The Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) continues its legacy as the premiere and original Black Film Festival showcasing indy films from some of the most talented, established and up-and-coming filmmakers of color during its 8th Anniversary presentation happening June 5 – 10, 2007, in Beverly Hills, CA.

Since its inception in 1999, HBFF has experienced continuous growth and noted industry participation. In 2007, HBFF will screen its greatest number of films in the festival’s 8 year history with 122 films including 30 features, 64 shorts, 16 documentaries, 8 student films, 2 animated shorts and 2 music videos, from seven counties including Spain, Cameroon, South Africa, Haiti, Nigeria, the UK and the United States.. Tanya Kersey, HBFF Founder and Executive Director and Programming Director, Jacqueline Blaylock made the announcement.

“Over the past eight years we have experienced enormous growth in the number of competition submissions, as well as unparallel support from the Hollywood community,” said Kersey. “This year the submission were so dynamic, we were compelled to increase our list of finalists.”

“To date this competition has received noted accolades and high marks from industry professionals and the media at large,” said Blaylock. “Throughout our history we have introduced the public to more than 450 film and video projects showcasing some of the most spectacular images and stories created by filmmakers of color.”

Guests attending this years event can expect to gain a wealth of knowledge and information from the potpourri of screenings, panels, seminars, and workshops set this year.

Among the notable talent appearing in this year's line-up of HBFF films are Elise Neal and Wood Harris in RAN$UM GAMES; rapper Coolio in SIDES, Eric Roberts and Tico Wells in SISTER'S KEEPER; Flex Alexander, Tangie Miller, Essence Atkins and Tico Wells in LOVE & OTHER 4 LETTER WORDS; NBA basketball star Doug Christie and his wife Jackie in THE CHRISTIE'S UN-CUT; Omar Gooding in THE CANDY SHOP; rapper Chuck D., Ella Joyce and Glynn Turman in CITY TEACHER; Richard Lawson and Johnny “Bookman” Brown in I'M THROUGH W/WHITE GIRLS, Tonya Pinkins in TRUE GRITS, Tamara Tunie in AFTERLIFE; T.C. Carson in IN CONFLICT WITH KISMET; Art Evans in TESTIFY; and DB Woodside and Reiko Aylesworth in FIRST.

The festival’s Opening and Closing Night films will be announced shortly.

The Hollywood Black Film Festival has also announced that to accommodate the festival's expanding schedule, HBFF has added several new venues throughout the City of Beverly Hills. Films will screen at the Fine Arts Theatre located at 8556 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, and the Laemmle Music Hall 3 at 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. The Infotainment Conference will be held in the Clarity Theatre at 100 N. Crescent Dr., in Beverly Hills.

The complete list of films screening at HBFF 2007 follows:

FEATURE FILMS (30)

1. ANDERSON’S CROSS, written & directed by Jerome Scott
2. BLUEPRINT, written & directed by Kirk Shannon-Butts
3. CITY TEACHER, directed by Juney Smith
4. DEATH OF A B-BOY, written & directed by Willis Petrie
5. HURRICANE KATRINA AND THE PROJECT NAMED DESIRE, written & directed by Greg Carter
6. I AM THROUGH WITH WHITE GIRLS, written by Courtney Lilly, directed by Jennifer Sharp
7. JUMP OFFS, written & directed by Derrick Simmons
8. LA REBELLE, written by Dominique Jean and Sacha Parisot, directed by Sacha Parisot (World Cinema – Haiti)
9. LIFE & LYRICS, written by Ken Williams (World Cinema – U.K.)
10. LOVE…& OTHER 4 LETTER WORDS, written by Mandel Holland, directed by Steven Ayroloomi
11. MAN ON THE BOTTOM, written & directed by Christopher Baldi (World Cinema – Cameroon)
12. PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS, written & directed by Christopher Sage
13. RAN$UM GAMES, written by Devin Wesley and William Pierce, directed by Paris Reeves
14. SARBANE’S OXLEY, written by Bennitta Jean-Louis and Ramcess, directed by Jean-Louis Ramcess
15. SIDES, written & directed by Michael Edwards
16. SISTER’S KEEPER, written & directed by Kent Faulcon
17. SLAVE WARRIOR: THE BEGINNING, written & directed by Oliver Mbamara (World Cinema – Nigeria)
18. SOMETHING IS KILLING TATE, written & directed by Leon Lazano
19. TAPESTRY OF SHADOWS, written & directed by David Conley
20. THE 23RD PSALM, written & directed by Christopher C. Odom
21. THE BRIDGE, written by Chad Evans, directed by Torrence Colvin
22. THE CANDY SHOP, written & directed by Alton Glass
23. THE CHRISTIE’S UN-CUT, directed by Doug Christie
24. THE REVENANTS, written & directed by J.D. Cochran
25. THE RISE AND FALL OF MISS THANG, written & directed by Stacie Hawkins
26. THE THIRD SUMMER
27. TIL NIGHT, written & directed by Matt Boatright-Simon
28. UNDER THE SYCAMORE TREE, written by Chris Shields, directed by Shane Dean
29. WALK BY FAITH: THE RUNAWAY BRIDE, written by Jill Maxey, directed by Jean Claude LaMarre
30. WHY MEN CHEAT, written & directed by Mark Harris

