Category: Filmmaking

The Virginia Black Film Festival (VBFF) an Interview with Bryan G. Thompson

I had the pleasure of interviewing Bryan G. Thompson, the event coordinator for the groundbreaking Virginia Black Film Festival.  The Virginia Black Film Festival featured international and domestic filmmakers across all genres of film.  In attendance at the event was April Woodard the host of the Coast Live, Mayor Donnie Tuck, Representative Bobby Scott, renowned actor Clifton Powell, and many more notable individuals.  The Virginia Black Film Festival was a landmark event to put the Hampton Roads area on the map for filmmaking.  After such an amazing experience attending the festival, I wanted to learn more about what motivated Bryan G. Thompson to take on such an important endeavor. 

First, I had to ask how he got his start in film? 

“In 2008 I started acting in independent films, while still on active duty.  I got my first idea for a movie while deployed. When I returned, I decided to find a local filmmaker in Hampton Roads and together we collaborated on my first script.  The project was never created, but we did make a trailer.  That experience both positive and negative, motivated me to continue to pursue my goals. This led me to create my first short “Noventa” (filmed in Norfolk) and that led to a number of other successful projects.”

Next, I wanted to know what inspired him to host a film festival in Hampton Roads and who have been his biggest supporters? 

“Hampton Roads is where I began producing content.  After ten successful years running a festival in Miami, I returned to Miami for family reasons and decided to apply my skills to elevating the film community in Hampton Roads.” 

His biggest supporters have been Maverick Entertainment, who was a major sponsor for the Virginia Black Film Festival, Hampton University as a venue sponsor for the event, BET who spread the word about the festival, and Blessed Ministries for strategic and spiritual guidance. 

There were so many highlights at the Virginia Black Film Festival such as April Woodard from the Coast Live hosting the Gala, the screening of the film Kemba, and a panel discussion with the real-life Kemba Smith, but I wanted to find out what was the highlight for Bryan G. Thompson? 

“There were so many highlights, Clifton Powell, the fact that Maverick was there to make acquisitions, and the entire awards gala were excellent highlights for the event.” 

Bryan G. Thompson

Finally, I wanted to know about his plans for the future? 

“I will be continuing to produce projects that I find meaningful.” 

Recently, Bryan G. Thompson premiered his new film Clutch, which is a sequel to his film Dirt.  Clutch depicts issues regarding human trafficking and corrupt police officers.  It features a strong female character working alongside a clever detective in an action-packed thriller as they navigate a criminal underworld in their quest for justice.  The Virginia Black Film Festival was a wonderful experience, and I was so blessed to have the opportunity to meet the mind behind the event, Bryan G. Thompson.  To keep up with upcoming projects from Bryan you can follow him on Instagram @bryangthompson and Facebook Bryan Thompson.  The Virginia Black Film Festival is currently open for new submissions! 

The Virginia Black Film Festival

How a DMV Independent Filmmaker got his Film into the Oscars

June Daguiso embarked on his journey as a filmmaker over eighteen years ago and never expected that one day he’d receive three film nominations at the Oscars.  Currently, his film Saving Ana, has been nominated for Best Original Song, Best Picture, and Best Actor.  When he began making films his goal had never been to…

by Sullied Bride

Censorship: When Did R@pe become a curse word?

When did rape become a bad word?  Obviously, rape is a bad thing, but why all of a sudden are words pertaining to rape, sexual assault, and violence against women being bleeped out in the same way as an f-bomb?  People don’t want to talk about these types of issues, but now Big Tech has…

by Sullied Bride

How a DMV Independent Filmmaker got his Film into the Oscars

How a DMV Independent Filmmaker got his Film into the Oscars

June Daguiso embarked on his journey as a filmmaker over eighteen years ago and never expected that one day he’d receive three film nominations at the Oscars.  Currently, his film Saving Ana, has been nominated for Best Original Song, Best Picture, and Best Actor.  When he began making films his goal had never been to become rich or famous, but to create art.  It all started when he was teaching martial arts and one of the students asked him to do the choreography for an action film.  June played a minor role in the film and had a fight scene with the lead actor.  He discovered a love for filmmaking and took more jobs in the industry as a boom operator.  As he worked on other film sets, he started to believe that he could do a project of his own.   

When he proposed the idea of making his own movie, June faced discouragement from people who told him that he should just stick to what he was good at.  However, June was not going to allow anyone to limit what he could do now that he had found his passion in life. 

June produced his first project, Full Circle, an action film that he wrote and directed himself.  While making this project he met Frank Cisco Anderson and Charles Robinson- a 2003 Grammy winner- who worked on the soundtrack.  The music brought instant notoriety to the film as it received two Grammy nominations in music.  June continued writing, producing, and directing films and his work became well known in the DMV, (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia) area.  His second film, Collide, also received Grammy nominations in music. June refused to limit himself to action films.  He has done work in all genres from drama, to suspense, to horror, to comedy. 

His film, Saving Ana, which is currently in the running for the Oscars, is a drama about human trafficking.  This serious subject matter was a topic June had been working on for years.  The film covers issues of church hypocrisy, racism, and the family estrangement that often opens vulnerable people to being trafficked by predators.  Saving Ana won accolades in over a hundred international film festivals for Best Original Song, so June said “Why not try for the Academy?” 

Denis Walter Smith entered Saving Ana into the Oscars and the film was nominated not only for Best Original Song, but it also qualified for Best Picture and Best Actor.  June knows being qualified for three categories at the Oscars is a huge accomplishment because oftentimes it is very difficult for filmmakers to get noticed.  He is always looking to improve his work and to keep making films for the love of being creative.  June has completed his next script, The Road to Absolution.  He looks forward to filming this summer, in New York, the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia), and is even recruiting actors from Mississippi.  His journey as a filmmaker began with a simple dream.  June did not allow anyone to deter him and he was able to get his film into the Oscars with three nominations.  Now the dream lives on as June continues making more films. 

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