Family Groove | A Film by Ria

“In West Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground is where I spend most of my days”

“It’s a rare condition in this day and age, to read any good news on the newspaper page”

“Martin, I’m the man” 

These are the jingles that must run through your head every once in a blue moon. I’ve heard they give the feelings of nostalgia, comfort and relatability. This is why many corporations, people and communities try their hardest to replicate that sultry and fun 90’s type vibe even though it is extremely difficult. This week I stumbled across a short film that stepped up to the plate when it came to bringing the 90s world and energy to present day!

“Family Groove:” created by the 414’s very own Ria had everyone and their mama in a frenzy when it dropped on IG. As I watched the film, the color scheme is what stuck out off rip. It was a canvas of shades from hershey brown, ruby red, to butterscotch yellow. They made you feel welcomed and as the viewers were right along with the cast inside the film! It caught me off guard that there were no convos but you could still feel when to laugh, jam out to the film, and catch on to what was happening. The infamous dance scene from House Party with one of culture’s famous duos Kid ‘N Play is the closest image I can paint for you all as to what energy will be witnessed from “Family Groove”.

Not only was the short film lighthearted and fun but it also came off real. The set looked the the average crib and not some jazzy Airbnb that Ria could’ve easily chose. A variety of different interpretations can be made but I’m glad it showed our people in a light that hasn’t been flicked on in a while. Every brown and black person’s family life is not always dysfunctional or struggle rather it can be just as witty and fun as the next person’s! From the fashion; styled by ours truly Carlos Vergara Jr, to the choreography and chemistry of the cast; this is a must-see!

Go watch “Family Groove” on Ria’s IG and let us what you think. Here you will see young creatives from Milwaukee enjoying family-friendly fun with one another.

Desriana Gilbert | Entertainment & Social Journalist for /CW

CopyWrite Magazine is a PROUD Community Partner of Milwaukee Film Fest 2024

It’s about that time!

We are gearing up to indulge in visual narratives on the big screen [& you know we love a good film at /CW]! This years for MFF we chose to be a community partner for screenings that touched on some of our core interest as media makers/lovers, BIPOC representation, and creative flyness. We kept it short & sweet [but you know we won’t be leaving any crumbs].

Check out the films on CopyWrite Magazine hit list [& follow us on Instagram @copywritemag for a chance to win tickets to watch the films with us!]:

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4/13/2024 | 3:45:00 PM | Avalon

OUT OF THE PICTURE | DIR: MARY LOUISE SCHUMACKER

OUT OF THE PICTURE takes us inside the lives of some of the most relevant writers on art today, thinkers who are making sense of a period of unprecedented change to art, media, and society. Director Mary Louise Schumacher led a national survey of more than 300 arts writers across the country, unearthing revelations that are poised to prompt a national conversation about the nature of art, modern life, and how meaning gets made in the 21st century.

PREVIEW

4/22/2024 | 5:00 PM | Downer

SEEKING MAVIS BEACON | DIR: JAZMIN RENEE JONES

One of the most influential Black women in technology is a figment of our collective imagination. Mavis Beacon was invented by the co-founder of Myspace to sell the world’s most popular typing software, but the real woman she was modeled after disappeared in 1995. SEEKING MAVIS BEACON poses critical questions regarding anthropomorphism and the consumption of marginalized bodies in the tech industry, while reimagining the afro-futurist legacy of a missing historical figure.

4/16/2024 | 3:30:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (Lubar)

YOUNG. WILD. FREE. | DIR: THEMBI L. BANKS

Being a teenager is rough, and Brandon (Algee Smith, 2017 African-American Film Critics Association Best Ensemble Cast winner for Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit) is no different. Between struggling in school, caring for his two younger siblings, and having just been let go from his job, Brandon often uses his art as an escape from the confines of his subdued day-to-day life. Enter Cassidy (Sierra Capri, On My Block), a bedazzled bad girl dripping in confidence, freedom, and danger. Lured in by her whimsy, Brandon teams up with Cassidy, seamlessly slipping into the role of Clyde to her Bonnie as they make their way down an increasingly perilous path.

What Vaule We Share: MKE Film Back History Month Programming | Shorts: TREASURED HEIRLOOMS

Happy Black History Month!

Happy being Black, living in Black bodies, and living Black truths!

