2026 is HERE!

Join us in June for the

Ann Arbor Black Film Festival

Bringing talented filmmakers of color and stories about people of color to Tree Town during the A2 African American Downtown Festival, the Ann Arbor Black Film Festival is an event dedicated to showcasing the creativity and diversity of Black Cinema. Join us in celebrating the rich heritage of black storytelling and perspectives during the summer of Ann Arbor’s bicentennial.

Underground Railroad Tour
Jun
4

Underground Railroad Tour

Join us for a special Underground Railroad Tour hosted by the African American Cultural and Historical Museum (AACHM) in preparation for the 10th Annual Unity Walk.

When: Thursday, June 4th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Cost: Free

Registration: Required. Space is limited to 30 participants.

We aren't just celebrating a date; we are honoring the people whose stories have often been moved to the margins. Join us as we bring these legacies to the center stage.

Click here to reserve your spot!

A special thank you to the AACHM for sponsoring the Unity Walk. While the tour is complimentary, please consider donating to the AACHM to support their vital work in our community.

Questions? please contact: dmeadows02@comcast.net or text/call 734-819-8182

Registration for the Unity Walk is still open! Click here to learn more and sign up.

We also encourage you to share this year's Youth Creative Art Contest with any 9th-12th grade students in Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti schools.

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A2BFF 2026 Opening Night
Jun
5

A2BFF 2026 Opening Night

Cogito, ergo sum

Bloomington, IN

December 2025

Director: AHMED TAHSIN SHAMS

This hybrid documentary fuses the real-life reflections of ceramicist Malcolm Mobutu Smith with a claymation resurrection of the long-erased Black comic character Li’L Tuffy—who return to confront his origins, reclaim his stories, and ask: Who’s holding the pen now? With claymation this doc explores race, memory, and artistic agency through the hands and words of Professor Malcolm Mobutu Smith (Indiana University Bloomington), a ceramicist whose practice is rooted in Black material expression. As he shapes clay and reflects on the frozen imprints of time and identity, his words awaken one forgotten figure from America’s comic book past: Li’L Tuffy, a fictional amalgam inspired by the lost promise of All-Negro Comics.

https://www.instagram.com/ashams_official

The United States of WTF !!!

Detroit, MI

November 2025

Director: A Ray Jones

A man in a laundromat goes through a range of emotions watching the absurdity of modern media on TV.

TCB: The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing

2025

Director: Louis Massiah and Monica Henriquez

A biography of the influential writer, filmmaker and cultural worker, who with humor and deep insight, inspired a generation of artists to dedicate themselves to community empowerment. The film is structured as a series of lessons on cultural organizing, gleaned from Bambara's life and shared by her friends, colleagues and students.

https://www.tcbdoc.com

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2026 MEN'S HEALTH 5K WALK/RUN
Jun
6

2026 MEN'S HEALTH 5K WALK/RUN

Join the 2026 Men's Health Walk/Run Sponsored by AANBNA and Sigma Rho Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. 

Lace up your sneakers and join us for the annual Men’s Health Walk/Run.

All are welcome  !  

Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a casual walker, every step makes a difference. 


Register Now! Secure your spot! 

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-mens-health-walkrun

Let’s stride toward better health — together!

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Bridging 23 Unity Walk
Jun
6

Bridging 23 Unity Walk

10th Anniversary

Bridging 23 Unity Walk

Saturday June 6th - 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Bridging US 23 was founded on the belief that when people unite for the greater good, positive change is inevitable.

Developed in collaboration by The Dispute Resolution Center (DRC) with The Association for Youth Empowerment (AYE), Bridging US 23 is dedicated to transforming the way the people of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and the surrounding communities relate to one another.

The Walk- 

  • 10:00 AM - 5 mile walk Starts at United Way for Southeast Michigan

  • 11:30 AM - 1.5 mile walk starts at Ypsilanti High School

  • Both end at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church

Fellowship and Celebration - Games, activities, music and more!

