Today is the day to catch Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart streaming for free on PBS.org.

Directed by Tracy Heather Strain

QUEST is on iTunes!

Directed by Jonathan Olshefski

Produced by BDC's Sabrina Schmidt Gordon

Filmed with vérité intimacy for nearly a decade, QUEST is the moving portrait of the Rainey family living in North Philadelphia. Beginning at the dawn of the Obama presidency, Christopher "Quest" Rainey, and his wife, Christine'a "Ma Quest" raise a family while nurturing a community of hip hop artists in their home music studio. It's a safe space where all are welcome, but this creative sanctuary can't always shield them from the strife that grips their neighborhood. Epic in scope, QUEST, a Sundance Festival selection, is a vivid illumination of race and class in America, and a testament to love, healing and hope.

Join us at Cinema Village for Black Women in Medicine, by Crystal Emery, Tues, Aug 30 7 & 9:15 PM screenings!

Black Women in Medicine Directed by Crystal Emery Cinema Village 22 East 12th Street Tuesday, August 30th 2 Screenings! *7 PM and 9:15 PM Presented by the Black Documentary Collective  and Creatively Speaking Film Series *7 PM show: Q&A with Special Guests, Lamman Rucker (Greenleaf, Meet the Browns) and Dr. Rachele Yarborough! Please join us for this special theatrical presentation of Black Women in Medicine, by Crystal Emery. The first feature documentary of its kind, the film chronicles the unsung journeys of Black female doctors who have risen above inequality to excellence to become leaders in their fields. Black Women in Medicine features diverse voices of African American women in medicine including young medical students, practicing physicians, and elder trailblazers. These narratives tell stories of excellence and perseverance that engage, inspire and motivate, planting seeds of aspiration in the minds of future doctors. Click pix for tickets and more info

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BDC Family

Click the image to watch the New York Times portrait of BDC Founder St. Clair Bourne,  by renowned photographer Chester Higgins, Jr. in 2006 Become a Member/Make a Donation  Membership is $50 for the year! That's just $4/month :-) Tax-Deductible! From the beginning, BDC founder, the great documentarian St. Clair Bourne, envisioned the BDC as a singular networking and mentorship organization for documentary film, video, and media professionals of African descent.  The BDC Mission is to support the career and artistic development of its members through networking, education, outreach, partnerships and peer support. More than a professional media organization, St. Clair sought to create a COMMUNITY, where we would work together, support each other and grow to become an influential presence in the world of documentary filmmaking. Over the years, a small band of BDC member volunteers have been working tirelessly to keep Saint's mission alive and growing.  We have changed with the times, building our social media presence, supporting online fundraising campaigns, promoting broadcasts, festival and theatrical runs, assisting with outreach, engagement and audience-building, and creating meaningful partnerships with media organizations and service providers to give our members access to free and discounted workshops, panels and production services. The list of projects the BDC has supported over the years is too many to list here, but among our highlights are Thomas Allen Harris' Through A Lens Darkly, Carol Bash's Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band, Yoruba Richen's The New Black, Lacey Schwartz'  Little White Lie, Michele Stephenson's American Promise, Stanley Nelson's The Black Panthers, and Sabrina Schmidt Gordon's BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez. Here is a reminder of some of the  many benefits BDC can give to you! NEW! "Pass Through" Fiscal Sponsorship - members can now benefit from BDC's non-profit status to raise money for their projects, at a competitive, low rate Workshop discounts from our media partners (ie, Women Make Movies, Third World Newsreel, and others throughout the country) Professional services discounts (ie, FRAMERUNNER full service post services) Promotional support for screenings, premieres, festival and theatrical runs, etc. Outreach and Engagement support Work-in-progress/Feedback screenings BDC Screening Series in Manhattan and Brooklyn Fundraising/Crowdfunding support throughout the campaign on all social media platforms Free listing in BDC database (note: this has been an invaluable tool for the many requests we get, especially from educators and programmers.  With your support, we can make it even easier for them to find you by having all the information in one place, online and searchable) Inclusion in the new BDC listserv Job listings and referrals (for both employers and jobseekers) Panels/Speaker series How else can BDC help you?  If you have a request, need for support, let us know!  This is what the BDC is about.  Email us at bdcnewyork@gmail.com If you're already a member, THANK YOU, and please consider  making a tax-deductible donation to support the BDC.   Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated!

