The International Faith and Family Film Festival will return for the second time during MegaFest’s five-day run at the Omni Dallas Hotel from August 20-22. The film festival will feature a slate of Hollywood stars and influencers, and highlight the impact films can have through positive messages and telling relevant stories pulled from headlines. All MegaFest ticket holders can attend the film festival and reserved seat tickets for those passionate about film are available individually at Mega-Fest.com/FilmFestival.
Acclaimed television producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey will present a Morning Inspiration Session, a new feature of the film festival this year. The husband and wife team has created numerous successful television series including reality television megahit shows like “Shark Tank,” “The Voice,” and “The Apprentice,” as well as Christian programming like “The Bible” and “A.D. The Bible Continues.”
Breakout “Selma” star David Oyelowo will also make an appearance for the screening of his next film, “Captive,” which follows the true story of Brian Nichols, who escaped from the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on March 11, 2005, and held Ashley Smith as a hostage. The film is set to be released worldwide on September 18, 2015.
The International Faith and Family Film Festival will also screen poignant and timely films, including HBO’s documentary “3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets,” which chronicles the aftermath of African-American teenager Jordan Davis’ death during a confrontation and shooting at a Florida gas station on Black Friday2012. Following the screening, a panel session will discuss racial tensions, hidden racial prejudices and the role media plays in these situations. Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin; Benjamin Crump, who represents Martin’s family and the family of Michael Brown, another African-American teenager killed during a police altercation in Ferguson, Missouri; Tina Naidoo; and Dr. Nsenga Burton, a professor of communications and media studies at Goucher College and former editor of TheRoot.com, will sit on the panel.
Additionally, films from the Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase will be presented for the second year during the film festival. Embodying the core elements of the International Faith and Family Film Festival, these uniquely-themed films from across the globe, including regions like Africa, North America, Australia and the Caribbean, give life to globally diverse characters and stories to which we all can relate. Originally screened in France as a part of “Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes Diversity Day,” these films are a direct reflection of our mission to ensure the promotion and preservation of the underrepresented story at the Cannes Film Festival and beyond.
“What is exciting about these films is they allow us to celebrate creative talent while displaying the wide diversity of faith voices from around the world,” Bishop T.D. Jakes said. “I’m thrilled to not only have these films showcase a festival of talent, inspiration and excitement, but also provide a unique atmosphere for attendees to mix and mingle and learn from successful actors, producers, directors, talent agents and other insiders.”