  • 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Ypsilanti, MI

Register here:

https://givebutter.com/2026-unity-walk

Donations to the Unity Walk will support the

Restorative Justice Youth Circles Program

Building a restorative community with youth and families

A program partnership between the Dispute Resolution Center & Dynastic Ministries 19 Consulting Firm, LLC.


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Overcoming
Jun
6

Overcoming

Beyond Unstoppable

Atlanta, GA

November 2025

Director: Korstiaan Vandiver

In the heart of DeKalb County, Georgia, a young Somali refugee struggles with grief and anger after losing his father and sister back home. His mother, working two jobs to keep them afloat, longs to be present for her son but is too overworked to be the steady presence he needs. On long train rides to escape his circumstances, he glimpses a soccer field — a flash of hope in a life overshadowed by loss. When a fellow Somali teen notices him staring at the field, she invites him to join her team. As he rises to become their star player, she battles her own isolation at home with her emotionally absent father, still broken by the loss of his wife and son in Somalia. Their lives intertwine on and off the field until a fight forces her father to hear her truth about their home life. On the night of the big game, both parents show up for the children they’ve been failing, and a long-buried secret is revealed: they are each other’s lost spouses, and the teens are not just teammates but siblings. In a single, transformative moment, soccer shifts from being an escape to becoming the force that heals grief, reunites a shattered family, and makes them beyond unstoppable.

Saltwater Psalms

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

February 2026

Director: Devin Nikki Thomas

Saltwater Psalms is a six minute visual poem built from fragments of the natural world. Instead of a linear story, the film moves through a living collage of water, shoreline, foliage, animals, food, and sunlight. Each image becomes its own reminder that the body knows how to come home when it is given space to breathe.

A Pretty Pass

Darlington, MD

August 2025

Director: Chelsea Smith Hall

Mixed-race Izzie sees her new camp friends’ true colors when she discovers she has been unknowingly passing for White all summer.

https://www.instagram.com/aprettypassfilm

Best in Class: Blenda J. Wilson, Jon Onye Lockard, and the Portrait that Connected Them

Dearborn, MI

February 2026

Director: Rick Morrone

A portrait of the University of Michigan's first Black woman chancellor, Blenda J. Wilson and the artist, Jon Onye Lockard, who painted it

‍ ‍

The Missing Piece

Boston, MA

August 2025

Director: Emanuel Fidalgo

Clarence tries to recreate his late mother's signature dish from a recipe she left him, but the last ingredient is an illegible smudge. Drifting through dual crises of grief and identity, he meets Emi, a bodega store owner insistent on helping with the dish but focused on mending his spirit.

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The Struggle for Belonging
Jun
6

The Struggle for Belonging

Bittersweet: Black College Life at a Predominantly White Institution

Oxford, OH

March 2026

Director: David Andrew Rice

Amid unprecedented attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, Bittersweet shows what DEI programs have meant for Black students, faculty, and staff at one predominantly white institution, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

https://livedmu.lib.miamioh.edu/documentaries/

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Alternate Paths
Jun
6

Alternate Paths

Shot by Shot

Charlotte, NC

April 2026

Director: Caleb Raymond-Dye Joseph

An African-American teen, is in his backyard shooting a basketball, he makes every shot, this shows the classic stereotype that growing up African-American boys only way out is basketball. At the end it clocks him and he realizes that he can do other things with his life.

Nothing to See Here: Watts

Watts, CA

January 2026

Director: Michael Soenen

Forced to sit together and watch each other’s lives, people with every reason to distrust one another must decide how their community will be seen—and whether they can agree on a shared version of the truth.

As personal histories collide, long-held assumptions begin to break down.

What emerges is not consensus, but recognition.

And when the filmmakers choose to screen the film for active gang leaders—many of them lifelong rivals—the project takes on real-world stakes.

What began as an attempt to understand a community becomes something far more uncertain—and far more consequential.

