The Academy Awards Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival marked its 20th year at TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood with the annual Awards Gala scheduled for Aug. 18.
HollyShorts unites top creators, industry leaders, and companies, consistently propelling filmmakers into the next stages of their careers.
Heading the HollyShorts brand new Sports category is led by NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend Metta World Peace (Metta Sandiford-Artest). Judging alongside World Peace will be Emmy Award-winning producer Jessica Badawi and NBA agent Colby Schinto.
Black Mark
HollyShorts is getting into sports. The organizers are launching a new sports narrative and documentary short films category. Part of that category was "Black Mark" the story behind what he has been battling his whole life. The film was directed and produced by Jaren Hayman.
Hayman, the director and producer of 'Black Mark,' is a testament to the power of passion and dedication. Starting his career in the music business as a drummer, touring North America, he made a bold transition to filmmaking full-time. His company, Barracuda Baby Productions, is a testament to his diverse talents, producing feature films, short films, commercials, and music videos.
Partnering with Barnes to recount the life of a talented athlete, starting from a young age marked by challenging moments, it narrates the legendary tale of an extraordinary individual.
Black Mark, which premiered at the HollyShorts Film Festival, it was the pilot episode of a docuseries that aims to showcase the Black experience through the stories of high-profile athletes. The series highlights moments of racial tension that significantly impacted them, while also propelling them to the top of their game, both professionally and personally.
The documentary tells the story of former NBA star Matt Barnes, who was the victim of a hate crime while he was a senior at Del Campo High School in Sacramento, California. The episode includes appearances by Snoop Dogg, former UCLA teammate Earl Watson, and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin.
The documentary illustrates how Barnes' personal struggles, influenced by his identity and appearance, both hindered and shaped him as a person and as a basketball player, ultimately leading to the influential media voice he is today.
Barnes played 14 seasons in the NBA after being drafted in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies as the 46th overall pick. He won an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in his last season, which was in 2017.
After retiring from the league, he continued achieving greater things as he became an entrepreneur, executive producer, and co-host of the award-winning podcast "All The Smoke" with Stephen Jackson.
Live at @HollyShorts Film Festival for the @Matt_Barnes22 screening of his documentary, Black Mark. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A that leads into a live taping of his and Steven Jackson's ALL THE SMOKE podcast@SportingTrib pic.twitter.com/ohHB0XUDwk
— Fredo Cervantes (@FredoCervantes) August 10, 2024
After the premiere screening of "Black Mark," the audience had the opportunity to hang out as Barnes filmed a live taping of "All The Smoke" podcast with Jackson and special guest, former NFL Super Bowl champion Marshawn Lynch.