AARON WOOLFOLK
With his first film, the short Rage!, Aaron Woolfolk won a Directors Guild of America award. His short films Eki
and Kuroi Hitsuji won several awards, screened in international film festivals, and played on cable television.
Woolfolk was the recipient of an ABC Talent Development Grant, and was later a Walt Disney Studios/ABC
Entertainment Writing Fellow. With his feature debut The Harimaya Bridge, which he wrote and directed,
Aaron became the first African American to make a
feature film in Japan, and one of the few non-Asians to
direct a movie in the Japanese entertainment industry.
The San Francisco Examiner named it "one of the best
films of the year," while The Los Angeles Times called it
"powerful" and "a unique, complex, consciousness-raising
accomplishment." In addition to theatrical releases in Japan and the United States and several festival
appearances, The Harimaya Bridge was invited to screen at the Smithsonian Institution in Wasshington, DC.
Aaron's first play, Bronzeville, which he co-wrote, premiered in Los Angeles to a sold-out extended
engagement and was an Ovation Award nominee in the Best Playwriting for an Original Play category. The play
has since had two successful revivials, and will be produced by theater companies in both New York City and
San Francisco. Aaron recently directed and co-wrote the award-winning short film Nico's Sampaguita.
Aaron was born and raised in Oakland, California. He received degrees in both Ethnic Studies and
Rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley. After teaching English in rural Japan, he received his
M.F.A. in Film from Columbia University.
Professional Work:
Bronzeville
Play, 2009, 130 minutes (revival productions in 2011 and 2013)
Director: Ben Guillory
Writer: Tim Toyama & Aaron Woolfolk
Producer: Robey Theatre Company
Starring: Dwain A. Perry, Adenrele Ojo, Larry Powell, Jeff Manabat, Candice Afia, and CeCe Antoinette
Awards:
Ovation Award, Best Playwriting for an Original Play (nominee)
NAACP Theatre Award (nominee)
Nico's Sampaguita
Film, 2012, 18 minutes
Director: Aaron Woolfolk
Writers: Esperanza Catubig, Jenney Pauer, Aaron Woolfolk
Producer: Esperanza Catubig, Lisa Chong
Starring: Esperanza Catubig, Darion Basco, JD Charisma, Jon Jon Briones
Notable Screenings:
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Filipino American Film Festival
Columbia Gorge International Film Festival
Reel Black Men Film Festival
ONEFILAM Film Festival
Awards:
Vancouver Award
The Harimaya Bridge
Film, 2009, 120 minutes
Director: Aaron Woolfolk
Writer: Aaron Woolfolk
Producer: Ko Mori, Aaron Woolfolk
Starring: Ben Guillory, Saki Takaoka, Misa Shimizu, and Danny Glover
Notable Screenings:
Theatrical Release in Japan (nationwide) and the United States (limited)
The Smithsonian Institution
Hawaii International Film Festival -- Official Selection
Cancun Riviera Maya International Film Festival -- Opening Film
San Diego Asian Film Festival -- Official Selection
African Diaspora Film Festival -- Official Selection
Pan African Film and Arts Festival -- Official Selection
Awards:
First Time Narrative Feature Award for Directing (Pan African Film and Arts Festival)
Kuroi Hitsuji (Black Sheep)
Film, 1999, 25 minutes
Director: Aaron Woolfolk
Writer: Aaron Woolfolk
Producer: May Lyle, Yasuyuki Takagi
Starring: Jasha Godschilde, Tomoko Omori, Ai Sakamoto, Momoe Nagata
Notable Screenings:
Japan Society Film Series
Maryland Film Festival
Hollywood Black Film Festival
Acapulco Black Film Festival
Urbanworld Film Festival
Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame
Awards:
Finalist, Directors Guild of America Best Student Filmmaker Award
Finalist, HBO Short Film Competition
Special Achievement in Filmmaking Award, Columbia University
Honorable Mention, National Black Programming Consortium Prized Pieces Award
Eki (The Station)
Film, 1999, 13 minutes
Director: Aaron Woolfolk
Writer: Aaron Woolfolk
Producer: May Lyle, Yasuyuki Takagi
Starring: Jasha Godschilde, Kasumi Nishikawa, Miho Yamamoto, Siuzi Shiroshita
Notable Screenings:
Toronto International Film Festival
Pan African Film Festival
Japan Society Film Series
Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame
Rage!
Film, 1997, 11 minutes
Director: Aaron Woolfolk
Writer: Aaron Woolfolk
Producer: May Lyle
Starring: James Polk, Michael Regan, Quinn Cassavale, Eric Rudnick
Notable Screenings:
Urbanworld Film Festival
Martha's Flavor Festival
Third Annual Bay Area Multicultural Film/Video Festival
Awards:
Winner, Directors Guild of America Best Student Filmmaker Award
Best Student Film, Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame
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