Sistas are Doin' it for Themselves

A screening and dialog of African American

Women Filmmakers

See Their Images... Hear Their Stories...

Moderated by:

Lydia Martinelli –Filmmaker/Director/Executive Producer
Lydia Martinelli, has directed Cielo Drive, Leverage, Layla, Slicing Time, Whiskey Neat, Nose Candy and produced feature film Lauren Hildebrant. Lydia was on the producing team for the award winning Her Need for Speed ad for Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Films and Filmmakers

Rosalyn Williams - Writer/Director (redwallproductions.com)
In 2002, with her husband and partner Craig T. Williams, Rosalyn formed Red Wall Productions, a film Production Company.  Rosalyn has created and directed over fifty film projects, including award winning short films DRAWING ANGEL, ALLERGIC TO NUTS and the groundbreaking documentary BLACK SORORITY PROJECT. Also an accomplished whose career includes Broadway, Film and Television, Rosalyn can currently be seen in BROOKLYN'S FINEST and has featured roles in the soon to be released FRANKIE AND ALICE starring Halle Berry and IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY with Viola Davis. Rosalyn is co-host and co-creator of Everything Acting Podcast an internet radio show that informs, inspires and demystifies the actor’s journey. Currently with over 70,000 downloads every month, from 25 countries, Everything Acting Podcast is the number one Podcast for acting in iTunes.

BFF – 4 Min. 
Two ex best friends run into each other on a NYC street on the day one is about to get married.

Evita M. Castine
Evita M. Castine is a writer, actress, director, and Emmy Award winning producer. Her first stage play, “My Kind of People” was an official selection of the 2009 NAACP Theatre Festival. She is a member of The Robey Theatre Company’s Actors Workshop and Playwrights’ Program founded by Danny Glover and Ben Guillory. She received a B.A. from Texas A&M University and a M.A. from the University of Iowa.

Free Meal – 3:11 Min.
Tension runs high in the South Central Cox household when sibling rivalry comes to a head; however one of them gets the last word.

Kena Tangi Dorsey
Kena Tangi Dorsey, a native of Pittsburgh, PA graduated with a BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University. She performed in National Tours and on Broadway in such shows as A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum with Whoopi Goldberg, David Allen Grier and Nathan Lane; Jelly's Last Jam with Maurice Hines and Savion Glover; The House of Flowers with Patti LaBelle; The Wild Party with Taye Diggs; and the revival concert version of Dreamgirls as well as a number of original cast recordings. Thereafter Kena spread her wings and recently received an MFA in Filmmaking. Thus far Kena has written, directed, and edited nine (9) of her own shorts, three of which features original scores composed by the talented Tracy Nicole Chapman. Kena’s thesis film project Jump the Broom: A Musical a 30-minute musical short that she wrote, directed and produced. Jump the Broom is currently having a very successful film festival run and has recently won ‘Best Narrative Short’ at the Reel Film Festival for Women, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA. Tony and Grammy nominated Broadway Performer/Composer Michael McElroy composed the original musical score and it stars two-time Emmy nominated actress Renee Goldsberry, Lamman Rucker of Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? and newcomer Brandon DeShazer. Kena's film short Sistahs in the Name of Love is also playing film festivals around the country, has won Jury Award for "Best Film" in the Women Of African Descent Film Festival in New York City and is currently enjoying television broadcast across the country on a nationally syndicated show called African American Shorts. Kena is also a member of the Broadway Inspirational Voices, a multi ethnic, Grammy nominated, gospel choir comprising of over 60 Broadway Performers in New York City.

Jump The Broom: A Musical– 31 Min.
You’ll be singing and dancing all the way to the altar…even if the bride doesn’t!
JUMP THE BROOM is a narrative musical film short about a beautiful, fun loving, free spirited 29-year-old women named AYANA, who is finally settling down and getting married today. She has chosen the all around perfectly, geeky-handsome man SEAN to do it with. When Ayana goes to the church to get ready, SHAMAR, her tall, dark, five o’clock shadow wearing ex-flame pays her a visit. Shamar reminds Ayana of the wild passionate, flings that they once shared and invites her to join him again for one last good time. Now Sean, Shamar, family, friends, and even Ayana herself doesn’t know if she will ‘Jump the Broom’ today.

BJ Rouse
BJ wrote, directed and produced her first short film entitled “Billie” that made its screening debut at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and won best short film at the Denver International Film Festival in 2003.  She also produced the award winning NYU thesis film, “Rose’s Brew.”  BJ was a recipient of both the Kodak and the Panavision New Filmmakers Grant.  She is currently a member of the Writers Guild Independent Writers Caucus.  BJ was selected for the prestigious Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller Screenwriting Program a.k.a. the “Cosby Program” sponsored by Dr.’s Bill and Camille Cosby at the University of Southern California where she successfully graduated in 2006.