Nothing to See Here: Watts is a film created by the community—not about it—revealing what becomes possible when people see their enemies differently.

https://nothingtoseeheremovie.com/

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Local History & Generational Poetry
Jun
6

Local History & Generational Poetry

Sending Up the Timber

Lansing, MI

December 2025

Director: Alexandria Davis

In collaboration with dancers Heather Mitchell, Akilah Moore, and Amaya Skeene, with creative input from Antonio Disla (University of Michigan Drama professor and co-founder of A2D2 Theatre), the dance film Sending Up the Timber was devised during a two-day dance intensive on November 29 & 30, 2025, at Michigan State University. During the collaborative process, Davis used the Dancing Back to Self creative methodology to work with each dancer, cataloging memory and conversation as tools for embodying ancestral knowledge as a technology. Through movement, voice, and ritual, the film Sending Up the Timber explores the juxtaposition of dance, memory, and imagination as tools for inter-dimensional placemaking using embodied prayer as a form of ancient black technology for healing, resilience, and self-examination.

https://www.alexandriadavis.org/

The French Dukes: Rhythm, Roots, and Legacy

Ann Arbor, MI

2024

Director: Frederic M. Culpepper 

The story of Ann Arbor's legendary drill team, The French Dukes. Told through the memories of members and those who watched in awe, the rise of the Dukes from an idea to an internationally-known team is accompanied by photographs and articles from the time.

The Sea

Toronto, ON

November 2025

Director: Son Roberts

This experimental short film is a "Jazz Monologue" presented by an elusive oracle. Through rage and reflection, incendiary prose and inspirational poetry, he reminds us of the legacy of lies that define our human journey. And he insists that we embrace the redemptive power of truth, from generation to generation.

https://thejazzmonologues.com/

A Ripple in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI

Director: Aliyah Mitchell

Originated and produced by Ann Arbor City Council Member Cynthia Harrison, the short documentary film A Ripple in Ann Arbor tells the story of the search for a serial rapist in Ann Arbor in the 1990s, the unfocused and invasive tactics used by police to find the perpetrator, and the innocent man who took the city to court to expose these tactics and reclaim his dignity, weaving interviews with people who lived these events with primary source materials.

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Self-Reflection
Jun
6

Self-Reflection

Version 24

Makkah, Saudi Arabia

December 2025

Director: Abdullah Jalaluddin Aliakbar

The film "Version 24" follows the story of Fahad, a programmer who lives in near-total isolation after the loss of his mother. Using his skills, Fahad creates a digital assistant that speaks with his mother's voice, making this program the only tool that connects him to the world and the lost emotional care. 

Nuisance

Tecumseh, MI

November 2025

Director: Jouel Truesdell Anthony

21-year-old Derek has been raised at the cross-cultural intersection of rural American life and modern Black culture. When his younger brother, Bowie, turns 10, Derek is tasked with taking the newest young hunter in their family on his first hunting trip. Bowie, a multi-racial child with his own unique perspective, tries to make sense of the world through his sketch journal. Bowie hopes they will reconnect through their shared love of nature, but he becomes subjected to the very expectations which have confined Derek.

https://www.instagram.com/nuisancefilm

The Book Of Ahmad

New York, NY

June 2025

Director: Ian Phillips

For decades, Adhemar Ahmad has scraped by on the streets of New York as his artistic aspirations go unnoticed. But then his luck begins to change. A Documentary by Ian Phillips.

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Stories of the Proud
Jun
6

Stories of the Proud

The Cut

Detroit, MI

February 2025

Director: Jeremy Brockman

When a troubled veteran returns home to reconcile with his estranged brother, an unexpected challenge threatens to derail his journey of healing.

https://www.instagram.com/thecutshortfilm

Meet The Friends

Los Angeles, CA

March 2025

Director: C. Denise

"Meet The Friends" is a poignant and tense short film that follows Krys over one nerve-wracking evening as she stands at a crossroads. She must choose between the safety of her old ways or the terrifying, vulnerable leap of faith required to possibly win the heart of a woman who values connection over conquest.

https://www.instagram.com/noloschildproductions

To Move in My Mother's Prayers

Detroit, MI

November 2025

Director: Diop Russell

A rebellious, nonbinary teenager wrestles with their hardworking single mom over joining the Legacy League—an elite organization for high school girls

https://www.instagram.com/tmimmpfilm/

Bound

Atlanta, GA

February 2026

Director: James Jones

Jack and James have been married for 4 years when a disturbing secret forces James to come face to face with a binding truth and agonizing decision.

