Stanley Nelson to Receive Full Frame Tribute

This year's Full Frame Documentary Festival will honor Stanley Nelson with the annual Full Frame Tribute for his contribution to documentary form through films like A Place of Our Own and Freedom Riders, as well as his work to support emerging documentarians through Firelight Media's Producers' Lab.
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Live Screening Event for "More Than A Month" - January 28

MORE THAN A MONTH
Join Us for a Special Screening of this Provocative New Film!
Saturday, January 28 @ 4 PM
Schomburg Center: Harlem, USA
with Producer/Director Shukree Hassan Tilghman and other special guests!

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Freedom Riders Editors Lewis Erskine and Aljernon Tunsil Nominated for 2012 ACE Eddie Awards!

Congrats to Firelight Films' beloved and talented editors Lewis Erskine and Aljernon Tunsil for their nomination for the 62nd Annual American Cinema Editors (ACE) Eddie Awards in the category of "Best Edited Documentary" for the film Freedom Riders. Winners will be revealed during ACE’s black-tie awards ceremony on Saturday, February 18, 2012 in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Click here for more information.

Philanthropy News Digest Profiles Freedom Riders Community Engagement Efforts

Earlier this month, Philanthropy News Digest's blog PhilanTopic featured an article on the community engagement campaigns for the award-winning film Freedom Riders entitled "'Freedom Riders': Lessons for a New Generation." Written by contributor Kathryn Pyle, the article included an interview with Firelight's community engagement specialist, Sonya Childress. Firelight Media launched a community engagement campaign for the film to highlight lessons from the Rides, draw parallels between the struggles of the 1960s and today, and support youth-led action around current issues. Read more

FREEDOM RIDERS SCREENING BY TONATIERRA IN PHOENIX - JAN 26

FREE Screening and discussion of Freedom Riders organized by Tonatierra in Phoenix, Arizona.

Thursday January 26, 2012, 6-8 PM
North High School Auditorium - 1101 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix
For more information: Tel: (602) 254-5230 Email: tonal@tonatierra.org or go to: TONATIERRA Facebook Page. Click here to check out their flyer.

TONATIERRA
NAHUACALLI – A Cultural Embassy of the Indigenous Peoples supporting local-global holistic indigenous community development initiatives in accord with the principle of Community Ecology and Self Determination.

Congrats to Filmmaker Christine Turner!

Congrats to Christine Turner whose film HOMEGOINGS was one of 10 films chosen to receive grants from the Tribeca Film Institute! Christine participates in Firelight Media's Producers' Lab. Great News Christine! Click here to read the article.

A Word of Thanks from Stanley Nelson

Click here to check out this note of gratitude from our Executive Director, Stanley Nelson. It includes a 2011 Year-in-Review for Firelight.

Freedom Riders Makes New York Times' Top Ten List for 2011

Click here to view today's New York Times article which includes Freedom Riders in critic Mike Hale's top 10 television picks for 2011. Hale wrote: "This beautifully constructed 'American Experience' film revisited the 1961 Freedom Rides, telling stories of ugly violence and unbelievable courage."

The Freedom Rides Aren't Over

1961 Freedom Riders Reverend C.T. Vivian and Catherine Burks-Brooks returned to Montgomery, Alabama this weekend to join the fight to repeal Alabama's tough immigration laws. Read the full article here. To learn more about the 1961 Freedom Rides, check out the award-winning documentary Freedom Riders. To learn more about the battles over immigration, check out the three-part Firelight documentary series: Immigration: Beyond the Headlines. Click here to go to our "Watch Films" page.

FREEDOM RIDERS - December 2011 Events

Check out these December 2011 screening events for Freedom Riders.

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Stanley Nelson in Ecuador

Check out the YouTube video press release below about acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Nelson's recent tour to Quito and Guayaquil in Ecuador. Nelson was part of the American Documentary Showcase where he met with filmmakers, students, and the general public to screen and discuss his latest film Freedom Riders.
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Freedom Riders Proclaim Message of Justice

In Summit, NJ, the Racial Justice Task Force of the Unitarian Church of Summit screened the film Freedom Riders with two activists from the 1961 movement, Laura and Francis Randall. They discussed their experiences fighting for desegregation and justice in the past and the need to continue that struggle today. They also noted how proud they were that they participated in the Freedom Rides. Francis stated: “On my tombstone next to my name and the date of my death I want only two words: Freedom Rider." Read the full article.

