Thursday, June 22, 7:00 PM

Archival Shorts from the Reelblack Collection Guest Programmed by Mike Dennis

As the founder of ReelBlack, an organization dedicated to educating, enlightening, entertaining and empowering people through Black Film, join us as Mike Dennis takes us on a journey through his extensive collection of vintage Black films. This year marks Mike Dennis’ 20th year of making and exhibiting films in Philadelphia.

Michael J. Dennis is an award-winning filmmaker, curator, and media host based in Philadelphia, PA. He has worked with Chris Rock, Ava DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, and The Hudlin Brothers. Dennis is the recipient of The CNN IReport Film Festival Grand Jury Prize and is a two-time Pew Fellowship finalist. Dennis is President of the Philadelphia Film and Video Association and founding member of both Councilman David Oh’s Black Film Advisory Committee and Ava DuVernay’s Array, where he works diligently to develop infrastructure for independent filmmakers.

Movies of Local People (excerpt) (1941, USA, 28 mins) By H. Lee Waters

A "town portrait" film consisting of silent footage of everyday street scenes and the residents residing in the small town of Kannapolis, North Carolina.

The Secret of Selling the Negro (1954, USA, 21 mins) Produced by Johnson Publishing Company, Joseph G. Betzer and Harry W. Lange

Commisioned by the Chicago-based publishers of the Negro Digest, Ebony and Jet Magazine, The Secret of Selling the Negro was originally to encourage advertisers to promote their products and services in the African-American media. The film showed African-American professionals, housewives and students as participants in the American consumer society, and it emphasized the economic power of this demographic community. It has since been featured in thecritically-acclaimed documentary, I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO.

The Budweiser Malt Liquor Unlimited Produced by Anheuser-Busch (1972, USA, 24 mins)

One of the strangest pieces of industrial advertising ever created. Hosted by TV star Robert Fuller (Emergency) and features Margaret Avery (Color Purple), Carol Speed (Abby) and Caro Kenyatta (Cleopatra Jones) and Bill Overton in supporting roles.