https://www.instagram.com/boundattheroots/

WE KEEP US SAFE 

New York, NY

March 2025

Director: Shawn Batey

WE KEEP US SAFE features portraits of five activists in the 2020 NYC Black Lives Matter Movement. Illustrated through the work of 25 independent photographers & videographers, WE KEEP US SAFE provides personal journeys of activism in the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Each story highlights an activist, combining a mix of protest footage from photographs, videos, and interviews on the streets. The activists represent a Native American/African American bicyclist, a female Ethiopian teacher, a non-binary queer dancer, a female Trans leader, and an Afro-Dominican recent college graduate.

https://www.shawnbatey.com/

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Hard Consequences
Jun
6

Hard Consequences

Pericarp

Alexandria, VA

December 2025

Director: Ryan Henry Knight

When Sora discovers she’s pregnant by the wrong man, one night of confrontation unravels the carefully constructed life she’s built, and the body she’s been fighting to control. A psychological drama film about lies, coercion, and what happens when a woman’s body becomes the only honest narrator in the room.

https://pericarpmovie.com/

Cordão de Prata 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

March 2025

Director: Getulio Ribeiro

Brilhante, a contemporary slave catcher, has fun with his victim before the mercy shot... . . .

https://www.instagram.com/filmecordaodeprata

I Promise You Paradise

Cairo, Egypt

January 2026

Director: Morad Mostafa

Following a violent incident; Eissa a 17 years old African migrant in Egypt is in a quest against time to save his loved ones whatever it takes.

La Semaine de la Critique:

https://www.semainedelacritique.com/en/articles/about-i-promise-you-paradise

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Knowledge & Healing
Jun
7

Knowledge & Healing

The Nights Were Velvet

Bloemfontein, South Africa

August 2025

Director: Sara CF Gouveia

As actress Jane Mpholo prepares for an intensely personal solo performance, the boundaries between rehearsal and reality begin to blur. Confronted by echoes of her past, Jane is forced to reckon with buried memories and the unresolved grief surrounding her family. Every line she speaks feels like a confession as Jane discovers that art can be both a mirror and a wound. A meditation on memory, performance, and healing, this intimate short film explores how grief lingers and how art can become a form of release.

https://www.lionfishproductions.co.za/biography

Stolen School

Evanston, IL

November 2024

Director: Raphael Nash

STOLEN SCHOOL confronts the reality that desegregation wasn’t good for everyone. In 1967, the local school district in Evanston, IL, closed Foster School—the all-Black neighborhood school in the historically Black 5th Ward—in the name of integration. Rather than ensuring equal access to resources, this decision displaced generations of Black students, forcing them to be bussed across town while their community was left without a local school.

https://www.stolenschool.com/

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Are You A Librarian? Black Librarians and Freedom Through Literacy

Charlotte, NC

December 2025

Director: Rodney Freeman

Are You a Librarian? is a personal mission to bring untouched important Black stories stories forward. It’s not just about honoring the past; it’s about inspiring a new generation to take up the mantle of literacy, freedom, and truth in an age where those very principles are under attack.

https://areyoualibrarian.org/

Good Morning America:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7sFiGMx9ZI

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Using AI to Take Your Screenplay from Promise to Production
Jun
7

Using AI to Take Your Screenplay from Promise to Production

AI is reshaping Hollywood — not replacing storytellers, but empowering them to do more with less. Join us and learn to bridge the gap between promise and production using accessible, ethical, and creative technology.

This workshop is designed for independent screenwriters, filmmakers, and producers who want to harness the power of AI tools to accelerate their creative process — from concept development to production packaging. Participants will learn how to:

  • Use AI to refine scripts, generate visual treatments, and build pitch decks.

  • Identify the best AI platforms for budgeting, casting, and pre-visualization.

