The 13th Annual Bushwick Film Festival Kicks Off on October 21

The 13th Annual Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) will be kicking off next Wednesday, October 21, with a special opening night show presented in partnership with Spectrum, Chemistry Creative, Liman Video Rental and BROOKLYN FREEE SPEECH. Hosted by Aaron Watkins, the show will feature special messages from local celebrities and elected officials including Senator Chuck Schumer, Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Assemblywoman Maritza Davila, Council Member Antonio Reynoso, MOME Commissioner Anne del Castillo, President and CEO Designate of Empire State Development Eric Gertler and more. There will also be a musical performance from Brooklyn recording artist Adeline, as well as a festival welcome from BFF Founder Kweighbaye Kotee, Director of Programming Joseph Vassily Willwerth, BFF Creative Director Rah Crawford and other BFF organizers. See below for the full program lineup. The opening night show will be available to stream live via Facebook at 8:00 PM ET here: https://bit.ly/32XE7cm. A filmmaker Q&A will follow at 9PM ET here: https://bit.ly/3jaXVPn. For more information, please visit watch.bushwickfilmfestival.com.

Due to Covid-19 event restrictions, the Bushwick Film Festival is going virtual this year from October 21-25 and will include over 100 independent films from 30 different countries. Movies can be viewed at watch.bushwickfilmfestival.com, a secure streaming platform sponsored by Spectrum.

In addition to the films and awards ceremony, the festival features industry mixers, a trivia night and a weekend movie industry conference featuring Emmy Winner Andrij Parekh (Succession), Reinaldo Marcus Green (Director of Warner Bros., King Richard starring Will Smith), Katori Hall (Starz, P-Valley) and Cory Finley (HBO's Bad Eduction), as well as industry professionals from Hulu, Amazon, and Lionsgate to name a few.

This year with a theme of transformation and a glowing butterfly used as a visual representation, the festival celebrates not only filmmakers for always reminding us of our inherent courage and perseverance through their characters, but also how much we continue to transform as a better global community.

Bushwick Film Festival prides itself on being a home for film lovers. Over the last decade, BFF has screened the works of nearly 1500 independent filmmakers from Brooklyn and over 50 different countries, proudly shining a spotlight on womxn and diverse filmmakers. The BFF has grown into one of the most anticipated events in Brooklyn and is recognized for its contribution to the borough's artistic, cultural, and economic growth.

"After 13 years, I still get so excited when the festival arrives. Working with my team to present the festival this year despite all the challenges, is a testament to our collective love and commitment to storytelling." says Festival director Kweighbaye Kotee. We have an incredible lineup of films and great conversations in store!"

For tickets and passes, please visit: watch.bushwickfilmfestival.com