Film Forum

Bridgett M. Davis is writer/director of the critically acclaimed, award-winning film NAKED ACTS. Shot in 1994, the film screened at festivals in the US, Europe, South America, and Africa, yet did not acquire theatrical distribution. Newly discovered, NAKED ACTS has received a 4K restoration and a 30th anniversary release by Milestone Films and Kino Lorber. The restored film premiered at the 2024 International Film Festival Rotterdam, and also screened at the inaugural Los Angeles Festival of Movies. Davis is currently writing the screenplay for her 2nd feature film, about the women of color who deeply influenced Jimi Hendrix throughout his last days in New York. As an author, Davis has written two novels and a memoir, The World According To Fannie Davis: My Mother’s Life In The Detroit Numbers, a New York Times Editors’ Choice, named a Best Book of 2019 by Kirkus Reviews and BuzzFeed, and featured as a clue on the quiz show Jeopardy! The upcoming film adaptation is produced by Plan B and will be released by Searchlight Pictures. Her most recent memoir, Love, Rita, will be published in Spring 2025 by Harper Books.

Tayler Montague is a filmmaker, writer, curator and native New Yorker. A graduate of SUNY Purchase, Montague seeks to tell stories that place Black people front and center, building upon the legacy of Black storytelling she grew up with. Her foray into the film industry began with her background in cultural criticism and programming. Her writing has appeared in publications such as Film Comment, The Fader, and Reverse Shot. She has cut her teeth as a curator, programming at various institutions such as BAM & Alamo Drafthouse. IN SUDDEN DARKNESS is Tayler’s debut film, after years of dreaming about the opportunity to step behind the camera, it is now a reality. She’s extremely grateful to her familial and artistic community for coming together to help her make her debut. The film has since played at festivals such as BlackStar Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, 58th New York Film Festival, AFI Fest, Indie Memphis Film Festival, New Orleans Film Festival (Jury Award Best Narrative Short), Nicho 54 (Nicho Novembro) + continuing its journey.

Supported by a Humanities New York Action Grant

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