  • Transform early-stage ideas into ready-to-produce projects efficiently and affordably.

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Reform & Justice
Jun
7

Reform & Justice

Free Joan Little 

Winston-Salem, NC

August 2025

Director: Yoruba Richen

FREE JOAN LITTLE tells the story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little who was the first woman in U.S history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault. Joan was a Black incarcerated woman in North Carolina who killed her white prison guard who was trying to rape her. Little’s murder trial became a cause celebre bringing together prominent advocates, black power activists , white feminists and anti-death penalty activists while catalyzing a nationwide discussion on sexual assault. With rare archival footage, contemporary interviews and the folk anthem that carried her cause, FREE JOAN LITTLE captures the spirit of resistance that made history.

https://retroreport.org/free-joan-little/

On Democracy Now!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPxrdoD6Mo0

Where's My Coffee Cup?

Merced, CA

November 2025

Director: Yehuda Sharim

At 64 and still in prison, John must navigate trauma and aging in a space that is not designed for a geriatric population. Like others, he faces the challenges of stairs, top bunks, food that is not made for human consumption, timely and adequate health care, and the everyday risks of violence and exploitation. John’s story is a call and a demand for compassion and justice

https://www.sharimstudio.com/

On Virginia's Public Radio :

https://www.wvtf.org/news/2025-04-15/a-film-about-life-in-prison-and-a-lost-coffee-cup

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Carceral Genocide and Cinema as a Space of Healing
Jun
7

Carceral Genocide and Cinema as a Space of Healing

"Where's My Cup?" director Yehuda Sharim

A multi-media event, making connections between carceral genocide, occupation, and immigration, hosted by the director of "Where's My Cup?", Yehuda Sharim, who will show clips from his recent films and question the role of cinema in a world dominated by structures of harm and cruelty.

The state and federal prisoner population of those 65 and older has grown at a rate 94 times faster than the overall prison population. Prisons are becoming de facto nursing homes. Geriatric, compassionate, or medical release is rarely applied in our country. In Virginia, where we filmed, in 2024, only 8 people were granted conditional geriatric release from the 7,625 people aged 50 and older. Invisible and isolated, they struggle with unmet needs in prison and also upon release.

Each year in prison takes two years off a prisoner’s life expectancy. With accelerated aging, they also experience more chronic and life-threatening illnesses years earlier than those in the general population.

The financial cost for geriatrics in prison is staggering and rising – between $60,000 and $70,000 per year per person, primarily due to the increased healthcare needs.

The human cost is beyond measure.

Yehuda Sharim is a writer, filmmaker, poet, and photographer. His work reflects on the relationship between the quotidian and the poetic to explore new potentialities of the imagination. Oscillating between fiction, improvisation, and real-life events, Sharim’s work offers an intimate portrayal of those who refuse to surrender amidst daily devastation and culminating strife, offering a vision for equality and renewed solidarity in a divisive world. He roots his work firmly within the discourse of imagination, immigration, and displacement, shedding light on the changing constructions of home and belonging. Sharim’s films and images incorporate an ongoing exploration of new forms of storytelling, performative acts, dreams, and the lyrical potential of liberation with a precise aim: social and personal justice. His work also explores site-specificity and engages community members and untrained actors in reimagining new forms of social activism.

Learn more about Yehuda Sharim:

https://www.sharimstudio.com/about

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BEATNIXHIBITION
May
10

BEATNIXHIBITION

Enjoy the Ann Arbor Black Film Festival 2026 Preview as well as some of our favorite counterculture selections.


How’s Man Made

Directed by Edward L Varnie

Coltrane, undergoes a tumultuous journey of emotions after discovering a life-changing truth about his daughter. That forces him to question his role as a father.

18:30


Stay Out of the Sun

Directed by Zola Franchi, Vivienne Ayres, & Nidhi Kumar

A visual scrapbook of individuals' memories of colorism, recounting the messages they received about skin tone during their youth and examining how these experiences have left lasting imprints on their lives today.

14:51


Songs From the Sky

Directed by Patrice Scott Jr.

