Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival

Shades of Ray is a comedic yet touching story about a biracial Pakistani-American and his struggle to find his place in Los Angeles.

Zachary Levi (NBC’s Chuck) wields the right amount of humor and depth to Ray Rehman, a 20-something wannabe actor who’s figuring out the whole dating game and how his personal prejudices limit him from the life he’d like to have. Throughout the story Ray re-examines his choices on love, family and belonging.

[Watch the trailer]

This is one of the few movies that does a nice job of capturing the “mixed moment” – the one where you meet someone of your same ethnic background and have this instant connection that arises from that similarity.

The best scenes in the film revolve around Ray and Sana (Sarah Shahi) sharing stories about their biracial experience and how its shaped them for better or worse.

Shades of Ray is currently available on Netflix, Amazon and iTunes. For more info visit www.shadesofray.com

[By Karen of ReelArtsy.com]

Away We Go is a stand-out movie of 2009.

Maya Rudolph plays, Verona, a biracial woman expecting her first child with her boyfriend Burt (John Krasinski) as they venture across the country in search of  a “perfect” place to start a family. The great thing about this film is its subtlety.  The characters don’t spend the bulk of movie explaining what it means to be biracial or in an interracial relationship, they’re simply allowed to be. The focus is on their personality, quirkiness and the beauty of their connection as the contemplate this new stage in life.

Carmen Ejogo plays Maya Rudolph’s sister in Away We Go and both expressed delight in various interviews for having the opportunity to play biracial sisters.

Sam Mendes has crafted a touching and relevant story that nicely portrays a slice of the mixed experience.

[Watch the Trailer]

Available on DVD and Netflix.

It’s that time again! We’re looking for readers (fiction, spoken word, poetry); films; workshops; and live performers for the 3rd Annual Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival. Check out all the submission requirements on the homepage right-hand sidebar: www.mxroots.org. And make sure you get in your submissions by March 1, 2010 and your entry will be free. All submissions received after that and before March 20, 2010 require a $50 late-entry fee. No submissions will be accepted after March 20, 2010! We’re looking forward to all the stories of the Mixed experience you share!