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BDC Partner News      Framerunner, a High Definition post-production facility, offers a special discount to BDC Members on all professional services.   Framerunner is pleased to announce that it has moved into their new facility on 56th Street & 10th Avenue, co-habitating with audio post house, Sync Sound!  Framerunner and Sync Sound will remain two separate companies, and they can now provide BDC filmmakers with both video & audio finishing under one roof! BDC post production collaborator Keith Shapiro is also now the owner! Framerunner has provided color grading and finishing for BDC filmmakers including most recent documentaries: Stanley Nelson's The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Carol Bash's Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band,  BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez,  & countless other award-winning films. Framerunner offers special discounts to BDC Members for all professional services, from color grading and finishing in DaVinci Resolve, Avid, Final Cut Pro, & Premiere Pro, DCP, 5.1 & stereo blu-rays, file and tape mastering, conversions, duplication, and Sound Editing and Mixing. Congratulations to Framerunner on their new venture, and we look forward to continuing a successful relationship with the BDC! For more information, please contact: Keith Shapiro Grand Poobah Framerunner keith@framerunner.com 212-246-4224 450 West 56th Street, NYC, 10019

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BDC & kweliTV Informational Seminar (Online Event) Find out about streaming your film on this  new interactive, streaming platform! Tuesday, Feb 23, 7-8:30pm Online Event Register Here: http://bit.ly/BDCkweliTV kweliTV is an interactive, streaming platform that is dedicated to the stories, issues and culture of the global black community. We offer indie films, documentaries, web shows and news programming for the entire African diaspora. Kweli means "Truth" in Swahili. Currently in beta online, it will be accessible on smartTVs, internet TV devices (such as Apple TV and Roku), smartphones, game consoles, computers and tablets through a video app. In this online informational session presented by BDC and kweliTV, you will have an opportunity to learn more about the service, benefits for filmmakers, licensing agreements, compensation and more!  You don't want to miss it, so reserve a space today!  Led by kweliTV founder DeShuna Spencer. * * * BDC Members Congratulations to BDC's Yoruba Richen and Michele Stephenson, Winners of the inaugural  Chicken & Egg Breakthrough Filmmaker Award! We're proud of you! Click Pix to Read More at Indiewire * * * BDC Partner News      Framerunner, a High Definition post-production facility, offers a special discount to BDC Members on all professional services.   Framerunner is pleased to announce that it has moved into their new facility on 56th Street & 10th Avenue, co-habitating with audio post house, Sync Sound!  Framerunner and Sync Sound will remain two separate companies, and they can now provide BDC filmmakers with both video & audio finishing under one roof! BDC post production collaborator Keith Shapiro is also now the owner! Framerunner has provided color grading and finishing for BDC filmmakers including most recent documentaries: Stanley Nelson's The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Carol Bash's Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band,  BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez,  & countless other award-winning films. Framerunner offers special discounts to BDC Members for all professional services, from color grading and finishing in DaVinci Resolve, Avid, Final Cut Pro, & Premiere Pro, DCP, 5.1 & stereo blu-rays, file and tape mastering, conversions, duplication, and Sound Editing and Mixing. Congratulations to Framerunner on their new venture, and we look forward to continuing a successful relationship with the BDC! For more information, please contact: Keith Shapiro Grand Poobah Framerunner keith@framerunner.com 212-246-4224 450 West 56th Street, NYC, 10019 * * * BDC Catalog & Directory  The BDC Catalog & Directory is a searchable database of BDC members' work and contact information available to production companies, networks, press, distributors, educators and others interested in purchasing, screening, distributing member films and hiring our members. Broadcasters, educators and commissioning editors contact us often for information about our members' work.  The BDC Catalog & Directory is an easy and efficient way to put you in touch with them as the inquiries come in. Please send an email for further instructions to: Catalog@bdcnewyork.org  You MUST be a current BDC Member to be included. Click below to join the BDC or renew your membership.  Become a Member The Black Documentary Collective (BDC) was founded in 2000 by the late great documentarian St. Clair Bourne, as the singular networking organization for documentary film, video, and media professionals of African descent. The BDC supports its members through hosting screenings, access to educational, artistic, and professional development workshops, discounted professional services, and networking events.  The BDC is also dedicated to making a difference in the ever-increasing communities that are interested in, and influenced by the work of its talented members, through community partnerships,  outreach and engagement. Join the BDC Blast! Mailing List