After Phyllis discovers that her daughter Cecilia can read, she’s torn between abiding to her slave owner’s commands or encouraging her daughter that reading is a pathway to their freedom.

12:30


Huey

Directed by Ken Gregory & Dave Mack III

Huey, the short film looks at the final days of Dr. Huey P. Newton’s life to try and look at the plausible possibility, “Was Huey P. Newton randomly murdered or was it an orchestrated assassination by the United States government?” By taking public information from government agencies and private sources such as news agencies and media outlets and publications who have interviewed key players as well as Dr. Newton’s loved ones and personal friends, this film revisits the days and month leading up to the fateful day he was murdered and the circumstances surrounding his death/execution.

29:39

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The Heirs of Oscar Micheaux
Mar
29

The Heirs of Oscar Micheaux

Ocsar Micheaux was the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century, creating over 44 films in his career between 1919 and 1928. His independence from the Hollywood studio system allowed his work to show the full range of the Black Experience in early twentieth century America. He produced films that directly confronted the transgressions of America while entertaining his audiences. Although many of his films are lost or incomplete, his dedication to hard work and social conscience has created a presence and influence that will not be erased.

We are proud to present the following five films that challenge conceptions and uplift the community, as Michaeux’s films did.


Sunday March 29, 2026 at 12:00 PM

Michigan Theater Screening Room

603 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor


Visit the Ann Arbor Film Festival for details.

https://aafilmfest.filmchief.com/shop/tickets?v=120


Featured Films:

a film called black: King's Speech (Chicago 2024)

Directed by Cam Be

‘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.


Conversations Centered Around Black Bodies: Black Womxn (Illinois 2023)

Directed by Chris Jon Conti

When a white finger points accusation towards an influential Black man, these two Black Womxn fall on different sides of a debate around where guilt should land. This vignette explores the intersection of Blackness and Womxnhood and the different perspectives that can be borne by those sharing similar identities.


LRSC (Land Rivers Spaghetti Catfish) (Chicago 2024)

Dir. Derek Anthony Holland

“Land Rivers Spaghetti Catfish,” is a short film and community centered research project done in conjunction with Fellows in the Black Midwest Initiative Fellowship. At its genesis, The fellows were asked to answer the question “What does the Midwest mean to you?” Fellow’s responses guided the form and narrative structure of the work configured by Derek with the use of only adapted footage from the midwestern United States. The film itself is an attempt to answer and further question the “midwest,” as a geopolitically, socially and culturally through people born and or raised there and those who recently migrated to or are transiting through the region. This project continues Derek’s research into modes of articulating fissures in everyday occurrences to question and criticize the modern world and identity.


Running Star (New York 2022)

Directed by Sakinah Iman

Afraid that her success and freedom may have all been an illusion, a young woman, endlessly repeating the same enslaved history of her ancestors, finally breaks away.

A cautionary tale of self and societal oppression and the cyclical/intergenerational trauma of our past and present. It’s “Goldilocks and The Three Bears” meets “Get Out” by way of “Twelve Years A Slave.”


Some Kind of Heavenly Fire (Detroit 2023)

Dir. Eric Vincent Riley

In the summer of 2003, on the east side of Detroit a Grandfather tries to hide his daughter’s incarceration from his young grandson in the midst of a city wide blackout and alien invasion.

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BHM Talk & Screening: Stormy Weather
Feb
27

BHM Talk & Screening: Stormy Weather

In honor of Black History Month, the Michigan Theater in partnership with the Ann Arbor Black Film Festival present this special presentation and screening. 

The founders of Ann Arbor Black Film Festival, Chris Anderson and Carole Gibson will be joining us to share a lecture on the history of Black Cinema in the United States between WWI and WWII as it relates to the little know Box Office Hit “Stormy Weather” focusing on the creatives of color from the period who inspired artists and audiences globally.

Please come out and learn more about this incredible film! 

