▁in ▁ 3 0 ▁Years ▁to ▁Life . ▁ ▁Release ▁dates ▁Civil ▁Brand ▁was ▁first ▁premier ed ▁at ▁the ▁American ▁Black ▁Film ▁Festival ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁and ▁was ▁released ▁by ▁L ions ▁Gate ▁Films ▁in ▁limited ▁the at res ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁▁▁ ▁Besides ▁its ▁premi ere ▁at ▁the ▁American ▁Black ▁Film ▁Festival , ▁during ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁the ▁movie ▁was ▁shown ▁at ▁the ▁Urban world ▁Film ▁Festival ▁on ▁August ▁ 9 ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁A FI ▁Film ▁Festival ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 0 . ▁▁ ▁During ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Civil ▁Brand ▁made ▁an ▁appearance ▁at ▁the ▁Sund ance ▁Film ▁Festival ▁in ▁January ▁and ▁the ▁Pan ▁African ▁Film ▁Festival ▁on ▁February ▁ 6 . ▁ ▁After ▁ 2 0 ▁months ▁of ▁making ▁an ▁appearance ▁at ▁film ▁festiv als ▁and ▁in ▁the aters , ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁movie ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁DVD , ▁which ▁included ▁“ an ▁audio ▁comment ary ▁running ▁throughout ▁the ▁film ▁that ▁features ▁the ▁film ’ s ▁director ▁Ne ema ▁Bar net te ▁and ▁W riter ▁Joy ce ▁R ene e ▁Lewis .” ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁The ▁film ▁received ▁generally ▁negative ▁evalu ations ▁by ▁critics ▁despite ▁the ▁posit ivity ▁it ▁received ▁at ▁film ▁festiv als ▁and ▁in ▁audience ▁reviews . ▁Rotten ▁Tomatoes ▁tal lied ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁out ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁critic