BROOKLYN, N.Y.  The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival (June 4-12) is honored to open our 6th Annual AoBFF with the Brooklyn premiere of the full theatrical version of Spike Lee's new documentary 2 Fists Up: We Gon Be Alright on June 8th at 7pm at St. Francis College's Founders Hall Theater (180 Remsen St, Brooklyn, NY 11201)

2 Fists Up is about the Concerned Student 1950 movement at the University of Missouri, whose efforts led to the resignation of former UM System President Tim Wolfe over racial issues on campus. Capturing a semester of unrest at Mizzou, 2 Fists Up touches on the essential participation of the football team in supporting the student movement. Former Tigers coach Gary Pinkel tweeted a photo of the entire team locking arms in solidarity with hunger striking activist Jonathan Butler, who was calling for Wolfe's resignation. Pinkel said, "I support my players, and a young man's life was on the line. I'm talking guys had tears in their eyes, crying, and asked if I could support them and I said I would ... I didn't look at consequences. That wasn't about it at the time. It was about helping my players and supporting my players when they needed me." Butler is more succinct in his assessment, saying, "I guarantee I wouldn't be alive if the football players didn't step in."

Lee made the documentary in partnership with ESPN Films, as part of a deal to make a series of shorts called "Spike Lee's Lil' Joints." A 22-minute version premiered on ESPN's digital platforms on May 31. A 30-minute version screened at the Tribeca Film Festival last month and Lee has also shared the film with student audiences at Mizzou, Spellman and Yale. But AoBFF will open our sixth annual film festival with the full theatrical version.

"We are ecstatic to be showing the work of a Brooklyn indie film icon, especially since his values correspond so closely with our mission.  Like Spike Lee, we are for, by and about Brooklyn—all of it." Joseph Shahadi, Exec Director AoBFF.

About AoBFF:

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival is the only international, independent festival in the world exclusively devoted to the Brooklyn indie film scene. We consciously work against the ways that film festivals in the borough support gentrification, by screening in neighborhoods across Brooklyn, including those underserved by cultural institutions. 

And it's working: the director Elliot Lester (Nightingale) has called us "Brooklyn's Tribeca."

Please see our site for more information about the schedule of this year's films and to read our international press at www.aobff.org.

We are very proud to announce the Official Selections for the 6th Annual AoBFF (June 4-12, 2016.) We are the only festival in the world that exclusively features films created and catalyzed within Brooklyn's independent film scene, which has members living and working independently in multiple countries.

In order to qualify for the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival filmmakers have to make a case for how they participate in Brooklyn’s indie film scene either in the borough itself or around the world.  

​Congratulations to all our 2016 filmmakers!

ANIMATION
Beat Generation – Directed by Patrick DeVita-Dillon – World Premiere
Think Ink – Directed by Wally Chung – NYC Premiere
CAGE – Directed by Pengpeng Du – Brooklyn Premiere
 
THE DARK SIDE
Chateau Sauvignon: terroir – Directed by David E. Munz-Maire – Brooklyn Premiere
Diverge – Directed by James Morrison - World Premiere
It Has To Be You – Directed by Conrad Rothbaum – Brooklyn Premiere
Photo Op – Directed by Dave Solomon
Seclusion – Directed by Joe Bandelli – World Premiere
 
NARRATIVE FEATURE
Creedmoria – Directed by Alicia Slimmer
Life of Significant Soil – Directed by Michael Irish
Star – Directed by Marc Aurele Vecchione – US Premiere
 
FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
Cabras Where Fables are Born – Directed by Raffaello Fusaro – East Coast Premiere
In Our Backyard – Directed by Danielle Rose – Brooklyn Premiere
The F Word – Directed by Robert Adanto – Brooklyn Premiere
OXD – Directed by Craig Lowy – Brooklyn Premiere
 
FILM AS ART (Experimental/Non-Linear)
Carved in Mayhem – Directed by Dan DiFelice – No Premiere
Circle – Directed by Alexander Heringer – NYC Premiere
Late Light – Directed by Matt Whitman – Brooklyn Premiere
Laundromat Superhero – Directed by Minki Hong – NYC Premiere
Pollo Cante – Directed by Valerie Brooks – World Premiere
Super Fun Show, With Learning! – Directed by Lexie Kahanovitz and Jim Tozzi– World Premiere
 
NARRATIVE SHORT
A Chick Called Wanda – Directed by Arielle Apfel – Brooklyn Premiere
Alchemy – Directed by Brandon Polanco – Brooklyn Premiere
Behind the Wall – Directed by Bat-Sheva Guez – Brooklyn Premiere
Burning Child – Directed by Kelsey S Brewer – East Coast Premiere
Cap’n Flapjack: The Curse of the Sticky Anchor – Directed by Josh Steinbaur – US Premiere
Enduro – Directed by Christopher Dillon – NYC Premiere
Lucky and the Long Walk Home – Directed by Evan Savitt – World Premiere
Marceline Blurr – Directed by Nadia Mata Portillo – Brooklyn Premiere
Pitter Patter Goes My Heart – Directed by Christoph Rainer – Brooklyn Premiere
Sisters – Directed by Sophia de Baun – World Premiere
Sticky Fingers – Directed by Gabriella Moses – NYC Premiere
Sugar – Directed by Kimi Lee – Brooklyn Premiere
The Night Owl – Directed by Anthony Nicolau – Brooklyn Premiere
 
SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Day of the Dead – Directed by Zack Baddorf – Brooklyn Premiere
Lucas Blalock’s Digital Toolkit – Directed by Rafael Salazar and Ava Wiland – Brooklyn Premiere
NYChapters Presents: “Jerry” – Directed by Alexander Hankoff – Brooklyn Premiere
The Champion – Directed by Patrick McGowan – Brooklyn Premiere
 
NARRATIVE SUPER SHORT
Anxiety #5 – Directed by Jesse Foster – Brooklyn Premiere
First Night Out – Directed by Will Mayo – Brooklyn Premiere
Under the Heavens – Directed by Tyrik Washington – Brooklyn Premiere