Latest news with #14thAnnualBlackFilmFestival
Chicago Tribune
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Of Notoriety: Gary Black Film Fest in year 14 and a final stage run for Lowes in Cedar Lake
Indiana State Rep. Vernon Smith, founder and board president for the African American Achievers, beams with pride about Gary native-turned-Hollywood film star William L. Johnson. For 14 years, African American Achievers Youth Corps, Inc. has partnered with other local groups to sponsor the first film festival dedicated to Johnson and hosted by the actor who is a graduate of Emerson Visual and Performing Arts High School and has held starring roles in many theatrically released projects. The 14th Annual Black Film Festival this weekend features three days of independent film screenings and events at the Glen Theatre, 20 West Ridge Road in Gary. The 2025 festival includes genres of comedy, crime, drama, romance and thrillers, each with a specific Black-infused theme. The festival begins Friday, continues Saturday, and ends on Sunday. The festival opens Friday evening with a 6:30 p.m. reception. Tickets are sold in advance for $20 and available for $25 at the door. Saturday tickets sell for $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The finale event on Sunday, Feb. 23 requires a special ticket at the door for $10 or free for attendees who purchased tickets for Friday and Saturday events. Advance tickets are available from all co-sponsors and also at Beautiful Things boutique, 4335 Broadway Ave. or call 219-985-8256 or visit The line-up for each day: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 following the reception a screening of 'Unfailing Love' as the feature and short film subjects 'Black History Man 2,' 'The Visitor,' ' Rock Island Prison 1864,' 'The Strauss Sneeze Sonata' and 'Les Audis-Act II-Henry's.' 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 starts with the feature film 'Secrets 2' and shorts 'Write this,' 'Bad Day: Good Man Gone Bad,' 'Echoes Unheard,' 'The Knowing,' 'Break Free' and 'Crown.' 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 is a film finale with three featured full movies: 'My Private Line to God,' 'Box Brown: A Box Marked Freedom' and 'The Solution.' Co-sponsors of the film festival include Brother's Keeper; Red Roses-Red Hatters Chapter; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority-Gamma Psi Omega Chapter and Sigma Phi Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Omega Psi Phi-AKK Chapter; Froebel Alumni Park Committee; Gary Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Froebel Alumni Park Committee; Nat'l Hook Up of Black Women and African American Achievers Youth Corp., Inc. For more info visit or call 219-887-2046. Play time Angie and Paul Lowe, of L'arc en Ciel Theatre Group, are completing their 20th year at Great Oaks in Cedar Lake after the couple's 38 years directing at Lake Central High School. This weekend the Lowes are presenting three small one-act comedy stage gems, each of which the couple describes as 'a little masterpiece unto itself.' The three works are 'Boaz,' 'You Can't Trust the Male' and 'Unbeatable Harold,' all unique 'love works' as described by Angie Lowe. 'Originally scheduled for Valentine's weekend, we had to postpone due to illness and the extreme cold,' she said. 'Now we've rescheduled for two shows only this weekend.' Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 and Sunday Feb. 23. The usual dinner option is not available for this rescheduled run. Call 219-986-8774 to make reservations. Payment is by cash or personal check only. 'These are very special one acts for us because they were all written by one of our graduates, 1978 Lake Central grad Randy Noonjin, who climbed to fame with his one-man shows about Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and John Lennon,' Angie said. 'We're hoping all Randy Noojin fans will come to see his work and enjoy three little quirky comedies.' Tickets are $30 for adults, $28 for seniors with an additional $3 off for those who have come to see Randy perform any of his three one-man shows previously at Great Oaks. To receive the $2 off, patrons must bring their program from the past shows. The three weekend stage stories are very different. 'Boaz' is a staged reading performed by 1980 Lake Central grad Tim Peyton and it will include Paul Lowe himself in his stage debut. Linda Slankard and Angie Lowe both have stage cameos in 'Boaz.' 'You Can't Trust the Male' is performed by 1979 Lake Central grad Mark Mysliwiec with Amy Bannister. 'Both Peyton and Mysliwiec were two of Randy's high school theatre classmates,' Angie said. 'That makes these even more special for us.' 'Unbeatable Harold' is the third selection and is performed by husband and wife Tommy and Shannon Knoerzer. 'These will very likely be our final actual play productions at Great Oaks,' Angie said. 'But we made it to 20 years of dinner theatre in this space. We do plan to do one more musical revue though, possibly in April, depending on dates available.'