As a Community Partner for Milwaukee Films 2024 Black History Month Programming, the /CW Fam selected screenings that we thought would speak to our audience and our specific cultural nuances. 

My experience watching the collection of Treasured Heirlooms shorts, was one that absolutely filled my culture cup reminding me that what we value in the Black community [with all its intersectionality] should be shared and celebrated. I note this as I am in the infancy of producing one of my own art installations that discuss culture as a proponent of space, thus creating a place [stay tuned]. Marquese May's curation of six short films of treasures, was dynamic and telling of voices we may know but reluctantly share outside of our community. I applaud programming like this because it allows the African diaspora to be seen in the light it deserves. Here are the values I would like to share from each film.

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WILD MAGNOLIAS |  Dir. Alexandra Kern

We don't get to talk about culture that has been cultivated in appreciation and in proximity to other cultures. Wild Magnolias shows an appreciation between Native American practices and African Americans in Louisiana. The link of these people is due to colonization and enslavement but it is a link that is vital to the survival of both peoples heritage and history. The bead work and visual storytelling in the garbs the Wild Magnolia Men [and young men] created were breathtaking, showed true skill, and showed historical narratives that the white gaze [don’t try to tussle with me] has tried to erase. Not only have the bloodlines mixed genetically [I would know from my own lineage] but also the archive of survival can not be told without mentioning the other.

This is the value of ancestry we share.

MORE THAN HAIR | Dir. Fitch Jean

Hair is sacred. How we manage our crown is how we manage the world. I have never been able to truly describe why or how but the complexity of Black hair [All Black hair] should be considered a world wonder. More Than Hair, is a heart moving peace because it pulls at the fragility of the Black hair experience. Not knowing, experimentation, acceptance, and revelation. I teared up when he sat down in that barber shop with his adopted mother [blessings to her for seeking the help he needed]. When he turned the pages of the hair catalog I smiled with excitement for the endless possibilities. When he picked cornrows I knew he had discovered that his hair was worth keeping.

This is the value of hair we share. 

GLITTER AIN'T GOLD | Dirs. Christian Nolan Jones and Dominick Cormier

Ornamentation is our birthright! The value that the Black community places on aesthetics should be looked at as an obligatory reflection of existence. From historical narratives, we know that our adornments were stripped from us during the conquest of our land and the enslavement of our people. Our markings, garb, and emblems were always signs of our identity and status. So when baby boy worked hard to get that money for that chain to impress that little girl I was proud of him. But when he discovered that material things won't always suffice I empathize with his longing to be seen and admired by those he admires. We carry our worth. We want to be recognized for our worth. 

This is the value of adornment we share. 

Other films shown during the screening included, QUILTED EDUCATION  [Dir. Kayla Robinson], OVER THE WALL [ Dir. Krystal Tingle] and AMPE: LEAP INTO THE SKY, BLACK GIRL [Dirs. Ife Oluwamuyide and Claudia Owusu]. These films too showed the value of archiving our history, representation in spaces less traveled for our community, and how the practices of our youth may help build the skills needed for strong futures. 

I value my Blackness in its performance, its lineage, and its legacy. 

Thank you for the reminder that it is all to be treasured and shared. 

Lexi S. Brunson | Editor-in-Chief /CW

"Renaissance" | Milwaukee Film Screening

Beyonce’s “Renaissance” film proves to be the model for all concert films! This grand, 3-hour production masterpiece was four years in the making and as I sat in the third row from the big screen at The Oriental, I could tell that not a day was wasted.

