Block 1
Click films for Block times
The Rebel Girls
Inspired by true events, The Rebel Girls is the never-before-told story of the girl warriors who were on the front line of the 1960s fight for Civil Rights, and survived their illegal imprisonment through faith, fantasy, humor, and magical thinking.
A Film Called Black: King's Speech
A Film Called Black: King's Speech
‘a film called black’ is an evolving film. Each screening presents different elements to an ongoing conversation. Blackness. ‘King’s Speech’ is a short film that resides within the entirety of ‘a film called black.’ ‘King’s Speech’ centers around the conversation of Blackness - What is Blackness? Who gets to define it? Additionally asking
‘a film called black’ is an evolving film. Each screening presents different elements to an ongoing conversation. Blackness. ‘King’s Speech’ is a short film that resides within the entirety of ‘a film called black.’ ‘King’s Speech’ centers around the conversation of Blackness - What is Blackness? Who gets to define it? Additionally asking Black father’s what it means to be a king? All while telling the parallel story of Chicago artist Cam Be & Neak’s creation of the song and visual story of ‘King’s Speech.’
The narrative aspect of the film adorns different black faces with custom crowns made by artist Simone Yael.
Block 2
Help Wanted
Architects of Change
In 2015, Ayisha Elliott called county mental health services to help with a crisis her special-needs son, Quinton, was having. Eugene police showed up instead, provoking an incident of brutality that scarred both mother and son, who happen to be Black. This is a re-enactment.
Architects of Change
Architects of Change
Architects of Change follows politician Keith Young and activist Robert Thomas as they unite for reparative justice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. The documentary explores their journey from grassroots activism to the passage of Asheville’s historic reparations resolution—the first of its kind in the South—and their subsequent eff
Architects of Change follows politician Keith Young and activist Robert Thomas as they unite for reparative justice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. The documentary explores their journey from grassroots activism to the passage of Asheville’s historic reparations resolution—the first of its kind in the South—and their subsequent efforts in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to secure an official apology for the 1921 Greenwood Massacre.
Youngin
Over the past year, we have helped over 1,000 individuals in our community improve their mental health and well-being.
Bound by Myth
BOUND BY MYTH is a short documentary film exposing how racially divisive myths targeted at AAPI and Black Americans are propping up mass incarceration, and how those myths (the Model Minority Myth and ideations of Black criminality) are interwoven. All as told through the eyes of a bi-racial quad of young decarceration activists, scholars and filmmakers.
Lost and Found
Lost and Found
Lost and Found
The strained relationship between a mother and daughter comes to a head when the mother cannot accept the daughter’s sexual orientation.
The Red Market
Lost and Found
Lost and Found
Zephyr Sage, drowning in debt, turns to the Global Organ Donor Exchange to sell his body parts. Facing ruthless creditors and a manipulative loan shark, Hyacinth, he treads a perilous path where each choice could cost more than money.
Block 3
The injustice of Justice
New York City visual artist, Molly Crabapple, teams up with Keith LaMar to share the harrowing story of how he came to be wrongfully-convicted and sentenced to death following the 1993 Lucasville Prison Uprising. Ohio intends to execute Keith LaMar on January 13, 2027, in spite of zero forensic or DNA evidence linking him to any crime, b
New York City visual artist, Molly Crabapple, teams up with Keith LaMar to share the harrowing story of how he came to be wrongfully-convicted and sentenced to death following the 1993 Lucasville Prison Uprising. Ohio intends to execute Keith LaMar on January 13, 2027, in spite of zero forensic or DNA evidence linking him to any crime, based solely on the State-paid testimony of jailhouse informants who received dropped charges and early paroles in exchange for their participation in what would become the biggest cover-up and obvious case of prosecutorial misconduct and corruption carried out against the incarcerated in modern-day history...
