SEMBÈNE THE FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL Pittsburgh, PA 15206 Phone: (412) 204-7291 Email: sembenefilmfestival@gmail sembenefilmfestival.org Press Release Contact: Sabira Bushra Phone: (412) 657-6916 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12:00 P.M. EST, November 6, 2013 Filmmaker Stephen Vittoria Joins the Q&A for MUMIA: Long Distance Revolutionary At the 5th Annual Sembène African Film & Arts Festival Friday, November 8th PITTSBURGH, PA, NOVEMBER 6, 2013: Filmmaker Stephen Vittoria will join Attorney Martha R. Conley and film festival-goers via SKYPE for the Q & A following MUMIA: Long Distance Revolutionary which has been selected to open the 5th season of the Pittsburgh-based African Film Festival. MUMIA: Long Distance Revolutionary opens Friday, November 8th at 6:15 PM at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Homewood in the auditorium, 7101 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. The film is free of charge and all are welcome. Doors open at 5:30 and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Synopsis Before he was convicted of murdering a policeman in 1981 and sentenced to die, Mumia Abu-Jamal was a gifted journalist and brilliant writer. Now after more than 30 years in prison and despite attempts to silence him, Mumia is not only still alive but continuing to report, educate, provoke and inspire. Stephen Vittoria’s new feature documentary is an inspiring portrait of a man who many consider America’s most famous political prisoner-a man whose existence tests our beliefs about freedom of expression. Through prison interviews, archival footage, and dramatic readings, and aided by a potent chorus of voices including Cornel West, Alice Walker, Dick Gregory, Angela Davis, Amy Goodman and others, this riveting film explores Mumia’s life before, during, and after Death Row- revealing, in the words of Angela Davis, “the most eloquent and powerful opponent of the death penalty in the world- the 21st Century Frederick Douglass.” 2011, English, 120 minutes. Trailer: firstrunfeatures/trailers_mumia.html Official Website: mumia-themovie/index.html About Stephen Vittoria Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary is Stephen Vittoria’s current documentary and it opened in theatres in the Fall of 2012. His last film, One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern won top honors at the Sarasota Film Festival as “Best Documentary Feature” and was released nationwide by First Run Features. In 1987, Vittoria wrote, directed, and edited his first film, the dramatic feature Black & White, starring Kim Delgado and Frank Vincent – a story about racism set against the backdrop of post-World War II America. In 1995, Vittoria produced, wrote, and directed Hollywood Boulevard, starring John C. McGinley, Jon Tenney, and Julianne Phillips – a dark and satirical look at the motion picture business. In 1998, Vittoria wrote, directed, and edited the six-hour health documentary Save Your Life – The Life and Holistic Times of Dr. Richard Schulze, and then in 2005 he wrote, directed, and edited the television documentary Keeper of the Flame with journalist Linda Ellerbee and actor Wilford Brimley – a film that deals with the current ecological crisis facing American forests. Recently, Vittoria was a producer on two feature documentaries by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney: Gonzo: The Life & Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson and Magic Trip. Vittoria is the founder and creative director of two Southern California production companies – Street Legal Cinema and Deep Image. One day, Steve hopes to play centerfield for the New York Yankees. He lives in Los Angeles (under protest). About Martha Richards Conley, Esquire Martha Richards Conley was the first African-American female graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law. She was employed by The United States Steel Corporation for 27 years and retired as Senior General Attorney. She is a long-time opponent of the death penalty and Chairs Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty–Pittsburgh. She is an Official Visitor of the Pennsylvania Prison Society. She began visiting Mumia Abu-Jamal at SCI Greene in Waynesburg, PA in 2000. She was honored to escort Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to visit Mumia in 2007. She is also on the Board of Rights and Responsibilities, a non-profit human rights organization raising human rights awareness and inspiring and promoting social change through the use of film and other media. About Sembène – The Film & Arts Festival Sembène – The Film & Arts Festival - opens its 5th season of award-winning films that address major political, social, and cultural issues of the African Diaspora. The Festival has expanded its programming and offers a diverse selection of stunning, award-winning, controversial films from a variety of genre. Many of the films are Pittsburgh premieres. The Sembène Film Festival’s season begins this Friday, November 8Th and 9Th. All films in the month of November will be screened at 6:15 PM in the auditorium of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh –Homewood, 7101 Hamilton Avenue. Visit sembenfilmfestival.org for the complete line-up. -END-
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 17:12:10 +0000
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