My Morocco Memories: Stanley Nelson Blogs About Screening Freedom Riders in Morocco

From September 24th to October 1st, Stanley Nelson, director of FREEDOM RIDERS, and Cherien Dabis, director of AMREEKA, traveled to Morocco as part of Film Forward to present their films and conduct filmmaking workshops. Film Forward organized this whirlwind tour to the Kingdom of Morocco where participants exhibited films, engaged audience members and exchanged information with local filmmakers and film Industry leaders. Nelson described his trip as "incredible" and wrote a blog about his experience. One attendee asked him whether blacks in the United States still needed to protest now that Barack Obama is president and whether we still need people like the Freedom Riders. Check out Nelson's response to this question and his blog by going to: http://www.sundance.org/filmforward/blog-entry/my-morocco-memories/.

The White House Screens Freedom Riders

On Wednesday, October 19, 2011, days after the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., the film FREEDOM RIDERS was screened at the White House. The screening was followed by a panel which discussed the enduring legacy of the 1961 Freedom Rides. The event was organized by the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) “Bridging Cultures through Law” film series. To learn more, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/18/legacy-1961-freedom-rides.

Tales from the Bronx - Stanley Nelson Blog October 2011

Recently I was a guest at the Cinema School as part of the Film Forward program with The Sundance Institute. The Cinema School is a New York City High School in the Bronx that focuses on film studies. It is a very new program, and at the present time teaches only narrative film, so that as a documentary filmmaker, I was a little apprehensive about my trip.

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Updates from the Producers' Lab

The Producers’ Lab has been busy! The Producers' Lab is Firelight Media's mentorship program for talented and diverse producers. Last week's FilmFeast for Firelight Labsters featured editors and producers discussing the most effective ways to work with an editor to save time and money. Participants raved about the session afterwards, calling it "productive", "insightful", "encouraging", and "super helpful".

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Civil Rights Legend Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth Dies at Age 89

The Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, one of the founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, died yesterday at the age of 89. Representative John Lewis called him the "soul and heart of the Birmingham movement" for his courage to lead a movement for racial justice and civil rights amidst horrific violence and multiple assassination attempts. Shuttlesworth also actively supported the 1961 Freedom Riders when they came to Birmingham. Shuttlesworth declared the Freedom Rides, "the greatest thing to ever happen to Alabama." For more on this icon and the Freedom Rides, go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/people/fred-shuttlesworth and definitely check out today's The Root.com article by Charles E. Cobb jr.

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United in Courage: A Community Resource Guide for the film Freedom Riders

Firelight Media's Community Action Division is pleased to announce United in Courage: A Community Resource Guide for the film FREEDOM RIDERS. United in Courage includes tips on how to work with local Freedom Riders, sample discussion questions, a glossary of organizing terms, and essays from Stanley Nelson, Marian Wright Edelman, and youth and adult community organizers. It also includes examples on the many ways the film can be a tool to educate and engage your community–especially young people–to take action on issues like immigrant rights, voter disenfranchisement, educational reform and literacy. Our goal is to share this guide with as many people and organizations as possible so that you too can incorporate the powerful story of the Freedom Riders into your work.

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Democracy in Action - FREE Study Guide for Freedom Riders!

Facing History and Ourselves and American Experience have created a new study guide to accompany the film Freedom Riders.

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FREEDOM RIDERS FULL SWEEP AT THE EMMY AWARDS!

Congrats to the Firelight Films Team!

The film Freedom Riders won the following three Emmy Awards at the Los Angeles ceremony held last night:

Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming - 2011

Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking - 2011

Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming - 2011

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Producers' Lab Makes a Splash at IFP

Three Producers' Lab participants had their projects chosen for the IFP's 2011 Project Forum. Congrats to Lisa Collins (Oscar's Comeback), Jason DaSilva (When I Walk), and Christine Turner (Homegoings)!

