TARIK JACKSON

Tarik J. Jackson was a dynamic, gifted young filmmaker and a member of the first class of TIDE filmmakers. He left our lives in September 2020.

 

I met Tarik at the Pan African Film Festival in LA in 2016 in the lobby in between films. He told me that he was an aspiring filmmaker but that he 'wasn't very good'. I was programming a Black film festival at BAM at the time, New Voices in Black Cinema,  and asked him to send me his work anyway. He sent me 'bushbaby'. Not only was it good, it was unique, insightful, sharp, and hilarious. In short, it was 100% Tarik.

 

When we screened "bushbaby" at New Voices, Tarik showed up with a huge, loud, happy crowd of family and friends. The sold-out audience loved his film. Shortly after, when Julie Young founded the TIDE Film Festival, Tarik's film was one of the first on our list of must-haves. He played during our very first opening night in November 2018, and charmed the crowd during the Q&A. Tarik was an enthusiastic participant throughout the festival, attending all the workshops, panels and parties. He was a wonderful addition to any room he entered.

 

Tarik stayed a friend of the festival, showing up for us whenever we asked him to. He let us program 'bushbaby' during the City Parks Department outdoor film series 'Festival Fridays' in Fort Greene Park, and showed up for an intimate 'conversation with the filmmaker' as part of our annual fundraiser in 2019. He was also a featured filmmaker on our Filmmaker in the House series in July 2020 and turned a funny, insightful interview on IG live, bringing some much needed wisdom and levity to our bleak Covid summer.

 

Tarik was a talented filmmaker, writer, comedian and actor who was in talks with a very, very promising future. A rising star in the industry, Tarik was generous with his time and talents. He was sharp, irreverent, unique, innovative, unapologetically Black, and super funny. His death leaves a huge hole in the lives of those who knew him, and the film industry will be diminished without his voice.  On behalf of the TIDE film festival team, Tarik, we thank you, we love you and we will always miss you. Rest in love.

 

Karen McMullen

Director of Programming