2019 Cap City Black Film Festival

Almost by fluke, I found out about the 7th Capital City Black Film Festival.

First thought that crossed my mind, “Why haven’t I’ve heard about this before now?” The second thought was to find out whether I could volunteer for this. Yes and no, but ultimately yes.

Once I checked out the website, I discovered the deadline to submit interest in volunteering had past. Here’s where I played the race card: “late” for black people tended to be marked by how much shit still needed to be done, especially since the festival hadn’t yet begun. In this case, I was right on time.

Keeping with that theme, I strolled up into a very short line to take a picture with festival ambassador, Sherri Sheppard, after I’d finished my duties of helping people check in. I didn’t get a chance to give her my card even though it was just on the back of my ID case. I didn’t want to be that person to hand a celebrity something when I could clearly see she had nothing to put it in. Yet, I managed to network with others; so perhaps something will become of those conversations.

I loved being immersed in the creative energy of black filmmakers

since blacks only make around 6-8% of the population in the greater Austin area. I always have the silly idea that I’ll know more people than I do at black events. Although the event only had a few hundred people on opening night, many were from out of state.

Before screening a movie, the founder of the festival, Winston G. Williams (rt)

and staunch black film supporter and first recipient of the Harlem Lights Award, Julius Tennon (AKA Viola Davis’ husband, center) awarded filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper the Harlem Lights Award, which recognizes luminaries in all fields, especially creative ones.

The last interview I listened to,

Zakyiah Larry discussed all aspects of filmmaking with actress/producer/director Tangi Miller. Honestly, Miller wore so many hats because a black woman’s work is never done. She lamented about the times when she had to hurriedly do her own hair and makeup because none of the hair/makeup artists knew how to properly style black hair nor had a makeup foundation to match her skin tone.

Furthermore, and this part truly perked up my ears, she briefly discussed how she buys commercial real estate in order to generate passive income since “more doors, more money.” She cautioned anyone starting off in the industry to have another source of income that didn’t essentially require trading time for money since projects may be far and few in between. I gave her an “Amen” to that whole line of logic.

No matter whichever creative path I choose, seems like all roads lead back to investing into real estate. I didn’t need to attend this festival to get that idea, but it was wonderful to get another dose of truth from a completely different source than I’d had.