Grand Valley documentary wins Paul Robeson Award

A documentary film from Grand Valley State University has been selected for a 2010 Paul Robeson Award from the Newark Black Film Festival, a biennial competition initiated in 1985 to honor the spirit of the renowned activist, performer and athlete.

"Up From the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream," is about the World War II migration of African Americans from the American South to Muskegon, Michigan. Actress Cicely Tyson narrated the film, produced by brothers Jim and Rod Schaub. Jim teaches in the School of Communications at Grand Valley.

A panel of judges selected one winner in each category (Long Narrative, Documentary, Experimental, and Short Narrative) of films released in the past year. "Up From the Bottoms" will be screened at the festival in Newark, NJ on August 4, when the award will be presented.

The Grand Valley film is part of the Library of Congress Veteran's History Project and was also selected for the XXV Black International Cinema in Berlin, Germany (May 5) and the Astoria International Film Festival in Oregon, (October 15-17) among others.

For more information, visit www.upfromthebottoms.com, or call Jim Schaub in the School of Communications at (616) 331-3633.