Kezia Pearson is a Buffalo area educator, filmmaker, author, poet, and fashion designer. She obtained her bachelor's degree in English and a Master of Arts and Humanities in Film & Performance from the University of New York at Buffalo. Kezia is a co-founder and chair of the film festival.
Room 8
Congratulations to James W Griffiths for his BAFTA award for Short Film for Room 8.
Room 8 is one of five different films from the same script: the Bombay Sapphire Imagination Series. Seeking to spark the imagination, we asked Oscar winning writer Geoffrey Fletcher to write a short script stripped of any stage direction.
The Genius of Color Film Festival formally known as the (Queen City Black Film Festival) has officially changed its name in 2024. The new website will feature more online content including articles about the film industry and trailers of emerging filmmakers.
The festival's yearly event will return in June 2025 at the Historic Sattler Broadway Theater, following its restoration and grand opening. This venue will become the permanent home of the Genius of Color International Film Festival.
The concept behind the founding of the Genius of Color Film Festival dates to when WNYMMP co-founders love to watch the ABC after school film special in the 1970s. Later in life they realized the power and influence that films could have on people, particularly youth.
The group began producing urban independent television programs for WKBW-TV ABC Channel 7 in 2001. They featured trailers, movie reviews of filmmakers, this created exposure for cinematographers, producers, writers, actors, and stunt actors. Because of our commercial TV programs, great relationships were built with many filmmakers who have gone on to contribute to modern filmmaking today.
Our effort brought diversity to Western New York region and played a major role in the growth of the movie production business in the Buffalo Niagara regional area the official founding and launching of the film festival was in 2014 with the African American Roswell employee network located in the Gaylord room at Roswell Park Cancer Institute the purpose of the film festival is to promote independent storytelling in an effort to unite inform and inspire a broad and diverse audience.
The audiences that join us for these screenings will share in the discovery of innovative and unique films and would also have a chance to hear directly from local film members experts before and after the screenings, added Michael Quinniey executive director and Co-founder of WNYMMP.
Overall, the Genius of Color Film Festival is poised to continue its legacy of promoting diversity in filmmaking and providing a platform for independent voices in the Buffalo Niagara region and beyond.
Contact Us
Ellicott Square Building
295 Main Street, Suite #774
Buffalo, NY 14208
716-715-0384
geniusofcolorfilmfestival@gmail.com
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