Raves & Reviews
The opening night of the 18th annual Black Harvest Film Festival gets two thumbs up.

The Black Harvest Film Festival premiere, held at the Gene Siskel Film Center, attracted a slew of indie film stars, but two local philanthropists shined extra brightly. Quintin and Diane Primo were bestowed with the Deloris Jordan Award for Excellence in Community Leadership, which was presented by Golden Globe winner (and last year’s recipient) Regina Taylor. The opening event, emceed by WMAQ-Channel 5’s LeeAnn Trotter, kicked off with a message from Chaz Ebert before showing the more than 200 guests a sneak peek at five short films that encapsulate the spirit of the fest. “After a long selection process, this is our favorite night of the year,” said the film center’s executive director, Jean de St. Aubin. For 18 years, the Black Harvest Film Festival has helped bring dreams to the big screen, showcasing documentaries, short and feature films from both new and established filmmakers. The festival runs through Aug. 30. The Sun-Times was the media sponsor of this event.