Friday, May 08, 2009

Kudos for local documentary

Memphis Documentary Wins Film Festival Grand Prize

“I Am a Man: From Memphis, A Lesson in Life” received the Best Documentary award and Grand Prize at the Cape Fear Independent Film Festival held in Wilmington, North Carolina, last weekend. The modern-day look at the legacy of the Memphis sanitation workers who went on strike in 1968 is a Memphis Tourism Foundation project produced in partnership with Running Pony Productions and Old Bridge Media. The documentary has aired locally on WKNO-TV, and can be downloaded or ordered on DVD at www.iamamanthemovie.com. The website also contains additional material, and will soon include a companion curriculum guide for educators who wish to use the film as a teaching tool.

The 9th annual Cape Fear Independent Film Festival was the largest to date. The festival received more than 100 entries, and screened 54 films. “’I Am a Man’ is a powerful and moving film,” says Festival Director Jenn Goodman. “Before I saw it, I was completely unaware of the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike. So it’s a film I’m definitely glad I got to see.”

Since its completion in March, "I Am a Man" has begun appearing at film festivals nationwide. Besides its screening in Wilmington, the film was also an official selection at last weekend's Marfa Film Festival, in Marfa, Texas. Its next scheduled screening will be on Saturday, June 13 at the Breckenridge Festival of Film in Breckenridge, Colo.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice to see Memphis filmmakers doing so well.

Memphispep said...

I had the opportunity to view this documentary at the Indie Memphis Film Fesival that is underway now. It began October 8 & will run thru the 15th at Studio on the Square in Midtown, Madison and Cooper!
FABULOUS! We also had the privilege of meeting Mr. & Mrs. Nickelberry to ask questions and to get up close and personal. It was incredible!! If you have the opportunity to view this film, you will be encouraged to do your part in making a difference with every opportunity!