SHORT FILMS (64)

1. …ELLIPSIS…, written & directed by Kia Michette Neal
2. A Nick In Time, written by Be Garrett and Shakima Landsmark, directed by Be Garrett
3. A RIOT IN THE DARK, written & directed by Mike Brown
4. AFTERLIFE, written & directed by Lana Garland
5. BEST KEPT SECRET, written by Erin Norman; directed by Malik Booth
6. BOTTOM FEEDER, written & directed by Wayne Gurman
7. BUSINESS JOHNSON, written & directed by Casper Frank
8. CONFESSION, written & directed by Avery Waddell
9. DREAMLAND, written & directed by Austin Priester
10. EACH OTHER, written by Roger Melvin, directed by John Melvin
11. ECHOES, written & directed by Cedi Ali Rajah
12. ELI’S LIQUOR STORE, written & co-directed by Alonzo Jones
13. ENTANGLED, written by Nikki Love; directed by Jakob Bokulich
14. EYE JAMMY, written & co directed by Daoud Abeid
15. F*CK YOU, PAY ME, co-writer & co-director Christopher Derrick
16. FIRST, written & co-directed by DB Woodside
17. FLOWER SHOP, written & directed by Mark Anthony Williams
18. GOODBYE MISTY LOVE, written & directed by Philip Jean Girault
19. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, PUNK!, written & directed by Michael Ajakwe
20. IN CONFLICT WITH KISMET, written & directed by Dani Dixon
21. KUJO, MY LOVE, written & directed by Stacy Pyles
22. LIVING THE SACRIFICE, written & directed by Kelvin Owens
23. LOW, written by Philip-Anthony Traylor; directed by Brian Stemmler
24. MISSED CONCEPTION, written by Jason Neely; directed by Lance Richards
25. NINA BABY, written & directed by Clyde Mason
26. NONE OF THE ABOVE, written & directed by Jay Beverly
27. ONE MORE CHANCE, written & directed by Hightower
28. ONLY IN YOUR DREAMS, written & directed by Richard Montgomery
29. PANGS, written & directed by Sherman Payne
30. PIMP AT THE BOOTH, written & directed by Dee Jordan
31. PLAN B, written & directed by Jeanette Branch
32. POET OF THE SWINGIN’ BLADE, written & directed by James E. Hurd, Jr.
33. POP FOUL, written & directed by Moon Molson
34. PRIVACY POLICY, written & directed by J. August Richards
35. RED PILL BLUE PILL, directed by Charles Brown
36. RESULTS, written & directed by Eddie Boles
37. ROADBLOCK, written & directed by Jonte X
38. RUSH, written by Rhodesia Nelson; directed by Team Syphan
39. SAMMY AND MARRY, written & directed by Hugh Plantin
40. SINGULARITY, written & directed by Marcos Soriano
41. SIR MALCOLM, written & directed by Eric Thompson
42. SLEEPER, written & directed by Kern Saxton
43. SOMEBODY’S TRUTH, written by Roxann Blackman; directed by Doyle Ray Taylor
44. STIGMA, written & directed by Quincy Minor
45. SUBTERFUGE, written & directed by Sylvester Parsons
46. TESTIFY, written & directed by Darius Monroe
47. THE ART OF THEATRICAL USHERY, written & directed by C. Thaddeus Banks
48. THE BLACK SHIELD, directed by Martin Hudson
49. THE DAVIS DILEMMA, written & directed by YaSin Shabazz
50. THE GIFT A.D., written & directed by Blu Fox
51. THE GRASS GROWS GREEN, written & directed by Jesus Beltran
52. THE NUMB, written & directed by James Tyler
53. THE RESTAURANT, written & directed by Maurice Durham
54. THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES, written & directed by Carlos Hardy
55. THE WANNABE, written by Althea Wasow
56. TRUE GRITS, written by Blaine Teamer; directed by Tonya Pinkins
57. UNFINISHED, written & directed by Arun K. Vir
58. U GOT PLAYED, written by William Young; directed by William Young and Steven Salibury
59. WAITING FOR SUNRISE, written & directed by Jason Thomas
60. WEEKENDS IN BROOKLYN, written & directed by David Canady
61. WHAT’S YOURS…, written & directed by Michael Allen Carter
62. WHEN THEY COULD FLY, written by Stephen Lindsey; directed by Piotr Kajstura
63. WOODEN SOUL, written & directed by Rehana Rose Khan (World Cinema - U.K.)
64. WOODSHED, written by T. Tara Turk; directed by Ella Turenne

