Teen Film Selected for Smithsonian’s African-American Film Fest, After Winning at Chicago’s Cine Youth Festival

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Watch Welcome To the Peace House here

CHICAGO – Community TV Network is honored that its film “Welcome to the Peace House” was chosen to be included at the first-ever Smithsonian Museum’s African-American Film Festival, October 27, 1018, in Washington D.C. The film will be part of the festival called “Screening Truth to Power, Young filmmakers using the power of media to influence social action.”

“Welcome to the Peace House” was produced by 12 students (names below), from two of Chicago’s South Side high schools: Winnie Mandela and Progressive Leadership Academy – with CTVN instructor, Bill Sacco.

Sacco said he is proud of the work his students produced and was happy with the welcome they received from Peace House members. “Our aim was to highlight people who are preventing youth violence and promoting peaceful solutions.”

The film captures the I Grow Chicago Peace House, a community center dedicated to nonviolence and positivity. Throughout the film, members of Peace House express how their involvement in Peace House has helped them from going down the wrong path and how to deal with their feelings in a healthy way.

From the film: One I-Grow youth participant, (right) shares his dream with Shango Johnson (left), youth male coordinator. “I want to be a computer engineer.”

CTVN’s youth aimed to shape stories in their communities by using cameras and by telling their own story.

A CTVN youth producer working on-location at the Peace House during a session with Shango Johnson of I-Grow.

The filmmakers were also interviewed by FOX 32 in April 2017 to discuss their winning the CHICAGO A

ward given by the Chicago International Film Festival’s CineYouth Festival. For more behind the scenes photos and film stills, please see the photo album below.

CTVN youth producers accepting the Chicago Award at the 2017 CineYouth Festival in Chicago. From left to right: Angelo Ross, Sierra Blackman and Briona Barker Dawson.

CTVN youth producers accepting the Chicago Award at the 2017 CineYouth Festival in Chicago. From left to right: Angelo Ross, Sierra Blackman and Briona Barker Dawson.

Who we are

Community TV Network is a nonprofit organization that utilizes video production as an educational tool to improve the quality of life, education and opportunities to low-income Chicago youth. CTVN produces Hard Cover: Voices and Visions of Chicago’s Youth on CAN TV and has a YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgGBgmTwofU3xPQBV7Q8dNQ

To learn more about Smithsonian Museum’s first ever African-American Film Festival click here.

List of teen filmmakers

DeAndre Adams

Sierra Blackman

Kevin Blunt

Kendra Brown

Calypso Cook

Briona Barker Dawson

Emoni Dixon

Styles Jordan

Shantell McClain

Chunese Moore

Semaj Neal

Davontae Ruth

“Welcome to the Peace House” is part of a CTVN series, Peace in the Streets, funded by the Voqal Fund. Community TV Network is funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

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