MARTHA ’ S VINEYARD FILM FESTIVAL
Wins HBO Max
Best Documentary at the Martha ’ s Vineyard African American Film Festival
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Incorporated ' s historic foray into filmmaking Twenty Pearls screened at the 2021 Martha ' s Vineyard African American Film Festival ( MVAAFF ) as an official selection on August 7 , 2021 . Twenty Pearls : The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Incorporated ® was among 70 films selected from more than 600 entries . On August 31 , 2021 , HBO Max announced that Twenty Pearls won the festival ' s HBO Max Best Documentary Award for 2021 !
The film ' s pre-screening fun began with Sorors from all over the country , including our very own Supreme Basileus , Soror Glenda Glover , strolling through Martha ' s Vineyards Performing Arts Center as a live DJ played the new national stroll , " Set it Off ." The buzz in the theatre was palpable as the screening represented the first time Twenty Pearls was viewed on the silver screen before a live audience given the restraints of the pandemic .
Over 300 masked and socially-distanced audience members were dispersed throughout the auditorium to watch the MVAAFF Twenty Pearls festival premiere . Following the screening , Miss Universe Ireland 2019 Soror Fionnghuala O ' Reilly moderated a riveting special conversation with Supreme Basileus Glenda Glover ( Executive Producer ), Soror Deborah Riley Draper ( Writer / Director ), and Soror Kimberly Esmond Adams ( Executive Producer ). The moderated discussion covered topics ranging from producing a film in the pandemic to the moment Supreme Basileus Glover first conceived the idea to document the legacy of our sisterhood in a film to the importance of telling our own stories .
To celebrate the film ' s HBO Max nomination and screening at the 19th Annual festival , Supreme Basileus Glenda Glover hosted a private luncheon
on behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha in historic Oak Bluffs at the Ocean View Restaurant . The luncheon chatter featured charming behind-the-scenes stories from the executive producers and director whose hard work and dedication , along with a fabulous production team during a pandemic , brought the film to life in exceptional fashion . Additionally , Award-winning actress Soror Lynn Whitfield brought greetings and congratulations . North Atlantic Regional Director Soror Mary Bentley LaMar and International Regional Director Soror Joy Elaine Daley also brought greetings and lauded the sorority ’ s filmmaking achievement . Supreme Basileus Glover emphasized the importance of Black women-centered stories and the pioneering nature of being the first Black Greek-letter organization to make such strides in filmmaking .
Twenty Pearls made history in March 2021 on Xfinity Comcast ' s Black Experience , becoming the first original film for Comcast NBCUniversal ' s newly-launched Black content hub . The film is available on-demand via Comcast Xfinity , Spectrum , Charter , and worldwide on Vimeo at www . vimeo . com / ondemand / twentypearls .
Summer 2021 I vyL eaf ® 7