefuls by bringing new and diverse films to our community," said Loretha Jones, President of Original Programming. "BET believes Urbanworld Film Festival is an undeniable platform for emerging filmmakers, and because we pride ourselves on having our finger on the pulse of what's important to our audience, this makes our partnership even more exciting."

"Our 2013 slate indicates what I've known all year: that this is an exciting time for multicultural films," said Gabrielle Glore, executive producer and head of programming for Urbanworld. "We are always honored to be able to connect audiences with the artistic excellence of the filmmakers who have participated in Urbanworld for 17 years. And the continued support of our partners BET and HBO make it possible for us to keep shining a light on the diversity of stories that the world needs to see."

URBANWORLD 2013 FILM SLATE

OPENING NIGHT FILM

• Baggage Claim – Directed by David E. Talbert

CLOSING NIGHT FILM

• The Best Man – Directed by Malcolm D. Lee

SPOTLIGHTS

• Gun Hill – Directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood (NY Premiere)
• Boardwalk Empire – Season 4, Episode 3 – Created by Terence Winter
• Finding the Funk – Directed by Nelson George

URBANWORLD UNDERGROUND

• What Matters Most Shorts Block – Directed by Kahlil Joseph
  • Black Up
  • Until The Quiet Comes
  • The Model part 1
  • The Model part 2
  • Wildcat
• They Die By Dawn – Directed by Jeymes Samuel (NY Premiere)

NARRATIVE FEATURES

• An American in Hollywood – Directed by Sai Varadan (World Premiere)
• Calloused Hands – Directed by Jesse Quinones (NY Premiere)
• Full Circle – Directed by Solvan Naim
• Home Again – Directed by Sudz Sutherland (NY Premiere)
• Knockaround Kids – Directed by John Oluwole Adekoje (NY Premiere)
• Sable Fable – Directed by Stephen Jackson (NY Premiere)
• The Last Letter – Directed by Paul D. Hannah (World Premiere)
• The Volunteer – Directed by Vicky Wight (NY Premiere)
• The Magic City  -– Directed by R. Malcolm Jones (NY Premiere)
• Things Never Said – Directed by Charles Murray (NY Premiere)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

• A Lovely Day – Directed by Kerri Gawryn (NY Premiere)
• American Beatboxer – Directed by Manauvaskar Kublall
• Brothers Hypnotic – Directed by Reuben Atlas
• Children of the Wind – Directed by Daphne Schmon (NY Premiere)
• In Search of the Black Knight – Directed by Tamarat Makonnen (NY Premiere)
• Little Ballers – Directed by Crystal McCrary (NY Premiere)
• The New Black ­– Directed by Yoruba Richen (NY Premiere)
• The New Public – Directed by Jyllian Gunther

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

• "Colored My Mind" – Directed by Nia Hill (NY Premiere)
• "NAILgasm: The Nail Art Documentary" – Directed by Ayla Montgomery (World Premiere)

NARRATIVE SHORTS

• "A Different Tree" – Directed by Steven Caple Jr. (NY Premiere)
• "Amateur" – Directed by Ryan Koo (NY Premiere)
• "Baghdad Messi" – Directed by Sahim Omar Kalifa (US Premiere)
• "Boneshaker" – Directed by Frances Bodomo
• "Chance Encounter" – Directed by Eric Richardson-Hagans (NY Premiere)
• "Crescendo" – Directed by Alonso Alvarez
• "El Doctor" – Directed by Heather de Michele
• "El Invento" – Directed by Giovanni Granada (NY Premiere)
• "Five Years" – Directed by Durier Ryan
• "Fly On Out" – Directed by Robert Kolodny (World Premiere)
• "Free Lunch" – Directed by Ricky Horne (NY Premiere)
• "Journeyman"  – Directed by Sarah Jenkins
• "Juaritos" – Directed by H. F. Crum
• "La Hora Senalada" – Directed by Ivan Mazza (NY Premiere)
• "Last Remarks" – Directed by Umar Riaz (NY Premiere)
• 'Little Black Boy Wonder" – Directed by Mo McCrae (NY Premiere)
• "LU" – Directed by Korstiaan Vandiver
• "Nameless" – Directed by Jacquin Deleon (NY Premiere)
• "Ojala" – Directed by Ryan Velasquez (NY Premiere)
• "Prospect" – Directed by Derrick Perry
• "Rosita Lopez for President" – Directed by Rachel Goldberg (NY Premiere)
• "Say Yes" – Directed by Ava DuVernay (NY Premiere)
• "Sweet Honey Chile'" – Directed by Talibah Newman
• "The Bash" – Directed by Tyson FitzGerald (NY Premiere)
• "The Grown-Ups" – Directed by Kaliya Warren
• "The Painter" – Directed by Kevin Cooper (NY Premiere)
• "The Rebel Prince" – Directed by Fabian Davis (NY Premiere)
• "Traces of Joy" – Directed by Jeff Tran and Louis Yeum (US Premiere)
• "Twenty Bucks" – Directed by Jesus Beltran (NY Premiere)

SCREENPLAY FINALISTS

• BLACK CAKE - Written by Pauline Gray
• THE GOOD SOLDIER - Written by Tiana Idoni-Matthews
• THE GUNNERY - Written by Randy Wilkins
• PASSENGERS - Written by Anthony Onah
• YEAR OF OUR LORD - Written by Darius Clark Monroe

TELEPLAY FINALISTS

• DIARY OF A RETAIL GIRL- Written by Racheal Benjamin
• MEL & MISSY- Written by Allison Bonner Shillingford
• MIRACLE JONES – Written by Charmain Johnson
• BROS BEFORE HOES- Written by Benjamin Cory Jones
• LIVE BIG – Written by Tasimika Paxton

ABOUT URBANWORLD
The Urbanworld® Film Festival, founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, is the largest internationally competitive festival of its kind. The five-day festival includes narrative features, documentaries, and short films, as well as panel discussions, live staged screenplay readings, and the Urbanworld® Digital track focused on digital and social media.  Over the last fifteen years, Hollywood studios, indie film distributors, and established and emerging filmmakers have consistently chosen Urbanworld® to premiere box office and award-winning hits.  Urbanworld® has also provided a platform for some of today's leading brands seeking to reach key influencers across the industry and within the consumer marketplace.  The Urbanworld® Film Festival is an initiative of the Urbanworld® Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization that endeavors to consistently manifest its mission of redefining and advancing the roles of multicultural constituents in contemporary filmed entertainment.  By implementing initiatives that actively support and develop content creators of color, Urbanworld significantly contributes to the evolution of the media and entertainment landscape and the diversity that it reflects.  Gabrielle Glore serves as Executive Producer & Head of Programming for the Urbanworld Film Festival.  The festival website is www.urbanworld.org.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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