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Queen Latifah Named Honorary Chair Of Urban Film Fest
Published Tuesday, August 19, 2008 10:25 AM

Tai Saint Louis

Queen Latifah has been appointed Honorary Chair of this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival, which will run from September 10-14 in New York City.



The award winning rapper/actress will speak on behalf of the multi-cultural filmmakers, whose works will be presented during the BET sponsored event.



According to Festival organizers, Latifah was an obvious choice, not only because of her recognizable presence, but also because, as a filmmaker, she has experienced many of the hardships and obstacles faced by women in the film industry.



"These are really exciting times for the festival," said Urbanworld founder Stacy Spikes. "On display we have films of nearly every genre, created by filmmakers of nearly every background. This selection of cinema, together with our new partnership with BET Networks, promises to make this the best Urbanworld yet."



Over the course of the five-day festival, 85 films will be presented, showcasing New York-based films and filmmakers celebrating local artists and communities.



The films spanning all genres and including features, documentary and short films will also spotlight international filmmakers.



Among the films to be presented is Wu: The Story of the Wu Tang Clan, directed by Gerald Barclay, which documents the super group’s history since it’s inception in 1993.



The festival also includes panel discussions, live staged screenplay readings and the filming of BET’s Actor Spotlight, which, this year, will celebrate Latifah’s many successes.



The festivities will come to a close on the 14th with a special advanced screening of Latifah’s upcoming film The Secret Live of Bees, co-starring Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo and Dakota Fanning, which hits theaters on October 17.

Source: allhiphop

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