Pop your popcorn and silence your cell phones! It’s time for the USC African American Cinema Society’s annual F.R.O. Fest! This Friday evening at USC’s very own Fischer Museum from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., 11 filmmakers will celebrate all the hard work they have put into their feature films.
Since the event began, it has been dedicated to celebrating Black History Month and the incredible contributions of Black writers, producers, directors, and actors all across USC. The festival aims to provide a platform to both amplify and celebrate their voices.
Its theme is “film reflecting ourselves” and this year’s features do just that. Venus Lordson, director of the film “Make A Scene”, shared how she feels society has been calling for her to express her culture through film.
“A lot of times it’s exciting to be able to see people like us on the screen. To know that Black people are able to collaborate and work together to build films that can go on big screens of privilege [and] that many times we don’t have access to or the means to be able to participate in these types of events,” Lordson said.
Lordson views this event as an opportunity to share her and her brother’s experiences and stories, no matter how hard it may seem.
“I think it‘s a challenge to be able to express a story through the eyes of somebody who doesn’t think the same way we do and [the film is] based on the story of my little brother who has autism," said Lordson. “I always found that his way of seeing things was a superpower, and on top of that, being a boy of color just inspires me to tell his story and show that you can truly do whatever you put your mind to.”
Another director being featured at this year’s F.R.O Fest, Tyler Holmes, has been waiting for this opportunity for a couple of years now.
“I made a film called ”The Host,“ actually I filmed it a few years back, but due to budget restraints I finally got to edit it and so now I’m releasing it,” Holmes said.
Holmes said this is an opportunity to impact people the way he’s been impacted through film and television.
“I think that without Black stories, or really any story from a [diverse] background, we are ignoring the lives and the experiences lived for many people,” said Holmes. “Our voices still matter, our stories still matter, and we ultimately deserve to be seen, whether that’s behind the camera and the work that we create or in front of the camera and the representation that we see on it,” Holmes said.
To anyone interested, make your way over to the Fisher Museum this Friday evening to witness and celebrate the hard work these talented Trojans have put into their films over the years!