Black American film org sets events to toast anni

By VARIETY STAFF

The Black American Cinema Society (BACS) will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a weekend of activities that begins Friday and includes the bestowal of several awards honoring African-American thesps for their contributions to the film industry.

Among the award recipients is Pam Grier, a star of the blaxploitation films of the 1970s, who is to receive the BACS Phoenix Award. Grier will next be seen in Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown."

Other honorees include Samuel L. Jackson ("Pulp Fiction"), who will receive the Star Bright Award, and Yaphet Kotto, currently seen in NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Streets," who will receive the Paul Robeson Pioneer Award. A new honor, the Oscar Micheaux Award, will be presented to filmmaker and actor Robert Townsend, director of "Hollywood Shuffle" and star of the WB Network's "The Parent 'Hood."

The BACS Independent Filmmaker Awards will also be announced.

The BACS anniversary celebrations will begin Friday with the Dr. Mayme Agnew Clayton Golf Classic, to be held at the California Country Club in Whittier. It is open to the public.

On Saturday evening, a private reception will be held for sponsors, past honorees and new BACS award recipients at the Eastman Kodak Co., 6700 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood.

Tickets for the program cost $55 or $80, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by contacting BACS at [phone].