Photo: Lisa Collins, Christine Turner, Jason DaSilva (starting from the left)

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FREE Exhibit at the Birmingham History Center on the Freedom Riders

The Birmingham History Center will hosting a FREE traveling exhibit the month of September (Sept. 1-29, excluding Labor Day and Sunday) focusing on the Freedom Riders civil rights journeys from Washington D.C. to New Orleans in 1961. The exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of the historic rides to end segregation in interstate travel is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the PBS history channel, American Experience. It was assembled to accompany the film Freedom Riders that aired on PBS in May 2011. All museum admission is free during September.

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"Immigrant Rights Activists are Obama's Freedom Riders"

Check out the article written by our national partner, the Center for American Progress, on the links between the efforts of the Freedom Riders and those of immigrant students pressing President Obama on the DREAM Act. Below are some excerpts from the piece, entitled "Immigrant Rights Activists are Obama's Freedom Riders" written by Henry Fernandez, a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress:

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THE BROTHERHOOD/SISTER SOL SCREENS FREEDOM RIDERS IN GHANA

The Freedom Riders Community Engagement Campaign Goes to Ghana

Last month our New York City partner Brotherhood/SisterSol brought a contingent of young adults from Harlem to Ghana, West Africa for their annual International Study Program (ISP). While there they hosted a screening of FREEDOM RIDERS for over 200 students at the Vakpo Secondary Technical School. Two Brotherhood/SisterSol alumnae introduced the film: Lauren Crawford (sophomore, SUNY New Paltz) and Zora Howard (sophomore, Yale University).

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Community Spotlight: Dr. A Lenora Taitt-Mugubane

Dr. A. Lenora Taitt-Magubane is a participant in the FREEDOM RIDERS Community Engagement Campaign Speakers Bureau. She became involved in the civil rights movement while attending Spelman College where she joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. In March of 1960, she participated in a sit-in with a group of students and faculty at a performance of the musical “My Fair Lady”, held at the segregated Atlanta Municipal Auditorium. Two weeks later Dr. Magubane was arrested at a lunch counter sit-in with 77 other students and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a result, she spent 15 days in jail. In December 1961, she became one of the 11 Albany, Georgia Freedom Riders who tested interstate travel on a train from Atlanta, GA. Once again, she and her fellow Freedom Riders were arrested and spent two weeks in jail.

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What's Next at Firelight? -- Stanley Nelson Blog August 2011

What’s Next at Firelight?

Freedom Riders has proven to be a wonderful, yet never-ending, journey. While we continue roll out our Freedom Riders Community Engagement Campaign, there are few more pots brewing on the stove.

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Hard Knock Radio Hosts Discussion With Freedom Riders and Youth from Brave New Voices

Definitely check out KPFA's Hard Knock Radio's program which weaves together excerpts from the documentary Freedom Riders and comments from an inspiring discussion between 1961 Freedom Riders and Brave New Voices youth! The program will be available until August 16, 2011.

"If you don't have Freedom Riders, you are missing out on something...People were just stunned...I mean, the evilness of some people in this country, and the courage of others to take something that seemed so insurmountable and be able to make some major major headway...that's the type of story that we all need to celebrate and need to emulate and need to pass along to the generations that come after..." Radio Host Davey D

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GET ON BOARD: Stories of the Los Angeles to Houston Freedom Ride - August 9th

The Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum is hosting a special preview reception of the new exhibit:
GET ON BOARD: Stories of the Los Angeles to Houston Freedom Ride
Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Location:
Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum
4130 Overland Avenue
Culver City, CA 90230

Reception: 6:00 PM
Program: 7:00 PM

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The Rock Stars of 1961 - Stanley Nelson Blog July 2011

The Rock Stars of 1961
by Stanley Nelson

I can’t believe it. Its been more than two months since Freedom Riders aired on PBS and since the surreal appearance of over 200 original Freedom Riders on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The journey of making this film is done. The process of the film unearthing a lost history of sacrifice and triumph is still unfolding.

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Harlem Freedom Riders Screening: Wednesday, July 20

FREEDOM RIDERS SCREENING
Reel Harlem
10th Anniversary Historic Harlem Parks Film Festival
St Nicholas Park
Wednesday, July 20 @ 8:30 PM
Presented by Historic Harlem Parks

FREE!