“Flaws and All'' & “Dangerously in Love” was the opener and despite its history as a declaration to a lover, in this particular performance, Beyonce allowed herself to be in awe of the moment and sang it as a ballad to her growing audience of almost 30 years and shared some words of affirmation along with it. She was dressed in an ethereal black gown in the first scene which complimented the romanticization of the mutual admiration between herself and the fans, yet it also could be seen as a tamed contrast to the otherworldliness of her later outfits- symbolic of her growth from a pop star to world declared icon. Through her catalog, she humanizes this journey with flashbacks of behind-the-scenes development consisting of aches, pains, hands-on construction, harsh hours, and properly giving out flowers to all who had a hand on this tour. Even to those whose smaller parts have had a great impact on her, like her daughter Blue Ivy, who did not shy away from the stage nor from having a creative opinion. The standard was the method for all to adopt and this large collective crew of artists and otherwise showed true to it by their results. There was positivity depicted in wins of all magnitudes and mishaps that only highlighted the true nature of teamwork and leadership; Trust. However, with being human comes the not-so-great reality as well. A piece of that reality, which may easily be overlooked by many whom it may not concern, is that no matter how many victories your method has produced, being intelligent as a black woman creative doesn’t put one out of range from having ‘them’ (yes ‘them’) attempt to try you mentally. When approached with such bravado, Beyonce’s only response was fearlessly remembering to choose to stand in her own authority rather than giving into the regret of the so-called stigma of being assertive with high demands. Who's to say how long it has been that Beyonce has truly felt within herself the courage to see through to getting her way at all times and at all costs but mastering that commitment can make an established art form to those on the outside feel renewed to the one inside.

As narrated and depicted through and through, the Renaissance is not just an era or a stage, it's a transcendence of a culture and the individuals in it. As the most catered-to audience (haha-wink), the African Diaspora, whether they be man, woman, straight, LGBTQIA+, adult, child, African or Black American, and so forth, vicariously experienced the glamor of our multifaceted culture through time via this tour. It is a great hoorah! moment for all leaving no question that Beyonce is a voice for every creed and that the modern approach is historically unapologetic.

/Naomi-Re’a CW

SnapShot Press Release | To Be Seen [Milwaukee Film Festival 2023]

We love the Milwaukee Film Festival, not just because it's the one time of year we can do our job while sitting around eating popcorn [yes, we will mention popcorn every year because we trying to get a popcorn stipend too lol]. But because every year it gets better. More films we love, more screenings of things we are interested in, and more programming that makes us feel seen. Being seen is something that is undervalued. But we know that representation changes how the world engages with differences. It is how we find understanding in the unknown and clarity in a vision that is not our own. CopyWrite explored the Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 through the joy of being SEEN, and here is what we found. 

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BAD PRESS [Directors: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker & Joe Peeler]

We take our profession seriously!

Where it is in CopyWrite’s nature to bend the rules, redefine tradition, and grapple with the culture of “Media” we do so with care [& strategy], that is thoroughly directed by research, transparency, grappling with the woes of disenfranchisement, and engrained with the responsibility of Free Press. So when these ideologies were at risk of being dismantled in  Directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, “Bad Press”, my soul jumped out of my chest and I felt that my own livelihood was on the line. 

If you look up the saying, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything”, a picture of Angel Ellis should be attached. Her controversial approach to defending Muscogee Nation against press censorship is GAWDS WORK, okay! To not only go against a political institution, but also the corruption that is unnerved by the historical rhetoric of Native American need for sovereignty, had everyone I saw in the film screening break into mass hysteria [or was it just me?]. 

With this feverish concept that the press is a unneeded, sh*t show of falsity in today’s society, running at an all time high, to note that my freedoms as a “media maker” are seldom called into question, had me in tears for Angel and her other “native” press counterparts. How dare anyone try to put their hyperbolic feet on the necks of truth [just because it's not always pretty]. How dare you use the tactics of your oppressors on your own people [my Choctaw, Blackfoot, and Cherrokee blood was boiling]. How can you not see that the historical lack of information to these people has left them all traumatized by genocide and the true ills of treason. 

Lexi acting like she wasn’t just crying after the screening of bad press

Every time Angel's anxiety shot her into a frenzy that sent her running to the door to spark a cigarette, [I don’t smoke] but I felt the need to light one up with her. The attempt to get protection of the Free Press as an amendment to their nation's constitution was unprecedented in “Indian” Country but with Angel, and the true staff of Mvskoke Media, the fight was on. I think “Bad Press” should be a reminder to all that what is privileged in your reality is not inherent in all futures, cultures, and lands. 

Just know at CopyWrite, if we have to fight for our rights, we absolutely will. They will never take our voice!

Lexi for /CW

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BLACK LENS SHORTS: BLACK REMEMBRANCE

Somebody clap for this year's Black Lens Programmers, because THEY - DID- THAT!

