For ten years, UVYFF has been New York City’s film festival produced, promoted, and presented by youth. This special event, the closing night of the 2007 Urban Visionaries Youth Film Festival, celebrates the past ten years and welcomes in the start of its second decade.The evening begins in Theater 2 with a screening of a selection of pieces and excerpts from throughout the history of the festival, representing the diversity of voices and work that make up Urban Visionaries (approx. 45 min). The awards reception immediately follows in the Main Dining Room.

2007 Honorees

Time Warner, Inc.

(Organization/Funder Award)
Time Warner provides philanthropic support for organizations that nurture and energize creativity and diversity in the arts, programs aimed at strengthening public schools and at closing the college-opportunity gap. Time Warner has played a key role in making Urban Visionaries Youth Film Festival possible for the past five years. Luis Castro, Director of Arts Development, will accept the award on the behalf of Time Warner.

Jim McKay

(Adult Artist Activist Award)
Jim McKay is a New York-based writer-director for film/television committed in his work to pushing past youth and urban stereotypes in mainstream media to achieve authentic portraits of American urban life. Recent credits: co-wrote Life Support (2007); directed an episode for HBO's The Wire (2006); directed/co-wrote Angel Rodriguez (2005); directed/co-wrote Girls Town (1996, winner Sundance Film Festival Filmmakers' Trophy and Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Collaborative Achievement).

Vanessa Bateau

(Youth Artist/Activist)
Vanessa Bateau produced her first documentary, Scrolii, as a participant at Reel Works Teen Filmmaking. "Scrolii" has since been featured in the Urban Visionaries Film Festival as well as on Listen Up! and on Uth TV. In October 2005, Vanessa became a member of the Youth Organizers Television (YO-TV) crew at EVC, which produced "Still Standing", a documentary on Hurricane Katrina survivors both in New York and in New Orleans. In October 2006, Vanessa Bateau was invited to attend the San Diego Women’s Film Festival, where her film "Scrolii" was awarded the Youth Judges Award. Vanessa is currently a part of Reel Works Teen Filmmaking's Master Class, where she is working on her fourth film about her family's Haitian background and culture. Vanessa Bateau is currently a freshman at Brooklyn College.

Jamal Hodge

(Urban Visionaries Alumnus)
Jamal Hodge has in his quarter-decade of living worked on over 14 documentaries. After working and training for 8 years at DCTV, he has gone on to start his own summer program for youth with criminal records, get hired as director of photography on two independent films (Perturbed, April Fools) as well as working on commercials projects. Recently he has branched out into directing, currently directing his first feature-length narrative The Wonderful Life Of Mr.Willams as well as an Online Black Forum Show (onthespotpro.com). He co-founded a multi-media production company (cornerthemarketmedia.com).

The Alumni Award was created in honor of the 10th Year Anniversary to acknowledge past participants of Urban Visionaries who have made significant contributions to youth media and demonstrate leadership as a role model to the incoming generation of youth filmmakers.

About the Festival

The mission of Urban Visionaries is to provide youth with a forum to raise and discuss social, economic, cultural and political issues through the exhibition of youth-produced media.

Urban Visionaries is a collaboration between youth and educators from New York City youth media organizations, including The Educational Video Center, Downtown Community TV, The Ghetto Film School, Global Action Project, Listen Up! Youth Media Network, MNN's Youth Channel, The Museum of Television & Radio, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, and T.R.U.C.E..

This event is made possible by TimeWarner, Adobe Youth Voices, Listen Up! and Tribeca Film Institute.

RSVP BY EMAIL: rsvp@listenup.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 212-725-7000