The first artist we're spotlighting this month is Angel Kristi Williams. Angel Kristi Williams is a talented and accomplished filmmaker who has significantly impacted the industry with her unique voice and perspective. Williams grew up in West Baltimore and attended Western High School. Her love for filmmaking started at a young age when her late father gave her a VHS camcorder, and her passion for visual art, photography, and experimental film has helped shape her storytelling style.
Williams' feature directorial debut, Really Love, was produced by MACRO and received critical acclaim at film festivals, including the Special Jury Recognition for Acting for co-stars Kofi Siriboe and Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing at SXSW. The film went on to play at AFI Fest's Special Presentations, where it received high praise.
In a last year's interview with Okayplayer.com, she spoke about the creation of Really Love and stated her intention to "depict two characters that audiences can become enamored with." She was motivated by the desire to evoke memories of personal experiences with love in viewers. Today, the film has become a recognized part of the canon of great Black romance films.
The city of Baltimore played an essential role in shaping her as a filmmaker and making Really Love. Williams filmed much of the movie in Baltimore and engaged the community in various ways, such as hiring local young people on set. She shot scenes at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Park Heights area, her grandmother's house, and the Baltimore School for the Arts. In a 2021 interview with Baltimore Magazine, Williams talked about her love for Baltimore's Dovecote Café, a local gathering place for the community, which served as a coffee shop in the film.
In addition to her feature film work, Williams has also directed television, including an episode of Colin in Black and White, for which she won an NAACP Image Award. She has also directed an episode of Naomi for CW and will be directing the season 2 opener of Cherish the Day for OWN.
With her unique voice and a strong commitment to storytelling, Angel Kristi Williams will continue impacting the film industry for years to come. She is a shining example of what Baltimore can produce.
If you haven't wanted Really Love and Colin in Black and White, we recommend both. Check them out on Netflix.
Follow us for info about Baltimore's great black history makers.
Instagram: @MRI.Programs | Facebook: Media Rhythm Institute | Twitter: @MRIPrograms