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Community news: Black film festival, student aid workshops, dunes advocacy
The 14th Annual Black Film Festival will feature three events in February at the Glen Theatre, 20 West Ridge Road in Gary. The series of independent films to be screened during the festival will be hosted by Gary native and Hollywood actor William L. Johnson. The three-day event will present the genres of comedy, crime, drama, romance, and thrillers each with a specific Black theme. The festival begins Friday and continues through Sunday. Advance tickets are available from all co-sponsors and at Beautiful Things, 4335 Broadway (219-985-8256, on Eventbrite and at For more info visit or call 219-887-2046. Ivy Tech Community College will host a free workshop to help students apply for financial aid from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Ivy Tech Valparaiso campus, 3100 Ivy Tech Drive, Valparaiso. The workshop will assist Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans at most colleges, universities, and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA must be filed by the state of Indiana priority deadline of April 15 to guarantee state aid for those who qualify. Students who attend College Goal Sunday will be entered to win one of five $1,000 scholarships; students who submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in spring and scholarships will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students. For complete information, visit Save the Dunes is looking to host six young adults ages 18-25 living or attending college in Lake County for the Lake County Advocacy Cohort program. The program will begin next month. Made possible through funding from the Legacy Foundation, this nine-month advocacy training program gives students the opportunity to elevate their voice on issues important to them and provides them with practical, real-world experience advocating from the grassroots experience to lobbying Members of Congress. The program is free. To apply or for more information visit The Crown Point Police Department is now accepting applications for police officers. The application deadline is 3 p.m. Feb. 28. Applications, more information and eligibility requirements can be found at The Merrillville Police Department has started a hiring process for new applicants. Applications will be accepted through March 3 at the police department, 7820 Broadway Merrillville. For complete information and applications, visit Lake County Extension Homemakers Association is accepting now applications for the Lucile Smith Memorial Scholarship. Established to encourage individuals to continue their education, the scholarship is open to both men and women. Eligible candidates must be 21 years of age or older and a Lake County resident for at least six months. Candidates also must prove financial need, demonstrate an ability to complete education or upgrade vocational skills and be a full- or part-time student at an academic, educational or vocational school including internships which are state-licensed or accredited. Application deadline is April 1. The recipient will be notified by mid-April and a check will be awarded at the annual Achievement Day luncheon May 20 at Andorra Banquets in Schererville. More information and applications can be found at For further information, contact Lisa Moreland at morelend9440@ Franciscan Health is hosting a free, educational heart screening event during American Heart Month. The Heart to Heart event will take place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Innsbrook Country Club, 6701 Taft St., Merrillville. Cardiothoracic Surgeon J. Michael Tuchek, DO, FACS, will share information about the importance of patients knowing their blood pressure readings as well as their cholesterol and blood sugar levels and how they can all impact heart health. Dr. Tuchek will explain the benefits of a heart scan and how individuals can lower their risk of heart disease. Free breakfast and chair massages will be available. The screenings will consist of a finger stick blood test and blood pressure reading with a blood pressure cuff. An 8- to 12-hour fast prior to the screening is recommended for the most accurate results. The event is free, but registration is required as seating is limited. Attendees may register for the breakfast and presentation only or a heart screening followed by breakfast and the presentation. Register at Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will host College Goal Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday on the Hammond and Westville campus. The Hammond campus event will be held in Room 200 of the Student Union and Library Building, 2233 173rd St., Hammond. The Westville campus event will be held in Room 241 of the Library Student Faculty Building, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville. Financial aid professionals will be available at both locations to answer questions, help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid, and provide assistance in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Hammond location will offer Spanish interpreters. The event is free. Students who attend a College Goal Sunday event and complete the necessary form will be eligible to win one of five $1,000 educational prizes from Indiana College Goal Sunday. Students will need to ask about the educational prize when arriving at the location. More information can be found at The Recycling & Waste Reduction of Porter County announces the 2025 Rain Barrel Design Contest, taking place during the Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 12. This opportunity invites all K-12 schools, public or private, across Northwest Indiana, including homeschool cooperatives, to participate. The theme for this year is 'Our Power, Our Planet.' Registration for the competition is open and will continue until 35 competitors have registered or by Friday, Feb. 28, whichever comes first. Teachers interested in entering their students' designs can view the competition rules and register their classrooms by visiting:
Chicago Tribune
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Community news: Black film festival, student aid workshops, dunes advocacy