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FREEDOM RIDERS GARNERS THREE EMMY NOMINATIONS

Congrats to the Firelight Films Team!
The film Freedom Riders has garnered the following three Emmy Award nominations:

Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming - 2011

Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking - 2011

Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming - 2011

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Congrats to Filmmaker Shukree Tilghman!

Congrats to filmmaker Shukree Hassan Tilghman! Tilghman's film More Than A Month was acquired for broadcast by the PBS series Independent Lens and will air in February 2012. More Than A Month will also be part of the ITVS Community Cinema program, an outreach initiative that promotes Independent Lens films through free public screenings in over 100 cities prior to broadcast.

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Filmmaker Yoruba Richen Receives ITVS Funding

Congrats to filmmaker Yoruba Richen! Yoruba Richen's latest documentary, The New Black, which examines homophobia in the black church, was recently awarded production funds from ITVS. She expects the film to be completed in early 2013.

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Filmmaker Ross Kauffman Represents at the Producers' Lab

Firelight Media was recently honored to have renowned director and cinematographer, Ross Kauffman, as a guest speaker for The Producer’s Lab. He spent a few hours with our team of emerging filmmakers, offering advice on the field of documentary, equipment choices, as well as insight into the progression of his career from his early days as a production assistant to directing Born into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids, winner of the 2005 Academy Award for Best Documentary.

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Freedom Rider Hank Thomas Wins 365Black Award at Essence Music Festival

At the 2011 Essence Music Festival held in New Orleans, Hank Thomas—long-time civil rights activist who was featured in the film Freedom Riders—was honored by the 8th annual 365Black Award. Reflecting on his award, Thomas says: "I see it more as an honor, celebration and recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides. For that, I am extremely proud to have been a foot soldier in the Civil Rights Movement.” To read more, click here.
Photo: Director Stanley Nelson with Freedom Rider Hank Thomas

Freedom Riders Campaign Hits The Streets

The FREEDOM RIDERS Community Engagement Campaign is Off to a Great Start!

In May, Firelight Media launched our yearlong effort to help organizations around the country use the film Freedom Riders to engage young people. These organizations are exploring the lessons of the Rides and using those lessons to inform their work on contemporary issues such as disproportionate sentencing, immigrant rights, youth violence and environmental justice. Read more

FREEDOM RIDERS is TRUTHOUT's Progressive Pick of the Week

Earlier today, Truthoutnamed Freedom Riders its "Progressive Pick of the Week" and reprinted an interview with Director Stanley Nelson originally done by American Experience. Thanks to Truthout for the shout out and your support of Firelight Films. Check out the article here: http://www.truth-out.org/ordinary-people-making-great-changes-interview-freedom-riders-director-stanley-nelson/1309189357

Freedom Rider Ben Cox Dies

Freedom Rider Benjamin Elton Cox dies at the age of 79. Cox was a member of the first wave of Freedom Riders in the 1961 challenge to Jim Crow jump-started by the Congress for Racial Equality. He is remembered as civil rights hero and crusader. Click here to read article in the Jackson Sun. Check out Lauren Prestileo's tribute to him and read his bio on American Experience's website. May he rest in peace.
Photo: Benjamin Cox
Photo Credit: Jackson Sun

Congrats to Filmmaker Carol Bash!

Congrats to filmmaker Carol Bash who just won funding from ITVS for her new film Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band. The film traces the legacy of this renowned jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who was determined to create in a world that could not see past her race or gender. Bash participates in the Firelight Media Producers' Lab. Click here to read more about her film and work. Click here to see the announcement from ITVS about its newly funded projects.
Photo: Carol Bash

Did You Miss the Live Chat with Stanley Nelson? Check out the Transcript

On Tuesday, May 17th, American Experience sponsored a live chat event with Stanley Nelson, Director of the powerful new documentary Freedom Riders.  To read a transcript of the chat, go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/about/chat

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!

Firelight Media's Freedom Riders Community Engagement Campaign
The story of the Freedom Rides offers a dramatic lesson in the revolutionary power of civic participation. The daring actions of a small diverse group of young adults emboldened a mass movement that ultimately transformed the very fabric of this country. We believe this powerful example of a successful organizing effort will inspire young people, and their adult allies, that are affected by, and mobilizing around contemporary issues such as disproportionate sentencing, immigrant rights, youth violence and environmental justice.

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RAVE REVIEWS FOR FREEDOM RIDERS

The film Freedom Riders has garnered glowing reviews in newspapers, magazines and blogs across the country. See below for a few of these features.

New York Times
"[Freedom Riders] is a story of ennobled youth and noxious hatred, of decided courage and inexplicable brutality...It is hard to imagine a feature film conveying the events with a more vivid sense of drama or suspense."
Ginia Bellafante, New York Times. Click here to read the article.

Colorlines
"In 'Freedom Riders,' Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson uses masterful storytelling and gripping interviews with key players of the era to document what would eventually become one of the civil rights movement’s major victories."
Jamiliah King, Colorlines. Click here to read the article.

Bloomberg News
"With a thriller’s pace and the emotional heft of a battlefield journal, PBS’s remarkable new documentary 'Freedom Riders' recounts the bloody anti- segregation bus rides of 1961 that helped kill Jim Crow in the Deep South."
Greg Evans, Bloomberg News. Click here to read the article.

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NEW YORK TIMES FEATURES STANLEY NELSON

Click here to check out the New York Times feature article on Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and Executive Director of Firelight Media, Stanley Nelson. Author Mike Hale calls him "An Explorer of Black History's Uncharted Terrain" and writes: "The breadth and seriousness of his work documenting black life in America, assembled with little fanfare and sometimes less money, place him in a select group of filmmakers..."

Nelson's most recent film, Freedom Riders, airs on PBS Monday, May 16th at 9 PM. Check local listings. Nelson's films can be purchased on this website. Click here to go to our shop and receive special discounts. Click here to donate to Nelson's work to support and mentor independent diverse producers in Firelight's flagship program The Producers' Lab.

Photo: Stanley Nelson
Photo credit: Chester Higgins jr./ New York Times

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT FREEDOM RIDERS

Let the filmmakers for Freedom Riders know what you think about the film! SCROLL DOWN to post your comments. We want to hear your voice!

Writer/Producer/Director: Stanley Nelson
Producer: Laurens Grant
Executive Producer: Mark Samels
Editors: Lewis Erskine & Aljernon Tunsil

LAURENS GRANT & FREEDOM RIDERS SCREENING TODAY AT AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN CINEMA

African American Women In Cinema Presents
"A Celebration of Freedom Riders Release"
Directed by: Stanley Nelson and Produced by Laurens Grant

Date:
Thursday, May 12, 2011 from 6:00pm-9:30pm
*African American Women In Cinema is very pleased to announce the celebration release of the new film Freedom Riders. This historic celebration will include a screening of the film, followed by a question & answer segment with Producer Laurens Grant and will conclude with a wine & cheese reception.

Location:
Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Center Auditorium & Labor Arts Gallery
310 W. 43rd St (near 8th Avenue), New York City

RSVP - IMPORTANT
Admission is complimentary but you must RSVP to be admitted and seating is limited! Please go to FRFilmevent@gmail.com to RSVP.
*PLEASE NOTE THE LAST DAY TO RSVP WILL BE MAY 11TH AT 12 NOON*

Hosted by: 1199 SEIU Bread & Roses Cultural Project
Co-sponsored by: "Cakeman" Raven & Tomlinson Agency

Freedom Riders Screening at National Mall - Thursday, May 12!

FREEDOM RIDERS on the National Mall!

FILM FORWARD
10 FILMS, 10 DIRECTORS, ONE NIGHT!!

For one night only, all 10 Film Forward films screen simultaneously on the National Mall, with the filmmakers and special guest presenters at each location.
Thursday, May 12, 2011 @ 6 p.m.

McGowan Theater
National Archives, Constitution Ave., N.W.
between 7th St. and 9th St.
Washington, DC

FREE admission; ticket required.

THE HOST: Sundance Institute and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services

For more info, go to https://residentassociates.org/ticketing/landing/film-forward-advancing-cultural-dialogue.aspx

Backstage with Stanley Nelson on Oprah

"I think the lesson of the Freedom Riders is that you have to take the first step and just step out there and try to make a change." - Stanley Nelson

"I would rather be dead than not free, and that is the reason I got on that bus." - Freedom Rider

On Wednesday, May 4th, 2011, The Oprah Show commemorated the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Freedom Riders movement that challenged segregation and won. Oprah reunited almost 200 Freedom Riders who had risked their lives to change America, and showcased filmmaker Stanley Nelson's bold new film that tells their story, Freedom Riders. During the opening of the show, Oprah declared: "if it were not for these American heroes, this country would be a very different place right now.The lives of millions of you watching at home would be dramatically different. I know my life would be were it not for them."

Oprah asked everyone to gather their families and tune in to the PBS broadcast of Freedom Riders on May 16, 2011.

Backstage with Stanley Nelson
Click here to see the backstage interview with award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson.

Oprah's Tribute to the Freedom Rides
Click here to view Oprah's multimedia tribute to the Freedom Riders.

Why I Got on the Bus...
Click here to hear why the Freedom Riders joined the struggle and risked their lives.

Freedom Riders and Stanley Nelson on Democracy Now!

In this episode of Democracy Now , journalist Amy Goodman interviews filmmaker Stanley Nelson and two Freedom Riders, Bernard Lafayette and Jim Zwerg, who are featured in Nelson's powerful new documentary Freedom Riders. Freedom Riders is scheduled to air on PBS' American Experience on May 16, 2011 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides.

Freedom Riders and Stanley Nelson on OPRAH May 4

Oprah Winfrey and Stanley Nelson Celebrate the 1961 Freedom Rides
Tune-In: May 4th on The Oprah Show!

Chicago, IL – Emmy award-winning filmmaker, Stanley Nelson, and nearly two hundred Freedom Riders will appear on a special episode of The Oprah Show. One week before the national PBS broadcast of the documentary Freedom Riders, which chronicles their heroic victory, Oprah Winfrey will sit down with leaders of the Freedom Riders’ movement and Stanley Nelson who is bringing their little known story into living rooms across America.

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Straight From China: Stanley Nelson Blogs About His Experience Screening FREEDOM RIDERS in Beijing

Stanley Nelson is screening FREEDOM RIDERS throughout China for two weeks. The tour is sponsored by Film Forward, an initiative of the Sundance Institute. Below is his blog entry:

I didn't know quite what to expect as the plane approached Beijing. I had been there 16 years ago but I heard the city had changed a great deal since 1996. There was no way that I could have anticipated the massive changes that have occurred. One of the first things that struck me was that there are cars everywhere and smog to go with it. Our hotel is more modern then any hotel I had seen in the States. American and European stores are all over and the people are very, very fashion conscious. When I remarked to a Chinese person about the changes they replied "Oh you must have been here when it was still 'the time of the bicycles.' "

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Community Engagement Media Conference a Success!

Firelight Media, The Open Society Institute (OSI) and the National Center for Media Engagement (NCME), held a highly successful two-day conference on March 30-31, 2011. Over 60 producers and 30 panelists and speakers attended this gathering entitled: “How to Develop Community Engagement Strategies for your Media Project.” There were in-depth workshops, stimulating and engaging panels, inspiring speakers and great interaction between panelists and producer participants.

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Stanley Nelson Speaks Up for Public Media

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FREEDOM RIDERS on PBS May 16th at 9PM

Freedom Riders, directed and produced by Stanley Nelson and presented by the acclaimed PBS series American Experience, is a two-hour documentary film about the hundreds of civil rights activists who challenged segregation in interstate transport in the American South during the spring and summer of 1961.

In 1961, during the first year of John F. Kennedy’s presidency, more than four hundred Americans participated in a bold and dangerous experiment designed to awaken the conscience of a complacent nation.

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Firelight’s Stanley Nelson Nominated for Writers Guild of America Award

Filmmaker Stanley Nelson was nominated for the 2011 Writers Guild of America Award for Documentary Screenplay for the film Freedom Riders.

Congrats Stanley!

Check out the press release: http://www.wgaeast.org/

Promised Land Screening – Jan 29!

Producers’ Lab graduate Yoruba Richen is screening her film Promised Land on Saturday, January 29th for Crucial Arts in New York. Come out and support!

Date: Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 2PM

Venue: Casa Frela Gallery in Harlem, 47 W. 119th (Between Lenox and 5th Avenues)

Ticket Donation: $10 (includes refreshments)

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