6:30pm, FRIDAY, 9/23 — Opening Night Short Films BUY TICKETS
THIS WAS MY SON is the true story of the American Civil Rights icon, Mamie Till (mother of Emmett Till), and the tragedy that inspired her to spend her life battling social injustice and racial prejudice.
Mamie Till recounts the heart rending part she played in identifying the body of her only son, Emmett Till, after he had been lynched for whistling at a white woman in Money, Mississippi in 1955. She speaks to the thought process behind the choices she made that helped ignite and then fuel the Civil Rights movement in America. Mamie would go on to spend the rest of her life championing the cause and continuing to tell her cautionary tale of the effects of racial hatred and bigotry.
Director: Rob Underhill
Rob Underhill is a film and TV director, producer, writer and editor. His films have been in competition at over 200 film festivals worldwide, including ST. LOUIS and SEATTLE (both *Academy Award-qualifying* film festivals), OAXACA (Mexico), SUNSCREEN (Academy-sponsored) and CANNES (France), have received over 100 awards including for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and have scored rave reviews from top film critics like Mark Bell of FILM THREAT and Anne Brodie in CRITICIZE THIS! Featured on the National Public Radio shows, THE STATE OF THINGS with Frank Stasio and THE STORY with Dick Gordon, Rob’s work is regularly subject in newspapers, radio, TV-news and more. His work has received endorsements from major public figures such as US UN Ambassador Andrew Young, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and former North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue. Carolina STYLE Magazine recognized Rob as one of 25 “Most Stylish People” influencing positive change in the Carolinas through his films. He is a RAWards Indie Art Award recipient for Best Regional Filmmaker. He was the featured Speaker at the 2015 graduation commencement exercises for the Department of English at North Carolina State University. His work has aired on the ASPiRE network and other national US and European TV outlets.