BJ is scheduled to direct two feature films later this year, a horror film, “Don’t Look” starring Ashley Rickards (“One Tree Hill”) and “Love & Hate – based on the novel “It’s A Thin Line” produced by and starring Vanessa Bell Calloway (“The Closer,” “Biker Boyz”) that she co-wrote with writer, Stephanie Schwartz.  The television drama series she created, “The Front Porch” is scheduled to go into production in late 2010 starring Roger Guenveur Smith and directed by “CSI New York” director, Oz Scott.  She is producing the feature thriller “Tut’s Revenge,” and has co-written two feature length scripts that are in pre-production, “The Strike Zone” and “Angel’s Song.”  Her works in progress also includes developing a television drama series entitled “C.A.S.A.” and completing a children’s book, “Billie the Ballerina,” based on her short film “Billie.” 

Queen Victoria’s Wedding - 18 Min.
Queen Victoria lets her daughter in on the secret of her upcoming marriage. The emotional story of the effects of mental illness. Three generations of women reveal their denial, struggle, and divergent views of coping with the illness.

Camille Brown
Camille Brown graduated from UCLA’s prestigious Film and Television school.  She made her directorial debut in 2000 with her award-winning documentary A Second Chance At Life, narrated by Whoopi Goldberg.   Camille has worked in all phases of production on films such as Hearts In Atlantis, Murder By Numbers, Below, and The Chronicles Of Riddick, though writing and directing is her passion.  In 2009 she completed her narrative short film Thank You for Washing, which she wrote, directed, produced and edited.  Her short has gone on to win Best Short Film for both the NBC Universal Short Cuts Film Festival and the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival.  She just recently won Best Director and Audience Choice at the Texas Black Film Festival

Thank You For Washing – 14 Min.
A quirky love st roy about a woman who is a germaphobe. Things get dirty in the office when she finds out a co-worker doesn’t wash after using the bathroom.

J.D. Walker
Originally from Oakland, California, J.D. Walker is a filmmaker, published author, and freelance journalist. "The Postwoman" (adapted from Walker's original screenplay) is her first short film. Walker recently completed the feature script for "The Postwoman" and is currently seeking both funding and sponsors to turn her film into a feature. More details on "The Postwoman" can be found at http://twitter.com/PostwomanMovie or via the Facebook Group  for the film. Walker received her B.A. (magna cum laude) from San Francisco State University, where she studied Theater Arts and Black Studies. She received both her M.A. and Ph.D. (with distinction) in African American and Caribbean Literature from Howard University. Walker has worked and served on panels with numerous Black poets and writers. Her own work has appeared in several literary publications, including Heart & Soul magazine, The New York Amsterdam News, The Washington Informer, and About Time. Walker is the author of two books, 101 Ways Black Women Can Learn to Love Themselves, and Signifyin Me: New and Selected Poems. She can be reached through IMDb, her website,   or via email at: jdpublishinginfo@gmail.com.

The Postwoman – 11:20 Min.
Nia, a 30’s graphic designer, develops a crush on her Postwoman. 

Véronique N. Doumbé
Véronique N. Doumbé has roots in Cameroon (Central Africa) and Martinique (West Indies). Born in France and raised in Cameroon, France and Ivory Coast, she studied Law at the University of Paris X, Nanterre in France where she obtained her "Licence en Droit" before moving to New York City in 1981. Véronique N. Doumbé soon turned her attention to film and video. She produced, directed and edited several shorts. "Portrait of an artist: Ray Grist" aired on Manhattan Cable in 1982. "Carnaval Foyal", a look at the Carnival in Fort-de-France, Martinique was screened at the Caribbean Cultural Center in 1983. Véronique N. Doumbé worked as a consultant in the Radio & Film Unit of United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) from 1984 to 1985. Her third short, "Solar Cars" co-produced in 1986 by Sergei Franklin was aired on ABC "Good Morning America" and PBS "the 90's" . It was also screened at the 4th Environmental Film Festival in Birmingham, England and at the 5th Cinema Giovani in Torino, Italy.  In 1987, Véronique worked as a free-lance editor for Film Video Arts (FVA) and Worldwide Television News (WTN) in New York City.  In 1987 and 1988 Véronique taught video production and post-production to young adults in Martinique in the French West Indies. in 1989, Véronique N. Doumbé produced, directed and edited: "AVP: A Step Towards Peace" commissioned by the Alternatives to Violence Project, Inc. The tape was screened at community centers across the country.  Since 1990, Véronique N. Doumbé owns and operates a studio where she has edited numerous Independent, Corporate and News productions."Denis A. Charles: An interrupted conversation" marks Véronique N. Doumbé's feature film debut. This documentary received several awards:

• Best Film/Video Documentary Production at the XVII Black International Cinema 2002 in Berlin, Germany.
• 2002 Audience Award / Best Feature at the First Detroit Docs in Detroit, Michigan.
• Ciny Award 2002 / Outstanding Documentary, CinewomenNY Screening Series at the Anthology Film Archives in New York City.

The Birthday Party - 7 Min.
A father on his second tour in Iraq.
A mother trying to keep her children safe.
A son on the brink of manhood.
A daughter anticipating her tenth birthday.
A party that will change their lives forever.