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Eight years ago, I received an email from Karen Toering, a fellow, Gary, IN native, currently living in Seattle, WA. She is a consulting producer for the Langston Hughes African American Film Festival in Seattle. However, her email expressed an opportunity to create a film festival in our hometown, with help from some of her friends. Of course, I was excited. I used my resources as a local journalist to connect her with not only individuals who’d jump at the opportunity but also find local filmmakers to participate.

Karen’s goal with what became, the Gary International Black Film Festival, was to create a three-day cultural event, that brings independent Black films to Gary audiences. The festival would also provide rich, authentic opportunities to celebrate African-American and African culture and heritage.

With a sponsorship from the Urban League of Northwest Indiana, the inaugural GIBFF was held in February 2011, during a snowstorm, at the Glen Theater. GIBFF’s opening night film was, I Will Follow, by Ava DuVernay (Middle of Nowhere, 13th, Selma, A Wrinkle in Time), who was in attendance. Gary filmmaker, Calvin Standifer, presented his documentary, Hope and Healing in Haiti. From there, the GIBFF moved to Indiana University Northwest and is now a fall event favorite.

I talked to Karen about this year’s lineup and how far the festival’s come along.

Let’s talk about this year’s lineup.

This year, we will kick off the Gary International Black Film Festival with a Festival Funky, Pre-Funk Party. This will take place October 11, at ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen, 411 E. 5th Ave. in Gary. It starts at 6 p.m. And we will have DJ Mike Flexx, vendors, raffles, and refreshments.

The festival’s opening night is October 12, at Indiana University Northwest inside the Bergland Auditorium. And, our feature film is 1 Angry Black Man.

It’s a great movie. Black Girl Nerds reviewed 1 Angry Black Man recently.

The film’s director, Menelek Lumumba, and cinematographer, Hans Charles, will be at the festival. They will do a post-screening panel discussion. Coincidentally, Hans was Ava DuVernay’s cinematographer for her film, 13th. We have 47 independent films, shorts and full-length, that will be showcased the entire weekend. These films and a couple of workshops will be shown at Indiana University Northwest, as well as at ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen.

What will take place at ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen during the festival?

On October 13, ArtHouse will host a Youth Short Film Showcase at noon. That will be followed with a panel discussion, Black Film Now: Our Culture, Our Stories. At 4 p.m., Black Magic: Black Future, a short film showcase, will take place.

The Gary International Black Film Festival has grown over the years. Filmmakers and producers like Robert Townsend, Empire’s Jussie Smollett, and Gary native Charles Murray (Things Never Said) who also wrote for Sons of Anarchy and was a producer on Netflix’s Luke Cage. Actor Stephen Hill (Magnum, P.I., Christmas Wedding Baby) and so many others have attended and presented films since the festival began.

Well, in the larger scheme of things, the Gary International Black Film Festival is still a “baby.” The Pan African Film Festival is 27 years old, American Black Film Fest is 23, Urban World is 18, and Martha’s Vineyard is 13. Our eight-year tenure in Gary is a source of pride, though.

You know, at first, not a lot of people jumped in on the idea of a film festival in Gary. Many asked, “why do you want to do that?” My answer was, why not? Now, the Gary International Black Film Festival has a strong core of dedicated folks, including Toni Simpson, Sydney Chatman, Walter Jones, Ludeen Kilgore, the late Kelechukwu Brnfre, and Saidah Holt. And you know what I love about them? They are born and raised here. And, they do this for the city, first. The festival is second. We lost Kelechukwu a few years ago. He was very supportive and active from the beginning. We have an award in his honor, as he was a gifted poet and storyteller.

How did you get into the film festival industry?

It started as a fluke. I was out of a job and deeply depressed. I was chatting with a friend in a Seattle coffee shop. And she said she needed help with the Langston Hughes African American Film Festival. I was thrilled to be able to help. That was 15 years ago. It saved my life.

What’s the biggest gratitude you get out of directing and managing the Gary International Black Film Festival?

It seems like there is something new to be grateful for every year. Overall, it is the feeling of a “shared experience.” To sit in a dark room and let things go for a few hours. I love a film that takes me on a journey. When it does, I can’t wait to talk about it with other viewers. And, even better, the filmmaker.

What’s next for the Gary International Black Film Festival?

Our goal is to grow our roots, build authentic relationships, and be accountable to the community. We get a lot of requests to partner with groups around the city. So, we are building our capacity to create a mobile arthouse. The mobile arthouse will bring film, filmmakers, and audiences together across the city and the region. Maybe someday, we can open a movie house and arts center.

The Gary International Black Film Festival runs Oct. 12-14 and is located at Indiana University Northwest, 3400 Broadway. ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen is located at 411 E. 5th Ave. Tickets can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/27299.

Visit www.garyblackfilmfest.com for screening schedules and more information.

The post BGN Interview: Karen Toering, Director of the Gary International Black Film Festival appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

From Tracee Ellis Ross' pink lip to Amara La Negra's blue eyeliner, we show you the top beauty looks and where to shop them at all prices.

The year was 1989. Janet Jackson, the youngest member of the multi-platinum selling, globally known, Jackson tribe, was on her way to attaining the legendary status of her brother, and releasing her now-classic fourth album Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. It was a year ripe with many other albums that would go on to become classics. Madonna’s Like A Prayer album was burning up the charts alongside the likes of George Michael’s Faith, Bobby Brown’s Don’t Be Cruel, Milli Vanilli’s All or Nothing (pre lip-sync scandal), Soul II Soul’s Keep on Moving, and Prince’s contributions to the soundtrack of Tim Burton’s Batman film, among others. But in August of 1989, a month before Rhythm Nation was released, Janet released the lead single to the album, “Miss You Much.” The track quickly ascended the charts, becoming her second No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and sitting at the throne for four weeks—longer than any other single that year. The song also has the distinction of being the second-biggest selling song of 1989. 

In Brooklyn, during 1989, I was a very precocious boy. Though, still a child at the time, I lived and breathed pop culture in all of it 80’s loveliness. I watched the teenagers in my neighborhood dance in the streets to Janet’s music, doing their best to mimic her precise movements; often falling far short of her grace. Nonetheless, there we were, black and brown boys and girls, men and women, dancing to “Miss Jackson, if ya nasty.” We spent so many days trying to emulate her dance moves, and nearly breaking our teeth in the process. At the end of the “Miss You Much” video, when Janet calls “That’s the end?” followed by a deep and throaty collective, “No!” Janet does a chair routine, leading two other male dancers, with the ease and skills of the pro she is. We were riveted by her every move, in awe that she moved as well as Michael; possessing an energy, conviction, and fluidity that was distinctly her own.

The Background

Janet’s “Miss You Much” video was the first of three songs that made up the Rhythm Nation long-form video. The other two were “The Knowledge” and another of Janet’s classic songs and videos, “Rhythm Nation,” the single. With this album, Janet continued to prove to her naysayers— the critics and some of her jealous and insecure rivals who insisted she was a studio star and didn’t have the talents of her brother— they were wrong and that she was a bona fide star here to stay.

Rhythm Nation proved to be an excellent follow up to her breakthrough album, Control. Control is a black “womanist” manifesto that not only put Janet on the map, but it also gave young black women an assertive voice in music that many of Janet’s peers—Anita Baker, Sade, Whitney Houston, to name a few—weren’t doing at the time. She was a tough-talking, streetwise sistah who wasn’t asking for respect from men, she was demanding it. It was early in her career as a songwriter, but the elements of who Janet was showed through perfectly. 

In Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits (2002), Jimmy Jam explained that the label desperately wanted a Control II. They wanted Janet, Jimmy, and Terry (the creative hive mind) to repeat the same concept a second time while also throwing in some salacious gossip about her family. Jackson vehemently opposed the idea of a direct sequel to Control, stating in a Jet magazine interview in 1989: “That’s what I didn’t want to do. I wanted to do something that I really believed in and that I really felt strong about.” And that’s exactly what she did.

Rhythm Nation took on a slightly different narrative. It was Janet still taking control, but it was her way of also talking about things prevalent at the time like drugs, crime, and violence in the inner city that deeply affected young black and brown youth. However, never once did she forsake her sexuality or the need for a person to have fun. The album cohesively contains it all: The feel-good tracks (“Escapade,” “Alright”), the socio-political songs (“State of the World,” “Living in A World,” “The Knowledge”) and what Janet album would be complete without her sexy songs (“Waiting For Tonight”).

The Stats and Legacy

Rhythm Nation proved to be a global smash, reaching the top five, or top 10 of many worldwide charts. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 in America and stayed there for four weeks. It also reached No. 1 in Australia, the top five in Canada and the UK, and the top 10 in Japan and New Zealand. All seven of the released singles charted in all of the major markets of the world with the massive success in Japan, Australia, and the UK. But it was in America that the singles had their greatest successes. All seven reached the top five of the Billboard charts, with the lowest charting song, “Alright” charting at No. 4. Four of the singles reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts: “Miss You Much,” “Escapade,” “Black Cat,” and “Love Will Never Do (Without You).” The album proved to be a global with sales surpassing 17 million copies worldwide, according to the RIAA.

The Rhythm Nation tour was a trek for nine months that made stops in North America, Europe, and Asia and is still the highest grossing debut tour of all time. The Telegram and Gazette reported that over 2 million patrons attended the tour with many of the dates becoming instant sell outs. No artist has yet to beat her touring record. It was the only tour from a female artist in 1990 that made the top 10 of Pollstar’s touring numbers, eclipsing her rival Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour.  When numbers are adjusted for inflation, there is still no debut tour that has toppled Rhythm Nation from this long-standing record.

Rhythm Nation stands the test of time. Without Rhythm Nation and what has come forth from it—the songs, videos, choreography, tour—many of today’s artist wouldn’t have anything to inspire them. Watch any music video from male and female artist and you will see how they incorporate moves, rhythms, and even themes into their work that Janet mastered decades before, and in most cases—better. So the next time you want to know why Janet is so lauded, listen to the Rhythm Nation album and find out. Tune into her videos. Watch the precise choreography that she and her dancers expertly execute.

The post The Business of Entertainment: Reflecting on Janet Jackson and Rhythm Nation’s 30 Years appeared first on Black Enterprise.

The year was 1989. Janet Jackson, the youngest member of the multi-platinum selling, globally known, Jackson tribe, was on her way to attaining the legendary status of her brother, and releasing her now-classic fourth album Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. It was a year ripe with many other albums that would go on to become classics. Madonna’s Like A Prayer album was burning up the charts alongside the likes of George Michael’s Faith, Bobby Brown’s Don’t Be Cruel, Milli Vanilli’s All or Nothing (pre lip-sync scandal), Soul II Soul’s Keep on Moving, and Prince’s contributions to the soundtrack of Tim Burton’s Batman film, among others. But in August of 1989, a month before Rhythm Nation was released, Janet released the lead single to the album, “Miss You Much.” The track quickly ascended the charts, becoming her second No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and sitting at the throne for four weeks—longer than any other single that year. The song also has the distinction of being the second-biggest selling song of 1989. 

In Brooklyn, during 1989, I was a very precocious boy. Though, still a child at the time, I lived and breathed pop culture in all of it 80’s loveliness. I watched the teenagers in my neighborhood dance in the streets to Janet’s music, doing their best to mimic her precise movements; often falling far short of her grace. Nonetheless, there we were, black and brown boys and girls, men and women, dancing to “Miss Jackson, if ya nasty.” We spent so many days trying to emulate her dance moves, and nearly breaking our teeth in the process. At the end of the “Miss You Much” video, when Janet calls “That’s the end?” followed by a deep and throaty collective, “No!” Janet does a chair routine, leading two other male dancers, with the ease and skills of the pro she is. We were riveted by her every move, in awe that she moved as well as Michael; possessing an energy, conviction, and fluidity that was distinctly her own.

The Background

Janet’s “Miss You Much” video was the first of three songs that made up the Rhythm Nation long-form video. The other two were “The Knowledge” and another of Janet’s classic songs and videos, “Rhythm Nation,” the single. With this album, Janet continued to prove to her naysayers— the critics and some of her jealous and insecure rivals who insisted she was a studio star and didn’t have the talents of her brother— they were wrong and that she was a bona fide star here to stay.

Rhythm Nation proved to be an excellent follow up to her breakthrough album, Control. Control is a black “womanist” manifesto that not only put Janet on the map, but it also gave young black women an assertive voice in music that many of Janet’s peers—Anita Baker, Sade, Whitney Houston, to name a few—weren’t doing at the time. She was a tough-talking, streetwise sistah who wasn’t asking for respect from men, she was demanding it. It was early in her career as a songwriter, but the elements of who Janet was showed through perfectly. 

In Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits (2002), Jimmy Jam explained that the label desperately wanted a Control II. They wanted Janet, Jimmy, and Terry (the creative hive mind) to repeat the same concept a second time while also throwing in some salacious gossip about her family. Jackson vehemently opposed the idea of a direct sequel to Control, stating in a Jet magazine interview in 1989: “That’s what I didn’t want to do. I wanted to do something that I really believed in and that I really felt strong about.” And that’s exactly what she did.

Rhythm Nation took on a slightly different narrative. It was Janet still taking control, but it was her way of also talking about things prevalent at the time like drugs, crime, and violence in the inner city that deeply affected young black and brown youth. However, never once did she forsake her sexuality or the need for a person to have fun. The album cohesively contains it all: The feel-good tracks (“Escapade,” “Alright”), the socio-political songs (“State of the World,” “Living in A World,” “The Knowledge”) and what Janet album would be complete without her sexy songs (“Waiting For Tonight”).

The Stats and Legacy

Rhythm Nation proved to be a global smash, reaching the top five, or top 10 of many worldwide charts. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 in America and stayed there for four weeks. It also reached No. 1 in Australia, the top five in Canada and the UK, and the top 10 in Japan and New Zealand. All seven of the released singles charted in all of the major markets of the world with the massive success in Japan, Australia, and the UK. But it was in America that the singles had their greatest successes. All seven reached the top five of the Billboard charts, with the lowest charting song, “Alright” charting at No. 4. Four of the singles reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts: “Miss You Much,” “Escapade,” “Black Cat,” and “Love Will Never Do (Without You).”

The Rhythm Nation tour was a trek for nine months that made stops in North America, Europe, and Asia and is still the highest grossing debut tour of all time. The Telegram and Gazette reported that over 2 million patrons attended the tour with many of the dates becoming instant sell outs. No artist has yet to beat her touring record. It was the only tour from a female artist in 1990 that made the top 10 of Pollstars touring numbers, eclipsing her rival Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour.  When numbers are adjusted for inflation, there is still no debut tour that has toppled Rhythm Nation from this long-standing record

Rhythm Nation stands the test of time. Without Rhythm Nation and what has come forth from it—the songs, videos, choreography, tour—many of today’s artist wouldn’t have anything to inspire them. Watch any music video from male and female artist and you will see how they incorporate moves, rhythms, and even themes into their work that Janet mastered decades before, and in most cases—better. So the next time you want to know why Janet is so lauded, listen to the Rhythm Nation album and find out. Tune into her videos. Watch the precise choreography that she and her dancers expertly execute.

The post The Business of Entertainment: Reflecting on Janet Jackson and ‘Rhythm Nation”s 30 Years appeared first on Black Enterprise.