How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company…'s Film Bio
Website
mvpmovie.com
Influences
Melvin Van Peebles, indie film, blaxploitation, hip-hop, Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Poets, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, The Watermelon Man, Story of a Three-Day Pass, Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, Don't Play Us Cheap, Brer Soul, Rated X by an All-White Jury, Aristide Bruant, Hara Kiri magazine, Mario Van Peebles, Spike Lee, Gordon Parks, John Singleton, Warrington Hudlin, Reginald Hudlin, Bill Duke, Charles Burnett
Directors
Joe Angio
Awards
Biografilm Festival (Bologna): Lancia (jury) & Audience Awards, June 2006
Festival Internacional de Cine Las Garzas (Panama City, Panama): Best Documentary Feature, September 2006
Festivals
Full Frame Documentary Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Pan-African Film Festival, Biografilm (Bologna) Festival, San Francisco Black Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Cine Las Garzas (Panama) Film Festival, Atlantic Film Festival (Halifax), Sheffield (U.K.) International Documentary Festival, Bahamas International Film Festival
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company…'s Interests
Part icon, part iconoclast, MELVIN VAN PEEBLES is a filmmaker with a history that's as fascinating as any of his motion pictures. This award-winning documentary (full of rare archival footage and unforgettable backstage stories from Spike Lee, Mario Van Peebles, Gil Scott-Heron and others) is a carefully crafted tale of how a young black kid from Chicago ended up making one of the most controversial movies in American history, "Sweet Sweetback..s Baadasssss Song," the film that sparked the Blaxploitation era in Hollywood. But the story hardly ends there. Director Joe Angio playfully traces Van Peebles's path from atom-bomb-ferrying Air Force pilot to French novelist to proto-rap singer to Wall Street options trader...a remarkable, rollicking journey that helps to explain where Sweet Sweetback actually got his song.
"A genuinely inspiring portrait of a man who has steadfastly refused to acknowledge or respect boundaries, whether of race, nationality, language, talent, age or anything else..." -Andrew O'Hehir, SALON
"Superb..a fascinating historical document"
-A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES
Who I'd like to meet: Other filmmakers, both documentary and narrative. Anyone with an interest in Melvin Van Peebles, indie films, blaxploitation films, black history, hip-hop, rap, the Black Panther Party, black theater, Wall Street, Hara Kiri magazine, Aristide Bruant, black expatriates in Paris or anyone who wants to know about this fascinating American Renaissance Man.
Hey! How's it going? It's getting hot outside and it's time for indie films.
This month I'm promoting this Indie Film - "Gentleman's Choice - The Chris Adams Story" - a hard hitting documentary on the tragic death of a sports entertainer.
Watch it online ($5) or buy the DVD at http://gentleman.eyesoda.comGentleman's Choice: The Chris Adams Story Trailer
Hey, How’s it going? Please enjoy our latest music video called “Live Like Forever” by Kris Keyes Promizeland and our latest Sketch comedy skit “Chevy Wong Fake News” Please post to your site if you like them. Live Like Forever music Video
Hello Dear New Friend, Greetings from Brazil! Thanks for add. Its my pleasure to be your friend! Cool Site! Conratulations! Have a great day! All the Best, Kisses and Hugs(Brazilian Way)
ORDER NOW at http://www. one-wayproductions. com/ or call customer service toll free at 888-418-8637 Mon - Fri between 10am - 5pm (CST) & select option #2 (accepting debit/credit cards/checks/money orders)
We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors!!!
In case you're interested:
The 12TH ANNUAL URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL IS NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS!
Urbanworld Film Festival is the leading showcase for urban, ethnic,and multicultural cinema. Over the past 11 years, the festival has presented over 600 features, shorts and documentaries, with attendance reaching 15,000+. Urbanworld is one of the world's largest competitive film festivals to redefine and enhance the roles of multicultural constituents in contemporary cinema.
The NYC based fest runs from September 10-14, 2008. PRIZES AWARDED TO FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: narrative feature, narrative short, documentary feature, documentary short, and screenplay. Please visit us NOW at
www. urbanworld. org OR www. withoutabox. com to submit your film.
Thanks for the connection!! You've been a true inspiration through your life achievements and proven to cut through many obstacles. I hope sometime in the near future, to work with the MVP crew. Stay thorough in your endeavors, as always.
Just wanted to say thanks for the add and the history. I've got you in my tops. Mr. Van Peebles is defintely one of my true heroes and undoubtedly one of the most conscious persons I've ever had the chance to experience in film, interviews, and music. I'm an aspiring documentary maker and song writer myself. I just need to muster up the courage to actually do it. This page and Mr. Van Peebles influence will help me do that one day, i'm sure. Peace H
Filmmaker and Unconventional Films’ co-owner, Vernon Mortensen, claims Melvin Van Peebles as on of his biggest influences. It is a pleasure for him to support this movie!