You don’t even know how good it feels to be SEEN. Not that fake “lets hit this quota” monotony most institutions try to pass off as diversity & inclusion [Y’all are shamefully fake] but the real attempt to dig into culture as a reflection of its genius as nuanced as a day in the life of some, not all, and more, not less. The Black Lens shorts at Milwaukee Film Fest 2023, did that for me.

proof we were there!

Eye for an I [Director: James Grisom]: To be seen Vulnerable. This short is a music note of the burden of Blackness & the beauty that straddles that space. If you love hard it may mean death comes with vengeance. If you forgive easily, that puts you at risk. It is a trauma we did not create but a lexicon that gathers a dark cloud above our legacy. The rules of engagement simply mean we never win.

By Water [Director: Iyabo Kwayana]: To Create a sense of seeing. This short had me like, “What in the Black art school?”. And that tickled me. It tickled me because in my life that was the space I felt the most unseen. Where representation is not only willed by those inhabiting the space, it is disregarded by the work that they make. The characters seen in “By Water” of curly fro like beards and fluffy naturals on well groomed women are not common. Nor do they ever allow for the Black image to be whirled into the figurative where nature is as natural as the city and black memory is championed by Black creation of new or different worlds. I like that space of little clarity and big exploration.

Port of a Prince [Director: JR Aristide]: To never Unsee. This short is the moment when you finally can stomach that you too are desensitized. Desensitized by violence, corruption, and the ills of capitalism. You can't unsee the first death, and somehow every death of innocence, youth, friendship, family. . .it all just becomes a thing you live with. This is the untold truth of the African Diaspora, we have suffered so now we still suffer, at the hands of many and even our own. Don’t you ever put a gun in the hands of a child, for that is the moment they will unsee what joy life can bring.

T [Director: Keisha Rae Witherspoon]: To be seen Vividly: It is the cadence of art. It is culture and freedom. It is neon lights and innsense. It is memorial tee’s and talking spirits. It is to live beyond the time you are alive. Now without context you probably have no idea what this movie is about, but everything in me said this was for homegoings and healing. This is for my people and after looking at the shorts description, everything in me was right.

We Were Meant To [Director: Tari Wariebi]: To be seen in Flight. Why are we great like that? The metaphorical thought of rite of passage for Black men as the first time he takes flight sent me! It was clever in its social commentary, “The No Fly Zone”, is everywhere you are Black man. To have your wings clipped is a way to keep you down, without, undervalued. And the production was clean! It was thoughtful and nuanced beyond need [the Vitruvian man with wings] but because it was I bought into it like it was a thread of reality that was beyond plausible. It had me grappling with the surveillance of Black bodies [is this body not my own?]. It had me checking for my own super pours [& as a Black woman I know I have many]. This was by far one of the best films I have seen in my life because I know what it feels like to fly without wings.

Lexi for /CW

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DEAR THIRTEEN [Director: Alexis Neophytides]

The world has changed a hell of alot since I was thirteen. That was circa *cough cough* LOL, social media was in its infancy, my mother was still trying to hide our working class poverty from me, and there was no wifi [first world problems]. So to see life through the eyes of today’s thirteen year old is an unsavory pill to swallow, yet it comes with a glimmer of hope that this generation is not lost, but very much misunderstood.

Being Thirteen is weird!

You're in this inbetween space where you're not a little kid anymore but you still don't have the full blown privileges of a teenager. It’s like being in limbo and that purgatory at minimum lasts a full calendar year [Yikes!]. But the issues of the world are noticeable at that age. The fears of the future strike you and thus it is a period of grounding oneselves, as depicted by the film, that gets lost in translation. Who narrates for this age? Only someone in the thick of it can. So the lack of adult commentary [besides editing] was vital to noting, thirteen year olds have something profound to say!

We brought our fifteen year old “intern” to see the film and she too had to reflect on who she is and why she is in this space in time. Too see that reckoning kindled by a global perspective of young reality, she murmured, “That was good to see”, which is more than enough in our book.

