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Cultured Focus Magazine is using its voice to put diversity front and center in the New York arts and film scene. As a media partner for Bronx World Film, Cultured Focus continues its mission to engage the New York community by celebrating diverse artist perspectives and films from around the globe.
This season, the magazine featured an interview with Bronx World Film’s Executive Director Walter Kromchal. The Bronx World Film Cycle Winter 2023 highlighted films from 49 directors from 25 different countries. Taylor Re Lynn, Founder of Cultured Focus Magazine, offered her take on the film program with a simple exclamation, “It was mind-blowing with the amount of diverse cinematic styles from around the world showcased — an event that I highly recommend, said Lynn.”
Out of the 49 directors who submitted films, half were women, and among the featured voices were Native American film artists, Bronx-based creators of color, and both up-and-coming and established creators from the Bronx. The festival also featured films of varying lengths and types – including features, featurettes, shorts, and micrométrages – highlighting the value of diversity in format along with artistic voice.
Cultured Focus Magazine first worked with Bronx World Film in 2022, covering the premiere of
Il Moro (Daphne di Cinto), an Italian language film centering around Alessandro de Medici, son of an enslaved African woman and Pope Clemente VII. Since then, their partnership has grown to further highlight poignant new international voices in film to New York.
Lynn created Cultured Focus to showcase diverse voices on a global platform. A New York actor, film producer and businesswoman, she has devoted her career to creating positive cultural change.
“Diversity is wealth, we must never forget that. – Italian Actor, Paolo Calabrese”
From behind-the-scenes interviews to global premiere’s to awards ceremonies, Cultured Focus Magazine is a community leader dedicated to promoting unique artists. The Cultured Focus Awards and Diversity in Film Symposium is an annual event to honor film industry leaders from diverse backgrounds and highlighting the value of their unique perspectives.
Last year’s awards were presented alongside the 79th Venice Film Festival in Italy, and honorees included Pino Calabrese, Evgeny Afineevsky, Daphne Di Cinto and Ainslee Alem Robson. The awards brought together artists from around the world to celebrate excellence in film. The Cultured Focus Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, Pino Calabrese, captured the spirit of these awards, saying, “I would like to imagine a future in which each person could be represented on screen. Diversity is wealth, we must never forget that.” As Cultured Focus continues to expand its global footprint, Lynn wants her organization to play a key role in furthering representation.
Looking ahead, Cultured Focus will continue to promote and advocate for diverse voices and perspectives in the arts internationally. Upcoming events include the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where the magazine will bring their lens of inclusivity and centering diverse voices to one of the biggest international film festivals, among other cultural events.