Happy New Year! ADIFF "Best of Fest" with BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez, Idris Elba, and More! #JusticeForTamir

More Ideas!  More Success!  No Regrets! Happy New Year from the BDC!  Wishing everyone a great, prosperous, blissful, healthy, bright, delightful, energetic and extremely Happy 2016!

"BEST OF THE FEST, 2015!" NEXT WEEKEND ONLY!  NYC! Jan 8-10 FEATURING The Man Who Mends Women; Cu-Bop: Cuba; Second Coming, starring Idris Elba and the  WINNER of the ADIFF 2015 Public Award for the  Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color: Next Saturday, January 9th, 8:30 PM (click image for more info & tickets) Sonia Sanchez and Director/Editor Sabrina Schmidt Gordon in Attendance Award Ceremony and Reception to Follow Screening! Columbia University Teachers College, Cowin Center 525 W. 120TH ST New York, NY 10027 "I want to tell people how I became this woman with razor blades between her teeth," says Sonia Sanchez, a seminal figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, a poet who has harnessed her gift for words as a champion against racism, sexism and war, fusing art and activism over the past six decades. As a pioneer of spoken word poetry, her influence on hip hop is fundamental. But her tireless commitment to justice for all people has come at a personal cost. This performance-packed film features appearances by Questlove, Talib Kweli, Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, Ursula Rucker, Ruby Dee, Haki Madhubuti, Imani Uzuri, Bryonn Bain, Jessica Care Moore, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) and more.

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Click Here to Sign MoveOn.org Petition Justice For Tamir Rice It is simple. Tamir Rice deserves a new grand jury. A Department of Justice investigation of the prosecutor's conduct with the grand jury. And the immediate removal and firing of the police officer. Click Here to Help Unseat Bad Prosecutors colorofchange.org is working to hold prosecutors accountable across the country. Whether it be in Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, or Columbia, SC, they are putting pressure on prosecutors to hold police accountable and end the criminalization of Black communities.  They're also fighting for systemic change to take the role of police prosecution out of the hands of local prosecutors who work too closely with cops.

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BDC Family     Congratulations to all of our members for another year of wonderful work and success!  Thank you to all of the filmmakers who joined BDC this year, and for the continued support of our long-time members.  Please check out our updated member perks below, and if you haven't joined/renewed, please consider doing so before the new year!   Remember, it's tax-deductible! Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season!