LEXI & /CW YOUTH INTERN JAZALE AFTER SCREENING OF DEAR THIRTEEN

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“Dear Thirteen” is something that everyone, but especially everyone who has a child should watch. Often, adults tend to feel like teenagers don’t have problems.There is this belief that since a child is free from the burden of finances and large responsibilities like mortgages and car notes, that they live a worry and stress free life. But on the contrary, “Dear Thirteen” narrates how society impacts the lives of children in the same ways they do for adults. Each of those 9 children, whether they were a gun-toting American boy or an Australian trans girl starting her first day of puberty blockers, will all experience things that will transcend race, gender, socio-economic class, or geographical location. I appreciate the lengths Alexis Neophytides went to to establish diversity. I believe it really helps the claim that although we all come from different places, there are life experiences we all share. Australia, America, India, Europe, no matter where you are, adolescent years come with similar trials and tribulations. This film wasn’t a tearjerker, it wasn’t a comedy or a horror, it was the reality of adolescence and a voice for the unheard 13 year olds around the world.

Lexi & Peazy for /CW

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LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING [Director: Lisa Cortés]

“Tooty Fruity” was the first song that I ever heard by Little Richard before I knew who he was. It was considered “grown folks music”, the stuff you can’t listen to because it has too many foul words or because they’re talking about some that isn't appropriate for your age. But that only increased my fascination which ignited the interest to find out who Little Richard was.

Lisa Cortes’ documentary puts to bed everything you THINK you know about the true King of Rock and Roll. Richard was labeled as “the one of a kind icon that shaped the world of music” and throughout the story that claim has been supported a thousand times over. But she also focuses on the imbalance Little Richard faced, which truly intrigued me because I think this a battle we’ve all faced: the battle between secular and sacred. On one hand, Little Richard is a worldly icon, doused in glitter and gold from his wardrobe to his makeup, he is the king of a people yearning for soulful music. On the other hand, in his heart he knows he should not conform to the desires of this world because he’s called to be a servant of God and create a new foundation not built on sex and fame but the love and obedience to God. I think it’s these details that fans don’t know that allow them to create the idea that celebrities aren’t human. Some of the most notable names recalled the best and worst times with Richard: Billy Porter, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, John Waters, Pat Boone, amongst others.

Richard Wayne Penniman is not unlike many other queer or trans people who’ve been outed by the ones that they love and forced to create a new family through a talent like music or art. He is one of the blueprints to androgyny and queerness, one that has even now, in 2023 remained relevant because so many people can now be comfortable in their identity because of artists like Little Richard. Lisa Cortes accurately depicted each phase of Richard’s life. In the church where it all started, to the stage where he grew into an icon, back to the church where he renewed his faith and restored his relationship with God, and then the end of his story.

I appreciate Cortes’ understanding of representation in music, not only do I believe this greatly directed documentary re-established that Richard was the true originator of rock but it gave space for his intersectionality. Richard Wayne Penniman was a queer, black, Christian, rock and roll artist and creator. He walked so our generation could run, and “Little Richard: I Am Everything” depicts that in the most notorious way.

Peazy for /CW

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RISE AND REBUILD: A TALE OF THREE CITIES [Directors: Asako Gladsjo & Sam Pollard]

We chose, “Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities” as our community partnership film because when the world see’s Black America it often sees what we don’t have and not what we have had that has generationally been taken from us. Where the film captures Wilmington's Brooklyn, Atlanta's Sweet Auburn, and Chicago's Bronzeville, those localities might as well be Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, Detroit's Black Bottom [Lafayette], and Milwaukee’s original Bronzeville. But with Tulsa being a trendy storyline Directors Asako Gladsjo and Sam Pollard thought it best to highlight these other narratives that hold just as much weight. The pivot to black communities that once prospered, were harmed, and now are looking to reinvigorate their communities as they rebuild are stories that should be cautionary [as gentrification is at an all time high] and inspiring as now more than ever before the Black dollar, the Black education, and the Black voice has leverage.

The quote, “It's not about politics. It’s about people”, that Mayor khalid kamau of South Fulton said during the film, was one of those notes I don't think enough people comprehend. At the end of the day the value of our quality of life is not determined by the parlor tricks of politics but the people who enforce politics as a tool in which one secures the value of that quality of life.

I saw my city in that film. I saw our hardships like a mirror. I know what is at risk if we don’t carve out the infrastructure and let “them” take the wheel. We don't want a repeat. We want ground breaking change. This film shows us exactly what that can look like.