14th Annual Black Film Festival to be held at Glen Theatre The 14th Annual Black Film Festival will feature three events in February at the Glen Theatre, 20 West Ridge Road in Gary. The series of independent films to be screened during the festival will be hosted by Gary native and Hollywood actor William L. Johnson. The three-day event will present the genres of comedy, crime, drama, romance, and thrillers each with a specific Black theme. The festival begins Friday and continues through Sunday. Advance tickets are available from all co-sponsors and at Beautiful Things, 4335 Broadway (219-985-8256, on Eventbrite and at For more info visit or call 219-887-2046. Ivy Tech offers financial aid workshops, scholarship opportunities Ivy Tech Community College will host a free workshop to help students apply for financial aid from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Ivy Tech Valparaiso campus, 3100 Ivy Tech Drive, Valparaiso. The workshop will assist Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans at most colleges, universities, and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA must be filed by the state of Indiana priority deadline of April 15 to guarantee state aid for those who qualify. Students who attend College Goal Sunday will be entered to win one of five $1,000 scholarships; students who submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in spring and scholarships will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students. For complete information, visit Save the Dunes seeks young adults for advocacy cohort program Save the Dunes is looking to host six young adults ages 18-25 living or attending college in Lake County for the Lake County Advocacy Cohort program. The program will begin next month. Made possible through funding from the Legacy Foundation, this nine-month advocacy training program gives students the opportunity to elevate their voice on issues important to them and provides them with practical, real-world experience advocating from the grassroots experience to lobbying Members of Congress. The program is free. To apply or for more information visit Crown Point Police initiates emergency hire process The Crown Point Police Department is now accepting applications for police officers. The application deadline is 3 p.m. Feb. 28. Applications, more information and eligibility requirements can be found at Merrillville Police launches hiring process for new applicants The Merrillville Police Department has started a hiring process for new applicants. Applications will be accepted through March 3 at the police department, 7820 Broadway Merrillville. For complete information and applications, visit Lucille Smith Scholarship applications now available Lake County Extension Homemakers Association is accepting now applications for the Lucile Smith Memorial Scholarship. Established to encourage individuals to continue their education, the scholarship is open to both men and women. Eligible candidates must be 21 years of age or older and a Lake County resident for at least six months. Candidates also must prove financial need, demonstrate an ability to complete education or upgrade vocational skills and be a full- or part-time student at an academic, educational or vocational school including internships which are state-licensed or accredited. Application deadline is April 1. The recipient will be notified by mid-April and a check will be awarded at the annual Achievement Day luncheon May 20 at Andorra Banquets in Schererville. More information and applications can be found at For further information, contact Lisa Moreland at morelend9440@ Franciscan Health hosting free heart screening event Franciscan Health is hosting a free, educational heart screening event during American Heart Month. The Heart to Heart event will take place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Innsbrook Country Club, 6701 Taft St., Merrillville. Cardiothoracic Surgeon J. Michael Tuchek, DO, FACS, will share information about the importance of patients knowing their blood pressure readings as well as their cholesterol and blood sugar levels and how they can all impact heart health. Dr. Tuchek will explain the benefits of a heart scan and how individuals can lower their risk of heart disease. Free breakfast and chair massages will be available. The screenings will consist of a finger stick blood test and blood pressure reading with a blood pressure cuff. An 8- to 12-hour fast prior to the screening is recommended for the most accurate results. The event is free, but registration is required as seating is limited. Attendees may register for the breakfast and presentation only or a heart screening followed by breakfast and the presentation. Register at PNW to host College Goal Sunday Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will host College Goal Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday on the Hammond and Westville campus. The Hammond campus event will be held in Room 200 of the Student Union and Library Building, 2233 173rd St., Hammond. The Westville campus event will be held in Room 241 of the Library Student Faculty Building, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville. Financial aid professionals will be available at both locations to answer questions, help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid, and provide assistance in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Hammond location will offer Spanish interpreters. The event is free. Students who attend a College Goal Sunday event and complete the necessary form will be eligible to win one of five $1,000 educational prizes from Indiana College Goal Sunday. Students will need to ask about the educational prize when arriving at the location. More information can be found at Schools invited to showcase creativity in rain barrel design contest The Recycling & Waste Reduction of Porter County announces the 2025 Rain Barrel Design Contest, taking place during the Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 12. This opportunity invites all K-12 schools, public or private, across Northwest Indiana, including homeschool cooperatives, to participate. The theme for this year is 'Our Power, Our Planet.' Registration for the competition is open and will continue until 35 competitors have registered or by Friday, Feb. 28, whichever comes first. Teachers interested in entering their students' designs can view the competition rules and register their classrooms by visiting:
