The Michael B. Jordan led ‘Fruitvale Station’ and ‘Just Mercy’ will begin the inaugural Social Justice Now Film Festival on October 21. The film festival or SJNFF runs for four days from that initial date until October 25, 2020.
Both Michael B. Jordan films were critical successes, the first coming early in Jordan’s rise to stardom, while the latter is a more recent feature film. The two films work well in showcasing true injustices faced in the 2oth century with Walter “Johnny D.” McMillian(Jamie Foxx) and as recent as New Year’s 2009 with Oscar Grant(Jordan).
The festival and program was created by the LA-based Film Life Foundation led by Jeff and Nicole Friday. In a statement on their website the goal is “to rally a coalition committed to amplifying the voices of the marginalized and creating real and lasting, social and political change.” Besides the screenings, there will be a panel and lengthy conversation about each film.
In addition to its founders, Sony Pictures is credited as founding sponsor for the event, which will be held at Paramount’s Drive-In Theater, which is sponsored by Amazon Studios. Co-ambassadors of this year’s festival will be actor Michael B. Jordan and co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Opal Tometi. Either way, there are large sponsors involved at this inaugural festival.
With the announcement of the Michael B. Jordan films, the festival also announced their entire 2020 slate. The selections are described as a “noncompetitive showcase of narrative feature films, documentaries, shorts and new media that highlight the themes of social justice, and explore issues of racial injustice, implicit bias, Black identity and human rights.”
The entire selection is filled with films that support the founding principles of the festival. For more information about SJNFF click here.
The inaugural Social Justice Now Film Festival runs from October 21- October 25.
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