Noted actors like Viola Davis and Columbus Short are among entertainers featured in films screening at the 16th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival. While the opening film has not been chosen yet, the festival’s closing selection will be Ava DuVernay’s 2012 Sundance-winning Middle of Nowhere, starring Emayatzy Corinealdi, Lorraine Toussaint, Dondre Whitfield and Omari Hardwick. This feature film is based on the story of a medical student whose world is turned upside down when her husband is incarcerated.

Other highlights of this year’s Urbanworld will include The Girl Is in Trouble, which stars Columbus Short, Won't Back Down, starring Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Triptych, Four (featuring Wendell Pierce), Doin' It in the Park, co-directed by Kevin Couliau and Bobbito Garcia, and narrative shorts directed by Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Grace) and Hill Harper (The Truth). 

For the fifth year, BET Networks returns as presenting sponsor along with founding sponsor HBO, who will again host the Urbanworld Digital program this year.

Urbanworld, the nation’s largest competitive multicultural film festival, will take place September 19-23, at midtown Manhattan’s AMC 34th Street. It will screen 50 films, including 17 world premieres. 

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(Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)