N.C. Black Film Festival features work of A&T Theatre Arts Alumna
Special to the Peacemaker / May 19, 2023
Lorey Hayes
The Dragonfly Tale is based on the full-length multi-award-winning theatrical play by Hayes and Bobby Crear. The play and film are inspired by true events in the life of co-writer, Crear and it recently took home 2 of 4 Awards at the Las Vegas Black Film Festival. (Best Narrative & Rising Star for 9-year-old lead actor, Bentley Lewis – also nominated for Best Director and Best Ensemble). The film has also been selected for festivals around the globe: including Toronto, Canada.
Dragonfly Tale stars: Shawn Woodward, Garret Davis, Aaron Keith Braxton, Lorey Hayes and introducing Bentley Lewis. It is produced by Hayes, Pat Battistini of Hoosier Daddy Films, Ed Jones, Lynne Conner and Bobby Crear.
The Dragonfly Tale screens Saturday, May 20th at 1 p.m. in the 12 p.m. Film Block at Channel powered by Live Oak Bank (on Screen 2), downtown Wilmington, at 106 Market Street, Suite 200, Wilmington, N.C. 28401.
The film takes place in 1964 Hereford, Texas. 9-year-old June Bug Brown is determined to save his family; by killing his Daddy. When a Dragonfly takes June Bug’s worries to heaven, his destiny is forever changed.
Lorey Hayes is an award-winning Actress, writer, director, and former talk show host who has worked with such notables as Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Isiah Washington, Viola Davis and many more. She is also a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Speech and Theatre Arts. Dignity, a film Hayes stars in, written and directed by Pat Battistini, is the catalyst for The Dragonfly Tale and is still winning awards around the globe. For more on the film, visit: www.dragonflytalefilm.com.
The festival’s opening reception, known as the Cinemixer, will present the legendary Pam Grier with the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to a meet-and-greet for sponsors and VIP guests, there will be a public Q&A session with Ms. Grier prior to the screening. Following the reception, the festival commences with a screening of Foxy Brown, a film starring Pam Grier.
The North Carolina Black Film Festival in Wilmington is hosted by parent company Black Arts Alliance. Visit www.BlackArtsAlliance.org for festival information.
