Blink: A Gun Violence Prevention Short Film Premiere & TalkBack

711 North Franklin Street,Tampa FL 33602

20 March, 2023

Description

There comes a time in everyone's life when one decision can make or break you. Struggling between protecting his ego or his future, does Jayden allow his beef with Marcus to pressure him into making a defining choice that changes his life as he knows it? According to the Tampa Police Department, in 2022, there were 170 non-fatal and 39 fatal shootings in the city of Tampa. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office states "there were an additional 70 non-fatal and 34 fatal shootings in unincorporated Hillsborough County, outside of the city of Tampa." Combined, these numbers nearly doubled from the previous year’s totals. This short film addresses the critical issue of gun violence in our communities, the choices being made by our youth to pick up firearms and the consequences thereof. Imagine if some of our youth choose a different path. What would it take? Who can help? And where do we begin? These are the questions that will be in the minds of viewers as the short film concludes. In the TalkBack immediately following the premiere screening, we will discuss the making of the film and address the responsibility of the community to help prevent our youth from making these life altering decisions. From parents, other family members, teachers, friends, faith leaders, neighbors, and to our youth themselves, we all have a role to play in preventing one more life from being lost to senseless gun violence. More and more of our youth are getting access to firearms. This is not a debate about guns, ammunition, or the right to carry. This film is a plea to the greater community to do what it must to save the lives of our youth. Starting with one . . . An Axion Pictures production in partnership with Safe & Sound Hillsborough. For media inquiries or more info, contact Sammecia Bagley at [email protected] or visit SafeandSoundHillsborough.org. Additional information will be sent to confirmed guests closer to the event.