A new film festival is coming to the Quad Cities this month.
The first Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities will feature four days of screening events and panel discussions, starting with an opening ceremony and filmmaker meet & greet on June 16th at the TMBC Lincoln Center complex, 318 E. 7th St., Davenport, a historically Black community venue.
The festival program will run June 16-19, 2023, and feature short films created by local and regional filmmakers representing the Black Diaspora, according to a Monday festival release.
Films will screen throughout the weekend at the Putnam Museum Giant Screen Theater (1717 W. 12th St., Davenport), and more venues to be confirmed in Davenport, Moline and Rock Island. The festival will close on June 19th with an awards ceremony for the filmmakers whose work is recognized with distinction by Pulling Focus Film Festival audiences and organizers.
After several years of holding the Urban Exposure Independent Film Project Summer Film Program, which teaches filmmaking to underrepresented and at-risk young people in our community, Azubuike has identified the need for a regional film festival that celebrates and promotes Black filmmakers, the release said.
The Pulling Focus festival will be held annually during the Juneteenth federal holiday to commemorate and celebrate, in our region, the struggles and triumphs of the Black Diaspora.
The inaugural Pulling Focus African American Film Festival will showcase 35 exceptional films over two days, June 16-17, 2023. The event, hosted by the Azubuike African American Council for the Arts, aims to amplify Black voices from the Black Diaspora and celebrate the power of Black cinema.
The festival aims to explore and celebrate the complexity and diversity of the Black experience globally. The event fills a crucial gap in the market by highlighting often overlooked Black voices and stories.
The Pulling Focus Film Festival offers curated films, engaging panel discussions, and special events, bringing together film enthusiasts, industry professionals, academics, and members of the Black community for meaningful connections and dialogue.
Gaye Shannon Burnett (head of Azubuike) expressed the importance of the festival, stating, “By offering a space for the Black community to be seen and heard, we respond to the demand for diverse storytelling in the film industry and our community.”
Sponsors of the festival include the Regional Development Authority, Quad City Arts, Iowa American Water Company, The Doris and Victor Day Foundation, The Marc & Gma Howze Charitable Foundation, and Quad City Community Foundation.
Partners of the festival include the Putnam Museum, the Figge Art Museum, The TMBC Lincoln Center, The Friends of MLK Center, Steam on Wheels, the Downtown Davenport Partnership, and Urban Exposure Independent Film Project.
The festival invites everyone to celebrate the richness of cinematic artistry and the profound impact of Black voices this Juneteenth. It is free to the public. For more information and reservations, visit the festival website HERE.
