Michelle Obama, Spike Lee, and others set to appear at Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival
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'When people see you working hard and doing good things, particularly for the community, they will pitch in,' Floyd Rance said. 'That's for all races, creeds, and colors, sexes and genders. They'll pitch in. That's at the core of this festival — people have pitched in.'
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This year's lineup includes many notable guests. Michelle Obama's appearance will involve recording a live episode of her podcast
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On Aug. 1, Spike Lee will present scenes from his upcoming film 'Highest 2 Lowest,' which stars Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky and comes out on Aug. 22. Stars LaChanze, John Douglas Thompson, and Ilfenesh Hadera will join Lee for a discussion of the film's production and themes.
Actress, singer, and TV show host Jennifer Hudson will be present on Aug. 5, for a discussion and audience Q&A about her experiences making 'The Jennifer Hudson Show.'PEOPLE Magazine editor Janine Rubenstein will moderate the event.
Many in the festival's lineup are returning guests.
'With Mr. Lee, there is a bit of a connection — I used to be employed by him for a long time. I've worked with him on various different projects,' Rance said. 'Fortunately, he returns and he supports, and we definitely appreciate all his support. And he spreads positive word of mouth.'
Comedian Dave Chapelle will present 'Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life' on Aug. 8, a documentary that captured the comedian's socially distanced live shows at cornfields in Ohio during the pandemic. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2021.
The festival's closing film, 'Seen & Heard Part 2,' will be followed by a panel with executive producer Issa Rae ('Insecure'), directors Giselle Bailey and Phil Bertelsen, and producer Montrel McKay. The film is the second half of a two-part documentary exploring the impact of Black creatives in the TV industry, and features interviews from Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and others.
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The festival explores Black issues beyond the film sphere. On Aug. 7, Representative Ayanna Pressley will join Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett and the Rev. Al Sharpton for a fireside chat about 'the power of joy as a political act, cultural anchor, and driving force behind justice, storytelling, and community transformation,' according to the festival's website.
'It's really about support. It's about filmmakers supporting each other and us supporting filmmakers,' Rance said. 'Birds of a feather should flock together.'
'A Portrait of the American Dream: Telling the Story of Oak Bluffs,' a documentary about the town's history as a vacation destination for the Black community, will be screened on Aug. 8. The documentary is co-produced by Ralph Lauren, which recently released a
'That's why we do it — to salute filmmakers of color," Tavares-Rance said. 'What's great about our festival is that it's morphed into more of this multicultural activation, where we have more LGBTQ content, Latino filmmakers, Asian filmmakers, more women, so everyone's being welcomed at the table to showcase their talents and their films.'
MARTHA'S VINEYARD AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
July 31-Aug. 9. Martha's Vineyard Performing Arts Center, 100 Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs.
Ryan Yau can be reached at
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