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LOS ANGELES, CA—- Los Angeles City Councilman President Emeritus Herb Wesson announced the winners of the John Singleton Short Film Competition during a private reception at the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF). In conjunction with PAFF and the city’s embRACE LA initiative, the film competition pays tribute to the critically-acclaimed film director John Singleton. Singleton is known for such classic movies as BOYZ N THE HOOD, POETIC JUSTICE and BABY BOY. For helming BOYZ N THE HOOD, he became the first African American and the youngest person to be nominated for Best Director in 1992.
And the winners are:
- Jennifer J. Scott and Brandon Hammond – filmmakersof AMARU.
- Chelsea Hicks and Mitchell Branden Rogers – filmmakers of CONTRABAN.
- Kemiyondo Coutinho and York Walker – filmmakers THE SÉANCE
The three winners were awarded $20,000 each for the production and completion of a live-action narrative short film. Under the leadership of President Emeritus Wesson Jr., theembRACE L.A. is an initiative aimed at unifying Angelenos and empowering communities through a citywide conversation about race and racism, challenging and changing inequities. Launched by Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell the initiative seeks to foster understanding, healing and growth throughout L.A.
The winners were announced on Monday, February 17, 2020 during the Pan African Film Festival. (Understandably, in light of the news of the sudden death of co-founder Ja’Net Dubois , the release of the winners for the John Singleton Short Film Competition was delayed.) The private reception was held at the 2020 Lounge (formerly Mexicano Restaurant) | a pop-up lounge at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.