Black Pittsburg
Through one man’s journey to reconnect with his roots, Black Pittsburgh explores the history, culture, and politics of the Black community in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sparked by a report that claims Pittsburgh is the worst major city in America for a Black person to live in, the film takes viewers on a tour of southwestern Pennsylvania’
Through one man’s journey to reconnect with his roots, Black Pittsburgh explores the history, culture, and politics of the Black community in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sparked by a report that claims Pittsburgh is the worst major city in America for a Black person to live in, the film takes viewers on a tour of southwestern Pennsylvania’s Black community and the many stories that live within it. Featuring appearances by renowned author, Damon Young, U.S. Senator John Fetterman, and Congresswoman Summer Lee, Dr. Rueben Brock investigates the report while also documenting a major turning point and pivotal moment in Pittsburgh’s history.
Shooter in the School
Shooter in the School
Since the Columbine school shooting in 1999, there have been over 390 school shootings; killing at least 203 students, teachers and other innocents. This music video is the Gene Reid Band's attempt to create some degree of art around this insanity. It's not Guernica, but it's the best we can do right now.
Block 4
Greater Than Ourselves
Greater Than Ourselves
Greater Than Ourselves
Greater Than Ourselves: The Legacy of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, tells the story of how these seven Black, female, school teachers established one of the nation's premier social service organizations, in America's heartland, during one of the most tumultuous periods for race relations in American history. The film is a hybri
Greater Than Ourselves: The Legacy of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, tells the story of how these seven Black, female, school teachers established one of the nation's premier social service organizations, in America's heartland, during one of the most tumultuous periods for race relations in American history. The film is a hybrid documentary, taking us from the historical beginnings of the sorority in 1922, through to the organization's celebration of their 100 year Centennial celebration.
We Call Each Other
Greater Than Ourselves
Greater Than Ourselves
We Call Each Other is a heartfelt drama that features a community moving through drought and environmental racism. Amidst this larger crisis, main character Naullin faces an interpersonal dilemma as someone steals liquid fertilizer for his illegal at-home garden. Weaving nonfiction recorded audio into a scripted story, the short film fea
We Call Each Other is a heartfelt drama that features a community moving through drought and environmental racism. Amidst this larger crisis, main character Naullin faces an interpersonal dilemma as someone steals liquid fertilizer for his illegal at-home garden. Weaving nonfiction recorded audio into a scripted story, the short film features characters who lean on one another to build safety and repair without relying on prisons or police.
Block 5
Ordinary American Dream
Ordinary American Dream
Ordinary American Dream
Created by singer/songwriter "Jules The Lion" this original song came about during a routine traffic stop the artist experienced while driving to a gig in Southern California. Being a Black, gay man the terror of his interaction with Sacramento Police inspired him to write this song. His message serves as a PSA from black voices across
Created by singer/songwriter "Jules The Lion" this original song came about during a routine traffic stop the artist experienced while driving to a gig in Southern California. Being a Black, gay man the terror of his interaction with Sacramento Police inspired him to write this song. His message serves as a PSA from black voices across America STILL battling police brutality and other injustices endured simply for existing while Black. This music video gives an uncomfortable but honest firsthand look inside the reality of being black in America. We hope this message will spread far and wide as we continue to fight to stay alive, as Black Americans.
Shayla
Ordinary American Dream
Ordinary American Dream
Shayla Cambray, a quiet and sensitive 16-year-old African American girl, struggles with daily bullying at school. Enduring physical and emotional harassment from Madison Gold and her friends Kaitlin and Brittany, Shayla suppresses her frustration until it begins to build inside her. At home, her grandfather, Floyd "Papa" Hardy, gives her
Shayla Cambray, a quiet and sensitive 16-year-old African American girl, struggles with daily bullying at school. Enduring physical and emotional harassment from Madison Gold and her friends Kaitlin and Brittany, Shayla suppresses her frustration until it begins to build inside her. At home, her grandfather, Floyd "Papa" Hardy, gives her a family heirloom- a charm once worn by her mother- and encourages her to use her emotions differently rather than letting others diminish her spirit.
When Does Freedom Begin
Ordinary American Dream
When Does Freedom Begin
Three formerly-incarcerated activists are working in their Bridgeport CT community to become leaders in the struggle to expand freedom, justice and opportunity for people affected by crime and the criminal-legal system.
Block 6
Unknown Asset
Redemption Road
When two Siblings find a threatening letter on their business front door, they find themselves on a quest to find a hidden treasure left by their late father, before a neighborhood gang
Redemption Road
Redemption Road
Redemption Road chronicles the journey of Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur from gang member who was raised by his Black single mother in a deindustrialized Black Detroit in the 1980s to community leader. Dr. Shakur’s coming-of-age in Amerikkka story explores resilience and transformation while grappling with the harsh realities of violence, incar
Redemption Road chronicles the journey of Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur from gang member who was raised by his Black single mother in a deindustrialized Black Detroit in the 1980s to community leader. Dr. Shakur’s coming-of-age in Amerikkka story explores resilience and transformation while grappling with the harsh realities of violence, incarceration, systemic racism, sexism, and gentrification through personal interviews, photographs, and thought-provoking storytelling.
Spook Hunters
Spook Hunters
When a man is approached by a gang banger, he finds out in detail why gangs exist in Los Angeles.
Block 7
Our Mission
Children of Diaspora
Unbound Dreams
Belonging Beyond Brown explores the emotional stories of displacement, resilience, and the enduring quest for justice experienced by Black educators and students before and after the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling.
Unbound Dreams
Children of Diaspora
Unbound Dreams
"Unbound Dreams" is a vibrant exploration of personal identity and authenticity created using Generative AI. Set to the timeless notes of Claude Debussy's "Clair de lune," this silent visual short film invites viewers on a journey from a monochrome world of societal conformity to a realm of dreams bursting with color. Following a mother
"Unbound Dreams" is a vibrant exploration of personal identity and authenticity created using Generative AI. Set to the timeless notes of Claude Debussy's "Clair de lune," this silent visual short film invites viewers on a journey from a monochrome world of societal conformity to a realm of dreams bursting with color. Following a mother and daughter, we witness the tension between societal expectations and the joy of embracing our genuine essence. Symbolism plays a key role, particularly through the transformative power of hair, representing cultural heritage and individuality. This film isn't just a cinematic experience; it's a call to celebrate diversity and authenticity, prompting viewers to reflect on their own choices in navigating cultural identity and paths towards self-discovery.
Rock Island Prison
Children of Diaspora
Children of Diaspora
Guarding Confederate POWs in a Civil War prison, a runaway slave now Union soldier, desperately fights for power, to never return to slavery.
Children of Diaspora
Children of Diaspora
Children of Diaspora
Through the inner monologue of a child of African immigrants,
the film brings us originally and poetically to the heart of the
identity journey of diaspora children.
This psychic and cultural voyage is both intimate and political,
subjective and collective, and is presented to the viewer as the
public disclosure of a whole world, apart,
Through the inner monologue of a child of African immigrants,
the film brings us originally and poetically to the heart of the
identity journey of diaspora children.
This psychic and cultural voyage is both intimate and political,
subjective and collective, and is presented to the viewer as the
public disclosure of a whole world, apart, although shared, with
its pride and references, but also its scars and open wounds.
Block 8
Firebreak
Brandon and Royal are among a small group of firefighters in California who were trained while incarcerated and managed to break through and become professional firefighters post-release, but that’s not the story for most of their peers. After securing their own careers, they decided to take matters into their own hands and start their o
Brandon and Royal are among a small group of firefighters in California who were trained while incarcerated and managed to break through and become professional firefighters post-release, but that’s not the story for most of their peers. After securing their own careers, they decided to take matters into their own hands and start their own nonprofit and fire department. Firebreak follows Brandon, Royal and their third group of trainees as they make their way through Brandon and Royal’s tough training program.
Angeleno
In the heart of Los Angeles, John Autry II, a trailblazing actor and creator, leads the charge in bringing forth a narrative that sheds light on the city's vibrant essence through the eyes of a deaf/hard-of-hearing protagonist. Autry's journey from his early acting debut in a Pampers commercial to groundbreaking roles in shows like Glee
In the heart of Los Angeles, John Autry II, a trailblazing actor and creator, leads the charge in bringing forth a narrative that sheds light on the city's vibrant essence through the eyes of a deaf/hard-of-hearing protagonist. Autry's journey from his early acting debut in a Pampers commercial to groundbreaking roles in shows like Glee and The Simpsons reflects his resilience and determination to empower the industry.
Never Can Say Goodbye
Never Can Say Goodbye
An African American mother, convicted and on the verge of prison, asks for one last chance to see her kids. But when her children refuse to say goodbye, she’s forced to make other plans.
Block 9
54 & Counting
"54 & Counting" is a powerful documentary that goes into the harsh realities of gun violence in minority communities, focusing on its devastating impact on families and the challenges faced by law enforcement officers on both sides of the racial divide. Through candid interviews with Black and White police officers, the film explores dif
"54 & Counting" is a powerful documentary that goes into the harsh realities of gun violence in minority communities, focusing on its devastating impact on families and the challenges faced by law enforcement officers on both sides of the racial divide. Through candid interviews with Black and White police officers, the film explores differing perspectives on policing, community relations, and the struggle to keep neighborhoods safe.
Signal Hill Blues
A black man gets pulled over for speeding by the Signal Hill Police, two hours later he is found dead in his cell. One towns journey to reconciling the past.
Block 10
I'm Tired OTS
I'm tired as about my disdain for the N-word.. And the wish that people did deeper research and scrutinize all areas of Black History..
Two of Us
Music Video: American rapper L0, hailing from Florida but now calling Kyushu, Japan his home, teams up with K, a rising Japanese rapper from Kyushu, to deliver a groundbreaking remix of "Just the Two of Us." This modern rap hit blends soulful nostalgia with hard-hitting verses, showcasing their unique cultural blend and musical synergy.
Music Video: American rapper L0, hailing from Florida but now calling Kyushu, Japan his home, teams up with K, a rising Japanese rapper from Kyushu, to deliver a groundbreaking remix of "Just the Two of Us." This modern rap hit blends soulful nostalgia with hard-hitting verses, showcasing their unique cultural blend and musical synergy. Shot across Kyushu’s urban streets and serene landscapes, the video captures their journey of connection, creativity, and raw talent. Watch as L0 and K redefine the classic track with bilingual bars and a vibe that’s truly global.
Class of Her Own
Class of Her Own
During her first 25 years at Duval Elementary (East Gainesville, Fla.), Gloria Jean Merriex was a typical teacher. She adhered faithfully to her district’s rigid pacing guides. But after her school flunked its high-stakes state exam, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), she changed. Completely.
Block 11
Sarephim
Sarephim
Sarephim
Amidst a racially charged & socially turbulent Brooklyn, New York, an aspiring singer, Angel (Marck Angel), and a reformed street thug, Druid (Donta Hensley), embark on a musical trek in attempt to requite their romance, all while confronting a deeply troubled past.
Method
Sarephim
Sarephim
Method is a darkly comedic exploration of method acting. Damian and Stella, a young couple rehearsing for an upcoming play, find their on-stage relationship bleeding into real life. As tensions mount, the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur, and their lives unravel. The film delves into the lengths a method actor will go to i
Method is a darkly comedic exploration of method acting. Damian and Stella, a young couple rehearsing for an upcoming play, find their on-stage relationship bleeding into real life. As tensions mount, the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur, and their lives unravel. The film delves into the lengths a method actor will go to in pursuit of authenticity, and the dangerous consequences that follow.
Block 12
The Bucket Wish
The Bucketwish is a documentary film illustrating an experimental journey into self discovery and exploration in learning about ourselves and our intrinsic wishes for our lives from the creative mind of Ericka Nicole Malone.
Requiem for Black Love
Two fugitive slaves risk their lives for a chance at love and the pursuit of happiness. No matter how far they run, they realize they can never escape the truth.
Real Men Don't Cry
Real Men Don't Cry
REAL MEN DON'T (CRY) explores manhood and masculinity through society's taboos against male expressiveness. Funny, emotional and thoughtful, the film addresses many of the questions around the changing notions of what it means to be a man
Block 13
Mood
Free the Youth
A young lady with dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder struggles with herself.
Free the Youth
Free the Youth
Free The Youth is a 3 part series (max. time is 30 minutes) exploring how Creative Justice, a grassroots arts-based healing engaged space for youth and young adults in the Seattle, WA, began through the inertia and organizing of the No New Youth Jail movement.
Welcome to School
Welcome to School
Welcome to School is a documentary produced in 2023 by the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation in conjunction with Unchained Stories, a social impact production company. The film traces the 25-year legacy of the Washington, DC based Maya Angelou Schools’ storied history of grassroots organizing, resource activism, and creatin
Welcome to School is a documentary produced in 2023 by the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation in conjunction with Unchained Stories, a social impact production company. The film traces the 25-year legacy of the Washington, DC based Maya Angelou Schools’ storied history of grassroots organizing, resource activism, and creating a specialized safe space for carceral and alternative education students.
Block 14
Turn Key
City of a Million Dreams
Humankindness
Two young women, lifelong best friends, discover that they are competing for one amazing job opportunity. This conflict forces them to confront insecurities and resentment in the relationship regarding their opposing experiences with race and class.
Humankindness
City of a Million Dreams
Humankindness
This is a music video for independent reggae artist, Jahmark. It was made for fun and as a passion project focused on universal love and unity in tribute and celebration of both reggae music and nature through music and visuals. It is a call for peace against all oppression and and an end to mental, financial, sexual and racial slavery w
This is a music video for independent reggae artist, Jahmark. It was made for fun and as a passion project focused on universal love and unity in tribute and celebration of both reggae music and nature through music and visuals. It is a call for peace against all oppression and and an end to mental, financial, sexual and racial slavery worldwide. It is a positive and happy new way to look at life.
City of a Million Dreams
City of a Million Dreams
City of a Million Dreams
In 2005, writer and videographer Deb Cotton leaves “hard-hearted Hollywood” for New Orleans, and becomes a chronicler of the parading club culture spawned by the legacy of funerals with music. This tradition is carried by the prolific clarinetist Michael White, renowned for playing “the widow’s wail” in sorrowful dirges. When Hurricane K
In 2005, writer and videographer Deb Cotton leaves “hard-hearted Hollywood” for New Orleans, and becomes a chronicler of the parading club culture spawned by the legacy of funerals with music. This tradition is carried by the prolific clarinetist Michael White, renowned for playing “the widow’s wail” in sorrowful dirges. When Hurricane Katrina hits, White loses everything in the catastrophic flooding. In his struggle to rebuild, White becomes an everyman, embodying the resurrection spirit of jazz funerals.
Block 15
Brim
Orange Blues 24
Extra Days
"Brim" is a trans-generational drama exploring racial trauma, resilience, and legacy, as we follow a family from the 1940s into the 2020s. The narrative navigates the erasure of Blackness and how racial trauma impacts Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline as the majority American identity reckons with race and privilege and their role in oppressive systems.
Extra Days
Orange Blues 24
Extra Days
For what is supposed to be a milestone as a young black man, but feels more so as though life has stricken one’s livelihood down to a routine chore, Hampton Cade Morrison's 30th birthday has just passed and he’s gloomy about the celebration of getting older, so he musters up the courage to take an extra day that his ancestors could not,
For what is supposed to be a milestone as a young black man, but feels more so as though life has stricken one’s livelihood down to a routine chore, Hampton Cade Morrison's 30th birthday has just passed and he’s gloomy about the celebration of getting older, so he musters up the courage to take an extra day that his ancestors could not, so that he may see himself in the flower, make a record of his identity, and to be proud of where he’s going, growing and came from while taking his extra day.
Orange Blues 24
Orange Blues 24
Orange Blues 24
One man seeks refuge from the world's crazy in the arms of his muse -- the love of his life! Alyssa Dann has taken this tongue-in-cheek Blues piece and brought it to life in a charming manner.
Block 16
Guardians of the Flame
Undeterred by decades of prejudice, post-Katrina neglect, and ongoing appropriation of their traditions, three generations of the extraordinary, multi-talented Harrison family guard their legacy and define what Black masking culture means in New Orleans today.
Black Power Sexy Again
Black history tribute.....
Michigan Visits Matter: The Family Cost of Incarceration
Michigan Visits Matter: The Family Cost of Incarceration
A short documentary exploring the devastating impact of visitation restrictions on families affected by incarceration in the state of Michigan (USA).
Block 17
Sugar Beach
Rosalyn, a wealthy and talented high school senior, grapples with immense grief after the loss of her brother in a surfing accident. The void left behind by his absence consumes her, and she begins a descent into addiction—alcohol becoming her solace as she numbs the pain and confusion. Amidst her downward spiral, she finds herself in a
Rosalyn, a wealthy and talented high school senior, grapples with immense grief after the loss of her brother in a surfing accident. The void left behind by his absence consumes her, and she begins a descent into addiction—alcohol becoming her solace as she numbs the pain and confusion. Amidst her downward spiral, she finds herself in a complex relationship with two other people, Isaac, and Emma. Drawn to the comfort and sweetness of their affection, the throuple provides a fleeting sense of escape, but Rosalyn's internal struggle with grief and substance abuse complicates her search for self-love, growth, healing and identity.
The Golden Ghosts
The Golden Ghost film is an Art film, a Black film, a Western with moments of Magical Realism all based on actual historical events.
In 1852, a lone Black woman trudges barefoot along a dry riverbed in Siskiyou County, watched by two Black men in the trees. She seems indifferent to the spectacular beauty around her, near the base of Mount Shasta.
Block 18
Velda: A Mother's Story of Suicide
Velda: A Mother's Story of Suicide
A mother confronts the devastating consequences of war on her son's mental health, leading her from personal tragedy to impassioned activism as she challenges the government's handling of veterans' mental health issues.
Pictures Only
Velda: A Mother's Story of Suicide
A mother con Set in 1950s Bronzeville, Louise Parker is facing eviction from her home. Desperate to keep her independence and status, she is introduced to a lucrative performing opportunity. While attempting to keep this new venture a secret, she simultaneously gains popularity, risking being exposed to and disowned by her mother. After
A mother con Set in 1950s Bronzeville, Louise Parker is facing eviction from her home. Desperate to keep her independence and status, she is introduced to a lucrative performing opportunity. While attempting to keep this new venture a secret, she simultaneously gains popularity, risking being exposed to and disowned by her mother. After being offered a promotion, she is left with two choices, become the headliner, or allow her family to lose everything. fronts the devastating consequences of war on her son's mental health, leading her from personal tragedy to impassioned activism as she challenges the government's handling of veterans' mental health issues.
Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round
Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round
When 5 Howard University students sat on a Maryland carousel in 1960, the arrests made headlines. When the white community near Glen Echo Amusement Park joined the Black students in picketing, the first organized interracial civil rights protest in US history was born.
Block 19
BAM BAM: The Sister Nancy Story
BAM BAM: The Sister Nancy Story
BAM BAM: The Sister Nancy Story
The hit song “Bam Bam” has long held the status of an anthem in the reggae genre and is one of the most sampled vocals ever. Lesser known is the story behind the song and, even more so, the woman behind the voice.
In Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story, award-winning filmmaker Alison Duke combines dynamic tour performances; insightful intervi
The hit song “Bam Bam” has long held the status of an anthem in the reggae genre and is one of the most sampled vocals ever. Lesser known is the story behind the song and, even more so, the woman behind the voice.
In Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story, award-winning filmmaker Alison Duke combines dynamic tour performances; insightful interviews with industry figures like Janelle Monae, Young Guru, and Pete Rock; and archival footage of the early dancehall scene to create a fun and thoughtful film illustrating Sister Nancy’s enduring prominence in reggae and hip hop. Entertaining and empowering,
Before 1619: She Took Justice
BAM BAM: The Sister Nancy Story
BAM BAM: The Sister Nancy Story
Journey to Angola and discover the feats of an extraordinary African warrior Queen who fought European invaders in the 1660s and her powerful connection today.