At the opening event, documentary filmmakers Jayce Baron and Hailie Sahar will join local leaders including Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus Executive Director Dr. Keith Green and AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) Director of Communications D’Ontace Keyes for a live, in-person Q&A.
One of the longest-running Black LGBTQ/SGL film festivals in the world, the 9th Annual Black Alphabet Film Festival will run from Nov. 4-6 at the University of Chicago’s Reva and David Logan Center and feature more than 30 films, including Black Beauty, I Wish I Never F*cking Met You, Rainbow Migrants, Manifold, The Funnel and Jabari Dreams of Freedom. An opening reception hosted by comedian Otis Mack will be held on Fri., Nov. 4, at 6 p.m. at Sip and Savor, 78 E. 47th St.; Miller Coors will sponsor the event.
The documentary film Beyond Ed Buck follows the tragic murders of Gemmel Moore and Timothy Dean that took place at the hands of political donor Edward Buck. The film expands the conversation of the history of Black trans and gay-identified men falling prey to the sexual fetishes and baiting of crystal meth that exist in the United States.
“This is the festival’s third recent entry featuring the epidemic of crystal meth and its impact on the LGBTQ community in our country,” said Black Alphabet Film Festival Executive Director Adam McMath. “This issue continues to ravage our community, and we are proud to highlight the impactful work of Jayce Baron and Hailie Sahar at the opening of this year’s festival, shining an even brighter light on its harrowing impact.”
BAFF was created in 2013 to provide more opportunities for people to see images, hear stories, and relate to unique Black LGBT+ experiences absent from the mainstream media. The annual event provides a global platform for members of the SGL/LGBTQ+ community to showcase their films. This year, the event is sponsored by Here Media, the Chicago Department of Public Health, AIDS Health Foundation (AHF), Chicago Community Trust and ViiV Pharmaceuticals.
A full list of festival events and screenings can be found at http://www.blackalphabet.org/film-festival.