NAIROBI, Kenya — Out of over 5,000 festivals in the world, Hip Hop Film Festival (https://hiphopfilmfestival.org) is the only festival to focus on writers, directors, and producers who grew up in the global culture of hip-hop. While the main festival is headquartered in New York City during the first week of August every year, the world tour is well underway, after recently completing successful stops in South Africa and Italy. From Saturday, June 27, 2020 to Sunday, June 28, 2020, the festival will be centered in Nairobi, Kenya, highlighting filmmakers from Africa (https://hiphopfilmfestival.org/hhffkenya/). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing, this year's festival will be held online. Free all access passes are available via Eventbrite at https://hhffkenya.eventbrite.com/, upon donation to Harlem Film House, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Harlem Film House is the production arm of Hip Hop Film Festival, operating year round workshops, theatre productions, and live events. While also offering business consulting to filmmakers and content creators in underserved communities around the world, Harlem Film House creates an economic ecosystem, by providing filmmakers various services and resources to ensure career longevity in film, theatre, and related entrepreneurial pursuits.
Founded by filmmaker and philanthropist C R Capers, Hip Hop Film Festival features every genre (mystery, sci-fi, horror, action, romance, etc.), from filmmakers throughout the world. It is also the only film festival that shares the profits from the festival with the filmmakers selected to participate. Although the festival is titled "Hip Hop", that does not necessarily mean all films will be about hip-hop. Rather, the term is used in reference to the filmmakers who grew up in the elemental culture of hip-hop and the wide-ranging narratives they project to the screen, as a result of being incubated by such culture.
"We're proud to give local filmmakers in Kenya a platform to display their talents with this tour," says C R Capers.
Media personality Shefik (https://shefik.info) of the syndicated radio show "Shefik presents Invocation" (https://invocation.co) is hosting a new video series titled "Conversations from the Culture" for Hip Hop Film Festival in Kenya. Although episodes of the series are available for viewing on-demand via exclusive broadcast on 24/7 Films (https://247films.vhx.tv/conversations-from-the-culture), the series itself will be broadcast during the festival, on Saturday, June 27, 2020, starting at 8 p.m. EAT (1 p.m. EDT). Selected African filmmakers sit down with Shefik to discuss film, politics, and more. The complete festival schedule can be viewed at https://hiphopfilmfestival.org/hhffkenya/.
Comprised of key selections and finalists of Hip Hop Film Festival in Kenya, Season 1 of "Conversations from the Culture" highlights the following filmmakers: Grace Adhiambo Omondi (Seasons); Joan Kabugu (Toy Car); Kelvin Osoo (Unbalanced); Tevin Kimathi (Hedge In); and Yegon Emmanuel (Tishala: Nothing to Lose).
"The narratives from the filmmakers from Kenya is quite compelling," says Shefik.
Shefik is a Professional Member at the New York Chapter of National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (New York Emmys), as well as a National Associate Member at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Primetime Emmy Awards). The organizations are dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational, and technical achievements within the television industry. They recognize excellence in television with the coveted Emmy Award.
As a multiple award winning videographer and producer, Shefik's work has been featured in television broadcasts and video productions for TIME magazine, The Washington Center, "Unsung" (TV One), Broadway World, and a major news station in New York City. Additionally, his photography has been featured in print and online publications, such as Daily Mail, Harvard Kennedy School Magazine, Playbill, and China Press. Shefik currently serves as a Technical Lead at NBCUniversal, where he is leading the development of business critical applications and web-based technology for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan; the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China; as well as other major sporting events throughout the world for NBC Sports.
Media Contacts
Shefik
All Knight Access
+1 (914) 548-5033
shefik@allknightaccess.com
Toni Knight
All Knight Access
+1 (914) 645-4830
toni.knight@allknightaccess.com
Hip Hop Film Festival
press@hiphopfilmfestival.org
Last Updated: May 30, 2021