Click the image to watch the New York Times portrait of BDC Founder St. Clair Bourne,  by renowned photographer Chester Higgins, Jr. in 2006 Become a Member/Make a Donation  Membership is $50 for the year! That's just $4/month :-) Tax-Deductible! This Holiday Season, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Black Documentary Collective (BDC).  From the beginning, BDC founder, the great documentarian St. Clair Bourne, envisioned the BDC as a singular networking and mentorship organization for documentary film, video, and media professionals of African descent.  The BDC Mission is to support the career and artistic development of its members through networking, education, outreach, partnerships and peer support. More than a professional media organization, St. Clair sought to create a COMMUNITY, where we would work together, support each other and grow to become an influential presence in the world of documentary filmmaking. Over the years, a small band of BDC member volunteers have been working tirelessly to keep Saint's mission alive and growing.  We have changed with the times, building our social media presence, supporting online fundraising campaigns, promoting broadcasts, festival and theatrical runs, assisting with outreach, engagement and audience-building, and creating meaningful partnerships with media organizations and service providers to give our members access to free and discounted workshops, panels and production services. The list of projects the BDC has supported over the years is too many to list here, but among our highlights are Thomas Allen Harris' Through A Lens Darkly, Carol Bash's Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band, Yoruba Richen's The New Black, Lacey Schwartz'  Little White Lie, Michele Stephenson's American Promise, Stanley Nelson's The Black Panthers, and Sabrina Schmidt Gordon's BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez. Here is a reminder of some of the  many benefits BDC can give to you! NEW! "Pass Through" Fiscal Sponsorship - members can now benefit from BDC's non-profit status to raise money for their projects, at a competitive, low rate Workshop discounts from our media partners (ie, Women Make Movies, Third World Newsreel, and others throughout the country) Professional services discounts (ie, FRAMERUNNER full service post services) Promotional support for screenings, premieres, festival and theatrical runs, etc. Outreach and Engagement support Work-in-progress/Feedback screenings BDC Screening Series in Manhattan and Brooklyn Fundraising/Crowdfunding support throughout the campaign on all social media platforms Free listing in BDC database (note: this has been an invaluable tool for the many requests we get, especially from educators and programmers.  With your support, we can make it even easier for them to find you by having all the information in one place, online and searchable) Inclusion in the new BDC listserv Job listings and referrals (for both employers and jobseekers) Panels/Speaker series How else can BDC help you?  If you have a request, need for support, let us know!  This is what the BDC is about.  Email us at bdcnewyork@gmail.com If you're already a member, THANK YOU, and please consider  making a tax-deductible donation to support the BDC.   Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated!

* * *

BDC Partner News      Framerunner, a High Definition post-production facility, offers a special discount to BDC Members on all professional services.   Framerunner is pleased to announce that it has moved into their new facility on 56th Street & 10th Avenue, co-habitating with audio post house, Sync Sound!  Framerunner and Sync Sound will remain two separate companies, and they can now provide BDC filmmakers with both video & audio finishing under one roof! BDC post production collaborator Keith Shapiro is also now the owner! Framerunner has provided color grading and finishing for BDC filmmakers including most recent documentaries: Stanley Nelson's The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Carol Bash's Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band,  BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez,  & countless other award-winning films. Framerunner offers special discounts to BDC Members for all professional services, from color grading and finishing in DaVinci Resolve, Avid, Final Cut Pro, & Premiere Pro, DCP, 5.1 & stereo blu-rays, file and tape mastering, conversions, duplication, and Sound Editing and Mixing. Congratulations to Framerunner on their new venture, and we look forward to continuing a successful relationship with the BDC! For more information, please contact: Keith Shapiro Grand Poobah Framerunner keith@framerunner.com 212-246-4224 450 West 56th Street, NYC, 10019

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BDC Gives on #GivingTuesday; Remembering World AIDS Day with Wilhemina's War; WMM "After Tiller" Workshop; Torture of Mothers Screening at Dwyer

It's #GivingTuesday, and here's what BDC can give to you! Click the image to watch the New York Times portrait of BDC Founder St. Clair Bourne,  by renowned photographer Chester Higgins, Jr. in 2006 Become a Member/Make a Donation  Membership is $50 for the year! That's just $4/month :-) On #GivingTuesday, we'd like to take a moment to reflect on the mission and vision of Black Documentary Collective founder, the great documentarian St. Clair Bourne.  From the beginning, Saint envisioned the BDC as a singular networking and mentorship organization for documentary film, video, and media professionals of African descent.  The BDC Mission is to support the career and artistic development of its members through networking, education, outreach, partnerships and peer support. More than a professional media organization, St. Clair sought to create a COMMUNITY, where we would work together, support each other and grow to become an influential presence in the world of documentary filmmaking. Over the years, a small band of BDC member volunteers have been working tirelessly to keep Saint's mission alive and growing.  We have changed with the times, building our social media presence, supporting online fundraising campaigns, promoting broadcasts, festival and theatrical runs, assisting with outreach, engagement and audience-building, and creating meaningful partnerships with media organizations and service providers to give our members access to free and discounted workshops, panels and production services. The list of projects the BDC has supported over the years is too many to list here, but among our highlights are Thomas Allen Harris' Through A Lens Darkly, Carol Bash's Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band, Yoruba Richen's The New Black, Lacey Schwartz'  Little White Lie, Michele Stephenson's American Promise, Stanley Nelson's The Black Panthers, and Sabrina Schmidt Gordon's BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez. On #GivingTuesday,

