Diverse Filmmakers Receive 2022 BronzeLens Awards

A Cadre of Diverse Filmmakers Receive 2022 BronzeLens Awards

In-Person Festival Remains True to Its Motto “Creators Wonderland”

During the 2022 BronzeLens Film Festival (BronzeLens) six-day in-person experience 124 Atlanta premieres were screened. Among the diverse mix of official selections, a total of ten films received BronzeLens Awards in the Festival’s juried categories including Feature, Documentary, Short, Short Documentary, Dance Video, Student, Web Series, Music Video, Reel South, Best of Festival, and Best Actress and Best Actor. In addition, special awards were given to WarnerMedia SVP Enterprise Inclusion – Marketing and Communications, James Anderson, who received the BronzeLens Chairman’s Award, and to White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, Keisha Lance Bottoms who received the BronzeLens Founder’s Award.

“We intentionally sought to provide our attendees the opportunity to engage and be inspired by not only what was taking place during the festival, but to also experience a segment of Atlanta’s creative community,” said BronzeLens Founder and Executive Director, Kathleen Bertrand. “It is important to us that we continue to provide an opportunity for world-class independent filmmakers to showcase their work and to deliver exemplary hospitality to all of our guests.”

Black White and the Greys, directed by Marchelle Thurman and Casey Nelson, claimed double victory winning both Best Feature and Best of Festival Awards. Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over directed by David Wooley and David Heilbroner was selected for the Audience Award. Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over will air on CNN.com on January 1, 2023, via live stream, and will also be available on demand the following day.

The additional BronzeLens Awards recipients are as follows:

Best Short

Contraban

Directed by Chelsea Hicks

BronzeLens Film Festival is approved as an Academy Awards® qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards.

As a recipient of BronzeLens Film Festival Best Short, Contraban will be eligible for consideration in the Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with Academy rules.

Best Documentary             

Incarceration Nation

Directed by Dean Gibson

As a recipient of Best Documentary, Incarceration Nation will receive a 50% overall project discount on clean b-roll footage from CNN Collection- Warner Bros Discovery.

Best Documentary Short

Art Chooses Us

Directed by Tomas Kamphuis

REEL SOUTH

Fannie

Directed by Christine Swanson

Best Dance

Like Water

Directed by Mthuthuzeli November

Best Music

Dollar 2 The Rich

Directed by Lewis T Powell

Best Student Film

The Bond

Directed by Jahmil Eady

Best Web Series

Last Bodega in Brooklyn

Directed by Mosiah Moonsammy and Jared Glenn

Best Actress

Aunjanue Ellis

Fannie

Directed by Christine Swanson

Best Actor

Roderick Lawrence

Silent Partner

Directed by Aristotle Torres

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About the BronzeLens Film Festival

BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia, is a non-profit organization, founded in 2009, that is dedicated to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a center for film and film production for people of color. Its mission is two-fold: to promote Atlanta as the new film mecca for people of color, showcase films, and provide networking opportunities that will develop the next generation of filmmakers. Since its inception, BronzeLens producers have brought national and worldwide attention to Atlanta, helping to showcase the city as a leader in the thriving film industry. In 2017 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved BronzeLens as a qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards category. The short film that receives the BronzeLens Best Short Award is eligible to enter the Academy’s Short Subject competition for the concurrent season