Lexi for /CW

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THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER [Director: Bomani J. Story]

Viewing “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster”, a top-tier thriller/suspense film that in my opinion personified the pain of a Black child’s trauma surrounding death, was a pleasure. Although inspired by Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, this film provokes deep thought about the trauma of experiencing death at a young age and how death is disproportionately in closer proximity to Black children more than it provokes goosebumps. Vicaria, the main character, is almost stalked with gun violence as it has plagued her family, killing her mother and her big brother. Meanwhile, on the opposite end her father is still alive but fighting the battle of addiction that will ultimately lead to an untimely demise. Life hasn't always been like this for Vicaria, we see this through Bomani J. Story’s allusion to better times during the intro of the film. Evidence that Vicaria has a loving relationship with her father and a pretty normal life outside of her mad science lab is pretty clear; the only thing that is truly wrong with this seemingly normal teenager is her perception of death.

Because of the randomness and aggressiveness of her mother and brother’s death, Vicaria is convinced that death is a disease, one that can be cured through science. Through the doors of her abandoned science lab, Vicaria takes the body of her slain brother and attempts to revive him to prove that death can be cured. She connects every source of power to his lifeless body, hits a switch, and after a citywide power outage, the monster awakens. But things start to get out of hand quickly, “Frankenstein” has no concept of life, he only knows death and to destroy.

As the plot thickens, Vicaria’s invention has taken his place as a true monster, [& here is the part where I am tempted to give the full story away]. In the end, she has no brother, no mother, father, family or even Kango and his henchmen, which in my opinion validated her hypothesis that death is in fact a disease. Once it claims someone close to you, the cycle continues until there is no one left to kill. I wouldn’t categorize this as horror, this film falls more on the suspense spectrum but the suspense kept us at the edge of our seats at every turn. Bomani took a classic horror story and turned it into an attempt to fix and cure what we have all deemed as incurable, and it worked. The ending scene shows a scientific genius grin into the camera as she brings her sister in law back to life using the same tactics she used before only this time…they WORK! I loved this film and I truly believe Bomani J. Story has earned his flowers.

Peazy for /CW

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BLACK LENS PRESENTS WRITING IN COLOR [Event]

Santana Coleman, Paulina Lule, Derek Jay Garlington DURING WRITING IN COLOR PANEL

I love to write, but I’m not sure if writing a movie is the best place for my skills. However, after attending, Writing In Color, I might just change my mind. Because the word from the judges is i [& my random collaborative team] are pretty good at it. Well, at least that little trophy sitting on my desk says so.

Being at Radio Milwaukee [my media home away from home] for an event that showcases film through the writer's lens was fascinating. Did you know that there are local & Black filmmakers accessible to you in Milwaukee? I Stan [as the kids say Lol]. The panel to bless us with insight about the film industry at a micro and macro level included Milwaukee’s very own Emmy Award winner, Santana Coleman, the amazing Paulina Lule, and Pitch It To Me, game designer Derek Jay Garlington. They told us their perspectives of the tumultuous realm we call Hollywood, the glory of having Milwaukee [a non permit film city], and the nuance of being Black in the world of film. When creatives get to speak no holds bar, I live. You can always learn something worth holding on to.

But it was the game for me! Pitch It To Me, is a fun way to get those gears turning in your head. The game is noted to be “your chance to pitch the next hit film or tv show! Pitch It To Me is an entertaining card game that builds collaboration and creativity through the journey of storytelling”. And it did just that. My team won the pitch competition by putting together a new era story of Isis and Osiris set in dystopia Milwaukee. We named it, Gods of The Eastside. We set Tyana Taylor as Isis and Damson Idris as Osiris and it was a rap!

“If you're scared just say that!”, was my snark at the competition [but I don’t talk sh*t unless I can back it up].

Like I said, the trophy is sitting on my desk.

Lexi for /CW

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To be seen in film is to be seen in mediated reality. We love it. Please keep it going!

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW Fam

"Your Favorite Press" is Back at Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 | Join us!

We’re Backkkkkkkkk!

We are so excited to kick off our Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 coverage, where “Your Favorite Press” [Us, its us. CopyWrite Magazine LOL] will be bringing our “special interest” [you know #AllThingsUrban, #SupportTheLocal, #RootingForEverybodyBlack, #ArtIsLife] perspective to the mix. This year we are inviting you to share the experience with us, as we share our lineup of movies we will definitely be checking out, including our Community Partner feature, Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities. So grab a friend, and get your snacks. It's time to get “mad ethnic right now” in the theater. 