here is a reminder of the many benefits BDC can give to you!

• NEW! "Pass Through" Fiscal Sponsorship - members can now benefit from BDC's non-profit status to raise money for their projects, at a competitive, low rate

• Workshop discounts from our media partners (ie, Women Make Movies, Third World Newsreel, and others throughout the country)

• Professional services discounts (ie, FRAMERUNNER full service post services)

• Promotional support for screenings, premieres, festival and theatrical runs, etc.

• Outreach and Engagement support

• Work-in-progress/Feedback screenings

• BDC Screening Series in Manhattan and Brooklyn

• Fundraising/Crowdfunding support throughout the campaign on all social media platforms

• Free listing in BDC database (note: this has been an invaluable tool for the many requests we get, especially from educators and programmers.  With your support, we can make it even easier for them to find you by having all the information in one place, online and searchable)

• Inclusion in the new BDC listserv

• Job listings and referrals (for both employers and jobseekers)

• Panels/Speaker series

How else can BDC help you?  If you have a request, need for support, let us know!  This is what the BDC is about.  Email us at bdcnewyork@gmail.com

If you're already a member, THANK YOU, and please consider 

making a tax-deductible donation to support the BDC

Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated!

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Let's remember that today is also World AIDS Day. BDC Member June Cross' new film, Wilhemina's War, is about a Southern grandmother's struggle to help her loved ones through the scourge of HIV.  AIDS is one of the leading causes of death for Black women in the rural South.  Please check out trailer and go to the website to find out what you can do. Wilhemina's War by June Cross (click pix to watch trailer/go to website)

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(click logo above for tickets and more information) After Tiller: A Case Study of the Making and Launch of a Highly Successful Film Wednesday, December 9th | 6:30-8:30pm $30.00 | Discount Rate for BDC Members $20.00 After Tiller, an intimate portrait of the lives of the four most-targeted abortion providers in the country, was one of the most successful documentaries of the past year. The film which premiered at Sundance, was released theatrically in more than 50 cities and broadcast nationally on POV, has won numerous awards including a recent Emmy for Best Documentary and received nearly universal critical acclaim. It was named one of the five best documentaries of the year by the National Board of Review, and featured in "Best of 2013" lists in the LA Times, Village Voice, Indiewire, Artforum, among others. We're delighted to be joined by the film's Co-Director/Co-Producers, Lana Wilson and Martha Shane, for an in-depth conversation about their filmmaking process from pre-production to launch. This wide-ranging case study will cover the struggle for funding, creative choices, designing a roll out strategy and engagement/outreach campaign. Don't miss this rare behind-the-scenes opportunity to understand the many decisions involved in making and releasing a highly successful and impactful film.

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The Torture of Mothers by Woodie King The Dwyer Center 258 St. Nicholas Ave., Harlem, NYC Friday, December 18, 2015, 6 PM Followed by Q&A and Holiday Reception! (click pix for tickets & more information) The Torture of Mothers, starring Ruby Dee, is a "docudrama" which explores the universally pertinent story of a brave group of mothers forced to defend their falsely accused sons. The young men, who became known to millions as "The Harlem Six," soon became the force which united a community in the name of justice. Followed by a Q&A with director Woodie King, moderated by Eric V. Tait, Jr.,  and a Holiday Reception!

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