Indiana State Rep. Vernon Smith, founder and board president for the African American Achievers, beams with pride about Gary native-turned-Hollywood film star William L. Johnson.
For 14 years, African American Achievers Youth Corps, Inc. has partnered with other local groups to sponsor the first film festival dedicated to Johnson and hosted by the actor who is a graduate of Emerson Visual and Performing Arts High School and has held starring roles in many theatrically released projects.
The 14th Annual Black Film Festival this weekend features three days of independent film screenings and events at the Glen Theatre, 20 West Ridge Road in Gary. The 2025 festival includes genres of comedy, crime, drama, romance and thrillers, each with a specific Black-infused theme.
The festival begins Friday, continues Saturday, and ends on Sunday. The festival opens Friday evening with a 6:30 p.m. reception. Tickets are sold in advance for $20 and available for $25 at the door. Saturday tickets sell for $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
The finale event on Sunday, Feb. 23 requires a special ticket at the door for $10 or free for attendees who purchased tickets for Friday and Saturday events.
Advance tickets are available from all co-sponsors and also at Beautiful Things boutique, 4335 Broadway Ave. or call 219-985-8256 or visit filmfreeway.com/BillJohnsonBlackFilmFestival.
The line-up for each day:
6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 following the reception a screening of “Unfailing Love” as the feature and short film subjects “Black History Man 2,” “The Visitor,” “ Rock Island Prison 1864,” “The Strauss Sneeze Sonata” and “Les Audis-Act II-Henry’s.”
7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 starts with the feature film “Secrets 2” and shorts “Write this,” “Bad Day: Good Man Gone Bad,” “Echoes Unheard,” “The Knowing,“ “Break Free” and “Crown.”
4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 is a film finale with three featured full movies: “My Private Line to God,” “Box Brown: A Box Marked Freedom” and “The Solution.”
Co-sponsors of the film festival include Brother’s Keeper; Red Roses-Red Hatters Chapter; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority-Gamma Psi Omega Chapter and Sigma Phi Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Omega Psi Phi-AKK Chapter; Froebel Alumni Park Committee; Gary Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Froebel Alumni Park Committee; Nat’l Hook Up of Black Women and African American Achievers Youth Corp., Inc.
For more info visit GLENTHEATER.WIXSITE.COM/BILLHOHNSONFILM or call 219-887-2046.
Play time
Angie and Paul Lowe, of L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group, are completing their 20th year at Great Oaks in Cedar Lake after the couple’s 38 years directing at Lake Central High School.
This weekend the Lowes are presenting three small one-act comedy stage gems, each of which the couple describes as “a little masterpiece unto itself.”
The three works are “Boaz,” “You Can’t Trust the Male” and “Unbeatable Harold,” all unique “love works” as described by Angie Lowe.
“Originally scheduled for Valentine’s weekend, we had to postpone due to illness and the extreme cold,” she said.
“Now we’ve rescheduled for two shows only this weekend.”
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 and Sunday Feb. 23. The usual dinner option is not available for this rescheduled run.
Call 219-986-8774 to make reservations. Payment is by cash or personal check only.
“These are very special one acts for us because they were all written by one of our graduates, 1978 Lake Central grad Randy Noonjin, who climbed to fame with his one-man shows about Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and John Lennon,” Angie said.
“We’re hoping all Randy Noojin fans will come to see his work and enjoy three little quirky comedies.”
Tickets are $30 for adults, $28 for seniors with an additional $3 off for those who have come to see Randy perform any of his three one-man shows previously at Great Oaks. To receive the $2 off, patrons must bring their program from the past shows.
The three weekend stage stories are very different. “Boaz” is a staged reading performed by 1980 Lake Central grad Tim Peyton and it will include Paul Lowe himself in his stage debut. Linda Slankard and Angie Lowe both have stage cameos in “Boaz.”
“You Can’t Trust the Male” is performed by 1979 Lake Central grad Mark Mysliwiec with Amy Bannister.
“Both Peyton and Mysliwiec were two of Randy’s high school theatre classmates,” Angie said.
“That makes these even more special for us.”
“Unbeatable Harold” is the third selection and is performed by husband and wife Tommy and Shannon Knoerzer.
“These will very likely be our final actual play productions at Great Oaks,” Angie said.
“But we made it to 20 years of dinner theatre in this space. We do plan to do one more musical revue though, possibly in April, depending on dates available.”
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com.
