Spike Lee’s ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ to Kick Off Opening Weekend of Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival

by

For the upcoming 23rd edition of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAF), set from August 1st to 9th, 2025, the opening lineup has been unveiled, offering a stage for Black and brown filmmakers.

Beginning our celebrations on August 1st is a showing of the sports documentary titled “Unraveling George“. Directed by Mike Tollin and narrated by Marlon Wayans, who played George Raveling in the 2023 film “Air“, this movie tells the inspiring story of the Basketball Hall of Fame coach, renowned for mentoring several all-star players, such as Michael Jordan. A “Color of Conversation” will take place right after the screening.

This evening, the play “The Dutchman” – featuring André Holland, Kate Mara, Aldis Hodge, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Zazie Beetz – will be performed. This gripping thriller revolves around a prosperous Black man engaged in a psychologically intense cat-and-mouse chase with a puzzling white woman. The play is an adaptation of the 1964 Obie Award-winning play by Amiri Baraka, penned by Qasim Basir and Andre Gaines who also acts as producer and director. Following the performance, Gaines and Hodge will participate in a discussion.

On the final act of opening night, we have Academy Award winner Spike Lee’s film titled “Highest 2 Lowest“, which is his fifth project with Denzel Washington. This gripping tale follows a music mogul who finds himself in peril when he falls victim to a ransom plot. Alongside Washington, the film features Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, and A$AP Rocky. Post-screening, Spike Lee and Ilfenesh Hadera will engage in a discussion about the movie’s central themes.

On August 3rd, the Netflix romantic comedy TV series by Mara Brock Akil titled “Forever” will be screened. Following this screening of episode five, “The Vineyard,” a Color of Conversation discussion will take place, as this particular episode is set on the Massachusetts island where the festival occurs.

This year, the Mountain View Asian American Film Festival (MVAAFF) is brimming with joy as it showcases exceptional Color of Conversation events, interactive fan interactions, and a stellar lineup of documentaries and shorts, according to Floyd and Stephanie Rance, creators of MVAAFF and partners at Run and Shoot Filmworks. They expressed their constant astonishment at the festival’s positive economic influence on the island and are eager to celebrate another year of Black excellence in cinema.

Additional screenings, panels and events will be announced in the coming weeks.

Read More

2025-07-03 18:24