AFI Grad Student Williams Wins Black Cinema Prize

Garret C. Williams, an American Film Institute graduate student, took the first prize of $3,000 in the Black American Cinema Society’s 11th annual independent filmmaker competition during the weekend in Hollywood. He won for his 30-minute “Helicopter,” a story of a young man’s vicarious dreams of success for his best friend.

Second prize, worth $2,000, went to Koina L. Freeman for “Little Black Panther,” based on her experiences as the child of a founder of the Black Panther Party. The $1,000 third prize was awarded to Dwight L. Smith, a graduate student at the New School for Social Research, for his “Samson and Delilah.”

Laini Dakar received a $250 honorable mention for “Beyond the Agenda,” about an exceptionally bright little boy confronted with a bigoted teacher. An honorable mention also went to actor Blair Underwood for his “The Second Coming,” in which he cast himself as Jesus.

Prizes will be awarded at the society’s annual awards dinner and show at the Biltmore hotel March 21. Other honorees: veteran actors Madge Sinclair and Moses Gunn; directors Reginald and Warrington Hudlin. Among the presenters will be James Earl Jones, Esther Rolle, John Singleton, Robert Hooks, Underwood, Ketty Lester, Julie Dash and Neema Barnett.

The BACS’ award-winning films will be screened April 3, at 1:30 p.m. at the Four Star Theater, 5112 Wilshire Blvd., as part of the 16th annual Black Talkies on Parade Film Festival, which runs April 2-8.