Francesca Andre is our profile filmmaker for this week. Francesca has created a wonderful commentary with her film Charcoal. Francesca is also a photographer and producer with a masters in film and television from Sacred Heart University.
Francesca‘s award winning short film, Charcoal has been screened at several US and International film festivals and reviewed by The New York Daily News, Essence Magazine, Think Progress, Shadow and ACT, the Daily Voice, Ebony Magazine and Connecticut Post to name a few. The film captures the stories of two black women, as they embark on a lifelong journey to overcome internalized colorism, find self-acceptance, and ultimately redemption.
Synopsis
Charcoal captures the parallel stories of two black women and their lifelong journey to overcome internalized colorism, find self-acceptance and ultimately redemption. Despite the vast distances between them, these women both face a barrage of social messages from strangers and loved ones alike: That their darker complexion makes them less worthy of love, acceptance or respect. Yet through this painful erosion of their self-worth, these women rediscover their power and undergo a metamorphosis. They fully embrace the beauty, versatility and dignity of their melanin and begin to disrupt the generational cycle of self-hatred within communities of color.
Francesca Andre is a filmmaker, photographer and producer with a masters in film and television from Sacred Heart University. Her career began in front of the camera as a commercial print model with ads in USA Today, Eyecare Business, Hype Hair Magazine, Essence, BET, Wix, WWE, Mercedes Benz, and Time magazine to name a few. She is now the co-founder, creative director and producer at Optik 21, a photo and video company. Her photography work has circulated in publications such as the New York Post, New York Daily News, News Day, Connecticut Post, Daily Mail, Ellements Magazine, Fairfield Living Magazine, Westport Magazine, Sheen Magazine, Afropunk, Global Voices, Heed magazine and Stamford Advocate to name a few
Charcoal in the news
Connecticut Magazine 40 under 40
Essence Magazine
Ebony Magazine
New York Daily News
Think Progress
In Conversation with Michael Oblowitz Director of Confidential Informant
Confidential Informant stars Mel Gibson, Dominic Purcell, and Kate Bosworth
