Civil Brand Comes to Chicago and New York!
After nearly sweeping The American Black Film Festival in Miami, Civil Brand moves on to Chicago to The Black Harvest Film Festival for a special screening and panel discussion this coming Saturday August 3^rd.  The BHFF will be held at The Gene Siskel Film Center at The Chicago Art Institute where our Artistic Director Reed McCants and Executive Director Neema Barnette will lead the panel discussion following the screening.  So, if you are in the Chicago area, make sure you check it out.  But wait, that’s not all, because on Friday August 9^th and 10^th New York will get its chance to see this remarkable film at the Urbanworld Film Festival. The Urbanworld Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals in the world that showcases Third World Cinema. As you may recall from past articles, LTG has had the privilege of sponsoring posters and flyers and other press material for the Festival Tour of Civil Brand.

Who Ever Heard Of Women Taking Over A Prison?
Civil Brand is a hip-hop tale of young Black women behind bars who are forced to unite against a corrupt prison system. Together they form the family unit they never had on the outside and try to do their time.  But a cruel Captain and power hungry Warden has other plans. They force the women to work under slave conditions manipulated by corporate greed.  When the abuse becomes overwhelming, the girls decide to strike back!  But the odds are stacked against them!  After all, who ever heard of women taking over a prison?  Civil Brand is a drama that explores the new trend of prisons for profit.  The film illustrates how young Black women can empower each other to create change and re-code their destiny.  The film stars Mos Def (Monsters Ball/Top Dog Under Dog) LisaRaye (Players Club) N’Bushe Wright (Blade, Dead Presidents) Da Brat, MC Lite, Monica Calhoun (The Best Man, Players Club) Lark Voorhees, (Saved By The Bell) Tichina Arnold (The Martin Show) Reed McCants (Spirit Lost, Better Off Dead) and Clifton Powell (Bones, Next Friday).

The Gang Can Help!
As we all know good urban films are seldom seen.  They are being made but the big studios are not willing to get behind them.  The audiences have been jaded as well.  We may get excited about a film but after it has been edited and diluted to fit the so called “main stream” its target audience can no longer relate to the finished product.  With African American Producers and an African American director, Civil Brand is that rare bird that has not been tampered with.  It speaks to a topic of great concern to people of color, the privatization of prisons for profit, a subject that doesn’t sit well with commercialized media.  Following The American Black Film Festival the tremendous hype on the film echoes this sentiment. Never the less, it’s up to the audience to make a change in all of our viewing options.  LTG’s web site receives thousands of hits a day so we know you’re out there folks and we need your participation.  All you have to do is come down and see the film.  If you like it, vote for it and spread the word, it’s as simple as that!  At The Urbanworld Film Festival audiences get a chance to view a vast array of feature films, shorts and documentaries which may not ordinarily receive wide exposure and the great thing is that you, the audience will get a chance to vote for the best of the best!

Civil Brand Urbanworld Screening Times
Urbanworld is one of the few film festivals that is open to the public and with regular admission prices.  Civil Brand will screen in New York City at the Urbanworld Film Festival on Friday August 9^th at 9:30pm and Saturday August 10^th at 4pm at the new Loews 34^th Street Theater, located between 8^th & 9^th Avenues.  We look forward to seeing all of LTG’s gang and friends at these screenings. Get there early because we expect a great crowd and special appearances from the cast and other celebrities at both screenings followed by a panel discussion with the producers, director and cast.

Gil Hartman
Webmaster

Be Sure To Get Your Tickets Early For Civil Brand at The Urbanworld Film Festival Because They're Selling Fast!
If you had a chance to catch Director Neema Barnette along with cast members LisaRaye and Tichina Arnold on Kiss FM's Radio talker "Open Line" this pass Sunday morning, then you'd know how excited New York City is about its upcoming premiere of the feature film "Civil Brand" at the Urban World Film Fest this coming Friday and Saturday.  LTG has been flooded with E-Mails and phone calls related to the film, so we want to make sure the Gang gets a head start at purchasing a ticket for this exclusive engagement.  Remember, there's only 2 shows scheduled and many seats are already sold, but you can get your tickets in advance by visiting the box-office early any time before the screenings to avoid the last minute rush.  LTG's publicity crew was at the Loew's 34th street Theater, located between 8^th & 9^th Avenues all day Thursday to meet and greet and were surprised to find that many of the festivals attendees knew about the film and were planning to see Civil Brand.  "I hope my hometown New York likes the movie because I made it for them, the people", says Director Barnette, who along with several cast members will be present for both screenings including a Q&A on Saturday.