The Bushwick Film Festival Celebrates Its Sweet 16 This Month

By Augostina Mallous, Brooklyn Paper

The Bushwick Film Festival is preparing for a milestone birthday celebration this month by embracing themes of personal growth and a new passage into life’s next chapter. From October 25 to October 29, the festival will celebrate its “Sweet 16” with red carpets, live screenings, movie industry conferences, screenplay competitions, award ceremonies, and more.

The festival, developed in 2007, is a platform for emerging filmmakers to showcase their work to a diverse and global audience, both in New York City and internationally. Part of the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program, the festival belongs to the minority of only 12 percent of film festivals owned by women of color in the U.S.

“Turning 16 traditionally symbolizes growth and discovery, but these transformative moments are not bound by age,” said festival founder Kweighbaye Kotee in a prepared statement.

All week long, attendees will have the opportunity to delve into narratives that present themes of coming of age, self-realization, and the quest for personal freedom through the lens of cinema. The films will be screened by BFF partner Williamsburg Cinemas.

This year’s festival will also feature several events for attendees to enjoy, opening with a red-carpet reception presented by Spectrum on October 25 at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Guests can enjoy specialty cocktails by Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky, which will be followed by the Movie Industry Conference at Be Electric Studios and a Sweet 16 party at Lot 45.

In addition to this year’s lineup of over 125 films, around 10 filmmakers will receive accolades in diverse categories including Best Feature (Narrative/Documentary), Best Short (Documentary/Narrative), Best Web Series, and others.

“As we usher in the 16th Bushwick Film Festival, we’re celebrating more than just cinema; we’re embracing the journey, the lessons, and the stories that have brought us here,” Kotee said. “Here’s to life’s defining chapters and the many stories that intertwine with them.”

The film lineup includes Halloween-inspired horror, social justice, and New York-themed films. Highlights include:

Halloween-inspired films

Story of Godia – Dir. Mouayed Zabtia, Libya (PG 13)

The narrative of a father, Hussein, who resides in a home that was previously his father’s. After his father passed, Hussein turned the estate into a retirement home and later moved in with his two children. Hussein’s son suffers from a disease that requires expensive treatment, and the children are found watching strange things happening in the house.

Little Yellow Flower – Dir. Chien-Ping Lin, Taiwan (PG)

This short film about yellow flowers may not be what it seems. A photo retoucher revisits his old house and finds yellow flowers that drew a nest of ants. He reflects on his past mistake of killing the flowers, and how angry his father became when he did so. Now, his elderly and paralyzed father is covered in ants, which brings back painful memories from his youth.

Bodies Will Tumble And Roll – Dir. Eli Vazquez, USA (Not Rated)

When a dysfunctional cheer squad, consisting of black and Latinx members, is sent to the woods to settle differences, they must learn to become a team. And, save their coach from serial killers.

New York-based films

City of Dreams – Dir. Imani Celeste Fuentes, USA (Not Rated)

City of Dreams follows four Black art students telling stories of community, divine intervention, and the artistry that led them to a memorable moment: smoking weed in a cramped NYC apartment and trying not to get caught.

Rose Salane’s Lost & Found – Dir. Ava Wiland, Rafael Salazar, USA (Not Rated)

This short documentary follows Salane as she consults an eclectic mix of professionals around the city about the value and significance of rings she has found, uncovering a series of often poignant micro-histories, as well as a much larger, overarching story of New York’s cultural and economic networks.

The Bushwick Film Festival runs from October 25 to October 29 at Williamsburg Cinemas at 217 Grand Street between Driggs and Bedford avenues in Williamsburg. Tickets start at $16. Screening times vary, visit bushwickfilmfestival.com for a full program.

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

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