DOCUMENTARY FILMS (16)

1. BATTLE FOR THE CROWN, directed by J. Lee
2. BLACK STUDIES, USA, written by Niyi Coker
3. COLORED FRAMES, directed by Lerone Wilson
4. COUNTING HEADZ: SOUTH AFRIKA'S SISTAZ IN HIP HOP, co-writer & co-director Erin Offer (World Cinema – South Africa)
5. LIZZ STRAIGHT: PORTRAIT OF A POET, directed by Sateesh Rogers
6. MOVEMENT (R)EVOLUTION AFRICA, directed by Joan Frosch
7. PROJECT WOW: A LOOK INTO THE LIVES OF MEN ON THE DOWN LOW, written & directed by Lisa Durden,
8. RACE TO EXECUTION, written by Christine Intagliata; directed by Rachel Lyon
9. REAL TALK: THE BLUEPRINT FRO A SAFER PHILADELPHIA, directed by Tim Mader
10. REYITA, written by Oliva Acosta, Elena Ortega, Daisy Rubiera and Rocio Santillana, directed by Olivia Acosta and Elena Orgega (World Cinema - Spain)
11. SEASON OF DEATH, directed by Angi Bones
12. SOULMATE, directed by Andrea Wiley
13. STANDING-N-TRUTH: BREAKING THE SILENCE, directed by Timothy Daniels
14. TEN DAYS OUT: BLUES FROM THE BACKROADS, collaborator Esther Somlo
15. TESTIMONIES OF FAITH…HUMBLE JOURNEY'S, co-writer Sharon Songbyrd
16. WHY WE BANG, written & directed by Clifford Jordan

STUDENT FILMS (8)

1. BEYOND THE PRETTY DOOR, written by Renee McClellan; directed by Bobby Boermans
2. EVANGELEO, written & directed by Alyss Grear
3. EYES ON THE SPARROW, written & directed by Randy Wilkins
4. GROWING DOWN, written & directed by Jeremy Bowditch
5. HARLEM’S BLUES, written & directed by Randy Wilkins
6. MEMOIRS OF A SMOKER, directed by Hezekiah Lewis
7. SURFACE OF THINGS, written & directed by Keith Davis
8. THE BALLAD OF RAY WILSON, written & directed by Joseph Johnson

ANIMATION (2)

1. HAZEL’S HIPS, written by Oscar Brown, Jr.; directed by Kobina Yankah
2. WORMHEAD, written by Carolyn McKeown; directed by Manauvaskar Kublall

MUSIC VIDEOS (2)

1. DANCE BOY – BRITTNEY KARA, directed by Lance Richards
2. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?, written & directed by Danielle Smith

The Hollywood Black Film Festival’s mission and goal is to play an integral role in discovering and launching independent films and filmmakers by bring them to the attention of the industry, press and the public.

Visit www.HBFF.org for festival updates.