Images & Ideas: Celebrating 30 Years of Film at Hayti

Hayti Heritage Film Festival is partnering with Lauren E. Banks’ Visionary Village to do a one-of-a-kind cinema pop-up titled Images & Ideas: Celebrating 30 Years of Film at Hayti. This will be a jam packed weekend filled with artists, workshops, panel discussions and, of course, film! Lauren E. Banks is a Durham native and will curate two days of cultural celebration and excitement. She returns home as an accomplished storyteller in Hollywood, most known for starring in City On A Hill (Showtime) and Lawmen: Bass Reeves (Paramount+).

Saturday March 15th - Actor's Workshop

The Actor's Workshop is an acting class led by acclaimed actor, Lauren E. Banks, most known for her roles in Lawmen: Bass Reeves (Paramount+) and City On A Hill (Showtime). Banks is an alumna of Howard University and holds a Master in Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama. She is also a Ron Van Lieu Teaching Fellowship recipient with nearly 15 years of teaching experience and a deep passion for arts education.

Morning Session

10am - 1pm for Students (6th - 12th grade) (Admission Free}

1:15pm - 2pm Aspiring Artists Panel Discussion

Evening Session

4pm - 7pm for Adults

Sunday March 16th - Hayti Heritage Film Festival Popup: Cinema Sundaze

Join us on Sunday for Cinema Sundaze, a day of original film screenings Hosted by Cynthia Okeke

1pm - 2pm

"NOELLE MERCY" - Lauren E. Banks

After 16 years of being missing, twenty-six year old Noelle Mercy finally escapes her sex-trafficker, only to discover the world she once knew has moved on without her. Questioning her reason to live, Noelle unexpectedly finds a new purpose.

Talkback: “Creating Your Own Work” Q&A with star/director Lauren E. Banks

2:15pm - 4pm

"FREIGHT" - Howard Craft, Writer

Five versions of an everyman who travels through time in different incarnations, including a 19th-century minstrel, a faith healer, an FBI informant, a struggling actor and an out-of-work mortgage broker. In each life, Abel is guided, distracted, helped or hindered by a handful of characters with whom his destiny is forever intertwined

Talkback: “Mixed Mediums” A Q&A with writer Howard Craft

5pm - 7pm

"THE RHTHYM & THE BLUES" - Leon

A tale of passion, struggle, and the enduring power of music in an ever-changing world, The Rhythm and The Blues is the true-life story of legendary bluesman Eddie Taylor and his fight for recognition against obscurity, industry corruption, and the British Invasion’s cultural appropriation. Portrayed by actor and musician Leon, Taylor’s battles extend to his family, where an ambitious young wife and idolizing stepson complicate his quest for musical respect

Talkback: “Sustaining a Career” Q&A with star **Leon** and Darryl Pitts, Director

VIP Reception

Meet & Greet 7pm - 8pm in Hayti Lobby

[Admission with purchase of Screening Ticket]

Music by DJ TKO

(Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery)