The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul and the Capri Theater present Margaret Byrne’s acclaimed documentary Raising Bertie, followed by a discussion led by Robin P. Hickman. The screening begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 5 at the Capri Theater, 2027 West Broadway. Tickets to the First Thursday Films series are $5 each; purchase in advance at mspfilm.org or at the door the night of the show.
Set in Bertie County, a rural African American-led community in Eastern North Carolina, Margaret Byrne’s Raising Bertie follows the lives of three boys – Reginald “Junior” Askew, David “Bud” Perry, and Davonte “Dada” Harrell – over the course of six years as they come of age. This powerful vérité film weaves the young men’s stories together as they try to define their identities, interconnecting narratives of family, youthful innocence, first love, systemic racism, educational inequity, poverty and unemployment, and the will to succeed in the face of formidable odds.
Each First Thursday Films screening at the Capri is followed by a passionate discussion of the movie. For Raising Bertie, we are proud to present Robin P. Hickman, the CEO and Executive Producer of SoulTouch Productions, a television and film production, youth mentorship and media consulting company, with a mission to make meaningful media and produce powerful social impact experiences. The business of SoulTouch, and Robin’s personal commitment, is to plant seeds of hope in young people and present “Visions of Possibilities.” Robin is a native of, and resides in, St. Paul. She graduated from St. Paul Central High School and received a B.A. in Communications from Howard University, Washington, D.C. Her post-film conversation is bound to provoke thought and raise awareness.
More info: thecapritheater.org, mspfilm.org.