Afrofuturism: A Panel with Sergio Giral, Monica Sorelle + Deniese Davis

4240 Northwest 27th Avenue,Miami FL 33142

28 October, 2021

Description

Slamdance Miami Presents Afrofuturism: A Panel Discussion with Sergio Giral, Monica Sorelle and Deniese Davis at the Historic Hampton House Let's talk Afrofuturism! Join panelists Sergio Giral, Monica Sorelle and Deniese Davis in a panel discussion moderated by Ronald Baez at the Historic Hampton House. About the panel: As the influence of Afrofuturism increasingly defines our modern cinematic landscape, artists and audiences alike maintain a struggle to pin the elusive aesthetic down. Is science fiction its most instrumental detail, or can imagining the future of Blackness remain ambiguous by design, dodging definition and defying trope in search of deeper conversation? A panel of acclaimed filmmakers and notable artists pry open these complexities, discussing what's at the heart of Afrofuturism as both an artistic genre and cultural influence. Note: This panel discussion is presented by Slamdance Miami, an independent film festival taking place at the North Beach Bandshell from October 28-30. You do not need festival admission to attend this panel! (But we'd love to see you at the festival, regardless!) *** About the Panelists: Sergio Giral. Sergio Giral has dedicated most of his films to telling the story of Caribbean history and Afro-Cuban culture. He spent his teenage years in the Unites States and returned to Cuba at the time of the revolution in 1959. He began working for the newly-founded ICAIC – the Cuban Institute of Film Art and Industry – in 1961, where he went on to make a number of short films and documentaries in the 1960s and 1970s. Giral returned to the United States in 1991 and now lives in Miami, where he continues to make films. Read about Sergio's contributions to cinema here. "There are hints of Sergio Leone in the revelatory work of namesake Sergio Giral, one of the greats of Afro-Cuban cinema." Monica Sorelle. Monica Sorelle is a Haitian-American filmmaker and artist born & based in Miami. She has produced and worked as a department head on projects for Film Independent, A24, HBO & PBS. Her work explores alienation and displacement, and preserves cultural traditions within Miami & the Caribbean with a focus on the African & Latin diasporas that reside there. Learn more about Monica at her website here. Deniese Davis. Deniese Davis is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Reform Media Group, a media company focused on changing how marginalized stories are told. She began her career producing music videos, short films and digital content including Issa Rae’s award-winning web series The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl. Her recent producing credits include: Co-Executive Producer on the HBO Emmy-nominated comedy series Insecure, Producer on HBO’s Emmy-nominated A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Executive Producer on the forthcoming comedy series RAP SH!T for HBO Max. She is also Co-Founder of ColorCreative, a management company focused on changing the landscape of media by creating a direct-to-industry pipeline for women and minority writers and championing diverse voices by building creative business brands. An alum of CUNY Brooklyn College and The American Film Institute, Deniese sits on the board of Black Public Media and is a founding member of AFI’s Alumni Council for the Lawrence Herbert Alumni Center (LHAC). Learn more about Deniese's Reform Media Group here.