The Oscar Devereaux Micheaux Black Film and Arts Festival is returning for its second year this Thursday at Paducah’s Maiden Alley Cinema.
Named after pioneering Black filmmaker and Metropolis, Illinois native Oscar Micheaux, the three-day event will feature a showing of one of the festival namesake artist’s silent features – “The Symbol of the Unconquered,” considered to be a response to the controversial D.W. Griffith film “The Birth of a Nation” – alongside a collection of short films and documentaries from throughout the region.
Considered one of the most important figures in 20th century African American cinema, Micheaux directed and produced more than 40 films in his lifetime focused on showcasing a realistic life experience of Black Americans.
Event coordinator Rhonda McCorry-Smith said by displaying the works of Micheaux and other local artists, the festival aims to highlight Black creative expression – something she hopes will give attendees the opportunity to connect with and strengthen the local African-American community.
“This is an area I think they can enjoy and learn, and hopefully children will be a part of it, [to] just enhance the cultural experience in Paducah and draw other people in as well,” McCorry-Smith said.
Among the slate of films being shown at the festival is the full-length documentary “Jonesville: When Sunflowers Fall,” which was produced by Western Kentucky University’s PBS affiliate. The piece tells the story of the vibrant Black community of Jonesville in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was uprooted and dismantled when the WKU campus was built in the 1960s.
Along with the screenings, McCorry-Smith said the festival will showcase a wide range of creative works from regional artists.
“BFAB stands for Black Film Art and Books. And so, in addition to the film, we have art and book sales that will be on the street. So we're just trying to encompass a holistic cultural experience,” McCorry-Smith said.
McCorry-Smith said this year’s event itinerary sees the addition of discussion panels aimed at giving new artists tips on how to share their work with wider audiences.
The festival begins Friday and concludes Sunday. Tickets are available online through the Paducah Historical Preservation Group eventbrite page.
