Fulton County District 5 Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington Jr. presents the 2023 Black History Month Film Festival Opening Reception and the Student Spoken Word and Reels Competitions. The Black History Month Film Festival in conjunction with the Fulton County Library System, Fulton County Arts & Culture, and Black Gents.

The Opening Reception will be held Friday, February 24th from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Central Library located at One Margaret Mitchell Square in downtown Atlanta. Acclaimed actor Lamman Rucker is scheduled to serve as the guest emcee. This premier event will kick off the 2023 Black History Month Film Festival scheduled for Saturday, February 25th at libraries across Fulton County.

The Opening Reception will feature a screening of ‘Bo Legs: Marvin Arrington, Sr., An Atlanta Story’. The film highlights how Mr. Arrington helped to transform the city of his birth from a segregated, provincial town into the international metropolis that it is today.

The remaining films will be screened from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 25th at the following libraries:

Adams Park – Big Mama, Codeswitching

Adamsville – Driving While Black, King Richard

Alpharetta – Fences, Codeswitching

Cleveland - Big Mama, Codeswitching

College Park - Big Mama, Codeswitching

East Roswell - Big Mama, Codeswitching

Fairburn - Big Mama, Codeswitching

Hapeville – Big Mama, Fences

Kirkwood – Driving While Black, Codeswitching

Mechanicsville - Big Mama, Codeswitching

Northwest – Is that Black Enough For You?, Big Mama

Ponce – Driving While Black, Big Mama

Wolf Creek – King Richard, Codeswitching

During the Opening Reception, awards will be presented to the student winners of the Spoken Word and Reels Competitions. This year’s topic is ‘Why My Unsung Hero Should Be Celebrated During Black History Month’.

High school students in Fulton County are invited to enter a Spoken Word or a 60-second Reel describing their unsung Black History hero who contributed to Black Progress and American History. Unsung heroes cannot include renowned historical figures like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and others.

All submissions are due by Friday, February 17th and all winners will be announced at the Opening Reception on February 24th.

Although the film festival is free, seating is limited. Guests must RSVP for the Opening Reception. Those seeking more information on this event can reach the office of District 5 Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington Jr. at 2023bhff.eventbrite.com or www.FultonCommission5.com.

The event can be shared on social media via the hashtag #2023BHFF.