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Who are we?
A team of South Side natives and residents who are dedicated to the CSSFF mission.



Michelle Kennedy



Co-Producer



Michelle Kennedy is a South Side native and film enthusiast. Michelle founded The Chicago South Side Film Festival in 2017 to improve the quantity and quality of the South Side’s film entertainment offerings, and to provide South Side filmmakers with opportunities to screen their work in their own communities. Michelle is a mother, wife, and daughter, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and the University of the West Indies. Michelle’s favorite films are Contact, Apocalypto, and Amazing Grace.



Lex Curtis



Co-Producer



Lex Curtis is a South Side native. She is a 2013 graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Lex is a filmmaker and is very active in Chicago’s filmmaking community by regularly serving as a speaker and panel participant at industry events. She has worked professionally in digital marketing and event planning. Lex plays an instrumental role in planning and curating Chicago South Side Film Festival screenings and events. Her favorite films are Middle of Nowhere, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, and Drive.



Felicia K. Apprey



Publicist



Felicia Apprey-Agyare is a public relations professional who focuses on working with people of color and organizations for people of color who are not represented in the media. Born on the South Side of Chicago and raised in Ghana, West Africa, she has made it her mission to make sure our stories are told, shared and respected. Felicia co-founded The African LIFE – a social media collective with a mission to build interest, understanding and connections with the diaspora through our culture. Felicia’s favorite films are Love Jones, Beaches, and Finding Forrester.



Dyamone Hopkins



Production Assistant



Dyamone Hopkins is a South Side native. She is a second year MFA Acting student at The Theatre School at DePaul, and has a Bachelors of Arts in Communication and Theatre from Denison University. Recent and upcoming credits include: Detroit '67 (Chelle, Upcoming in winter 2022), Sweat (Cynthia, Upcoming in spring 2022), Our Lady of 121st Street (Inez). Other than acting Dyamone loves spending time with her family, iced-coffee and taking long walks down the chip aisle at the nearest grocery store. Her three favorite films are The United States vs. Billie Holiday, The Equalizer, and Avengers: Endgame.



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