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OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER FILMS

RISE AND REBUILD: A TALE OF THREE CITIES

Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities portrays individuals in Atlanta, Chicago, and Wilmington, North Carolina, who confront the historical destruction of Black wealth in their communities and devise strategies for building a more equitable future. 

Saturday, Apr 29 | 12:15 PM | Avalon Theater 

Wednesday, May 3 | 3:45 PM | Times Cinema

Keep up with us on Instagram @copywritemag for your chance to win tickets to see this film!

FILMS WE PLAN TO SEE

Little Richard: I Am Everything

Like a quasar burning past the gaslight, director Lisa Cortes’ eye-opening documentary explores the whitewashed canon of American pop music. Little Richard: I Am Everything clarifies the Black, queer origins of rock ’n’ roll and establishes the genre’s big bang: Richard Wayne Penniman. 

Saturday, Apr 29 | 6:15 PM | Oriental Theater: Abele Cinema 

Thursday, May 4 | 1:30 PM | Avalon Theater

BLACK LENS SHORTS

BLACK LENS SHORTS: BLACK REMEMBRANCE is a collection of short films that explores, interrogates, and engages how cinema can be used as an active archival tool to process grief and loss. Join us as we discover what honor could look like on the silver screen. 

Tuesday, Apr 25 | 7:00 PM | Times Cinema

BAD PRESS

Angel Ellis, a reporter for Mvskoke Media, just wants to give her readers transparent and truthful access to news relevant to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. But when Angel and her colleagues challenge the integrity of tribal officials, they set off a whirlwind that ends in the dissolution of their independent media. BAD PRESS is a nuanced, empowering tale of a modern Native community fighting for transparency and access to information to hold their government accountable.

Saturday, Apr 29 | 5:00 PM | Avalon Theater

Wednesday, May 3 | 1:30 PM | Avalon Theater

DEAR THIRTEEN

DEAR THIRTEEN lends insight into the perspectives of nine thirteen-year-olds across the globe. Told through gorgeous cinematography—with no adult commentary but the filmmaker’s— these diverse and far-reaching stories will inspire younger teens going through the similar task of coming of age amidst urgent challenges to their generation. Older teens and adults will have a poignant dose of nostalgia through the film’s meditation on the endless and universal quest of self-discovery.

Saturday, Apr 22 | 12:45 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

Tuesday, May 2 | 6:30 PM | Times Cinema

JASMINE IS A STAR

JASMINE IS A STAR follows a determined sixteen-year-old with albinism (lack of pigment in the hair, skin, and eyes) who makes it her mission to become a professional model in her hometown of Minneapolis while attempting to go unnoticed in every other aspect of her teenage life. Director Jo Rochelle (writer for Freeform’s GOOD TROUBLE) creates a sensitive depiction of a different category of teenage angst.

Saturday, Apr 22 | 9:30 PM | Avalon Theater

Wednesday, Apr 26 | 6:45 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER follows anti-hero Vicaria, a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, the film’s writer and director, Bomani J. Story, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that will survive and is reborn again despite the terrors of systemic pressure.

Friday, Apr 21 | 10:00 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

Sunday, Apr 23 | 8:00 PM | Times Cinema

EVENTS WE WILL BE AT

Black Lens Presents Writing in Color

As creatives, our minds are always buzzing with story ideas. But more often than not, they tend to stay in our imagination. It may be the web series you’ve been plotting. Or the next great action flick you’ve cooked up! Or even that documentary you’d like to take to the next level? Join BLACK LENS at our storytelling workshop and game night, Writing In Color, and discover what it means to graduate your idea from your mind to the silver screen. 

Saturday, April 29 | 6:00 PM | Radio Milwaukee

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Love & All Things Urban,

/CW FAM

"Your Favorite Press" is at it again! Official press for Milwaukee Film Fest 2023

Keep up with “your favorite press” on Instagram @copywritemag while we #SupportTheLocal at Milwaukee Film Fest 2023!

Black Lens | Engage & Activate: Young Professionals Forum

*/CW is a community partner for this event