It’s with a heavy heart that I must report the passing of Charlotte film entrepreneur Dennis Darrell.
Dennis passed away last night at the age of 47, from an undisclosed illness. He was well-known in the local film community for his tireless championing of independent cinema, and arguably his greatest professional accomplishment was his success in demonstrating that Charlotte was a prime market for African-American films. Under the banner Reel Soul Cinema, he organized countless (and often recurring) events like the Shorts in the Spirit short-film showcase and the Reel Soul Film Festival as well as hosted screenings of individual titles likes American Violet and, most recently, Don’t Blame the Lettuce.
A contributor to Creative Loafing’s film blog as well as a past recipient of a pair of CL Best of Charlotte awards, Dennis was a lovely individual and will be missed.
(Look for a tribute to Dennis Darrell by Nsenga Burton in next week’s issue of Creative Loafing.)
This article appears in May 18-24, 2010.
This is a major loss for our community. Dennis was a true committed pioneer. He will be missed.