HIGHLIGHTS AND NOTES ON NFFF 2021
FUTURE HOME: BLACK JOY AND RESISTANCE
The 2021 Nova Frontier Film Festival was held virtually again this year, with OUR MAIN HOME AND partner The Billie Holiday Theatre. The festival took place June 17-20 over Juneteenth Weekend and featured free streaming ON THE Laurel ChanneL TV PLATFORM. this year’s films, panel discussions, and performances, all of which were virtual. Showcasing 16 films this year, both long and short form, CONTENDING ON the TIMELY theme OF “Past, Present, Future Home.” see THE FULL 2021 PROGRAM HERE AND listen to the panels.
The festival began with the Opening Night Ceremony on June 17 with Master of Ceremony, Noma Dumezweni, a Laurence Olivier Award winner and a Tony Award-nominated actress. The Opening Night Ceremony also introduced the audience to some of this year’s filmmakers and included performances by Yacouba Diabate, a master musician and artist from a well-known Griot music family in Burkina Faso, West Africa.
On Saturday, June 19, the Billie Holiday Theatre hosted AN ENGAGING panel discussion “Cultural Identity & Belonging,” a timely conversation around home, sense of belonging, and identity. Moderated by award-winning filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist Thomas Allen Harris. the panel featured 3 global filmmakers in the festival: Richard B. Pierre Director of An Uninvited Guest, Anabel Rodriguez Rios, Director of Once Upon A Time In Venezuela, and Kantarama Gahigiri Director of Ethereality.
The festival concluded on Sunday, June 20, with the Closing Night Ceremony: Future Joy & Resistance. The Master of Ceremony was Karine Plantadit, a Tony nominated dancer, actress, and choreographer. The ceremony featured important discussions and powerful performances from spoken word artist, filmmaker, and the director of VIVXS, Roberta Estrada D'elva, spoken word artist and published poet Cito Blanko,, and spoken word artist, poet, and actress Zania Cummings. The winner of the trip for two to the Guadeloupe Islands was announced by Audrey Yacou, one of the representatives for the Guadeloupe Tourism Board. Two members of the jury, Idil Ibrahim and Riad Bouchoucha, also announced the Award Winners for the 2021 Nova Frontier Film Festival.
Best Documentary Short and NYWIFT Outstanding Female Content Creator Award:
Ethereality
Director Kantarama Gahigiri - Switzerland/Rwanda, (2019)
Best Feature Documentary:
Director Anabel Rodriguez Rios - Venezuela/USA (2020)
Best Actor:
Aymane Rachdane for Le Départ
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS! We are so grateful!
AND SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR 2021 SPONSORS AND PARTNERS!
THE BILLIE HOLIDAY THEATRE . LAUREL CHANNEL . GUADELOUPE ISLANDS . MUBI . FINE ART SHIPPERS . N Y WOMEN IN FILM . ART HOUSE 473 . WOMANITY PROJECT