After this important keynote, we will be showing: 

Stormy Weather - 1943

Dancing great Bill 'Williamson' sees his face on the cover of Theatre World magazine and reminisces: just back from World War I, he meets lovely singer Selina Rogers at a soldiers' ball and promises to come back to her when he "gets to be somebody." Years go by, and Bill and Selina's rising careers intersect only briefly, since Selina is unwilling to "settle down." Will she ever change her mind? Concludes with a big all-star show hosted by Cab Calloway


Ticket prices: Standard 

For More information Visit:

https://marquee-arts.org/event-page/?showingId=992012&eventId=992010


Prepare for the Experience with Related Videos:

Lena Horne: A Trailblazing Star

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkLk4OFWdEM

Bill Bojangles Robinson (1997)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWtImcRU_ug

How Hollywood Sidelined Black Actors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnKPbbUjAtI

Fayard Nicholas on The Stormy Weather Routine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwYK8DEHl9U

Lena Horne’s granddaughter, Jenny Lumet on Stormy Weather

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oEJ8WvIOE0

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A2BFF @ AADL Sunday
Jun
8

A2BFF @ AADL Sunday

All Library Shows are Free Admittance!

BREAKING BOUNDARIES (California 2024)

Dir. Dina Burlis

African American teenager, Nastasya Generalova, was raised by her single white Russian mother, Olga who enrolled Nastasya in rhythmic gymnastics when she was four years old as a way for her to connect to the homeland. This film looks at Nastasya's personal journey of expression as the only black girl in Team USA, as well as her relationship with her mother in the stressful lead up to Tokyo Olympics qualification.

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A2BFF @ State Theater 8:55PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ State Theater 8:55PM

Three's A Crowd (Los Angeles 2024)

Dir. Chanessa Richa'rd

A teenage girl tries to navigate the tension between her abusive home life with her mother and the shifting dynamics at her father's house, where her new brother has just moved in. The film explores themes of longing—for change, connection, and a sense of comfort—that always seem just out of reach. Intimately told and emotionally resonant, this story unfolds with sharp editing and a compelling narrative that keeps the viewer engaged from beginning to end.

Welcome to Afrotree (New York 2023)

Dir. Chase Parker

Steven and Janet are fed up with gentrification, whitewashing, and code switching in the big city. They move to Afrotree, an experimental, gated community populated by only African-American residents. Their dream of living in a cultural oasis suddenly becomes a nightmare when they discover they might not be “Black” enough.

Don't Hang Up (Missouri 2024)

Dir. Diamond Batiste

In rural Hayti, Missouri, matriarch Elizabeth Holiday confronts her past when an unexpected call from her former student, Jeremy, disrupts her routine. As they navigate their shared history and the challenges of their community, they're forced to confront harsh realities, igniting a journey of reconciliation and redemption.

A Different Kind Of War (Fort Wayne 2024)

Dir. Jamel King

A gay veteran returns home after the war, grieving the loss of his battle partner and love interest. Struggling with PTSD and the trauma of combat, he faces a new battle: reconciling his sacrifice for a country that doesn’t fully accept him. As he confronts both his personal pain and the weight of societal rejection, he embarks on a journey of healing and self-acceptance in a world where freedom isn’t always equal.

Some Kind of Heavenly Fire (Detroit 2023)

Dir. Eric Vincent Riley

In the summer of 2003, on the east side of Detroit a Grandfather tries to hide his daughter’s incarceration from his young grandson in the midst of a city wide blackout and alien invasion.

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A2BFF @ Third Mind Books 6:45PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ Third Mind Books 6:45PM

Shows at Third Mind Books are Free Admittance!

Stay Out of the Sun (Los Angeles 2024)

Dir.  Zola Franchi, Vivienne Ayres & Nidhi Kumar

A visual scrapbook of individuals' memories of colorism, recounting the messages they received about skin tone during their youth and examining how these experiences have left lasting imprints on their lives today.

Our Backyard Hist’ry (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Christopher Thomas Anderson

A Conductor of Ann Arbor's Underground Railroad Tour and a sole survivor of the greatest generation that ever lived, Scott F. McFadden's graphic description of history tells it like it was, and still is. A voice, so clear and with such passion, it speaks for an era without bitterness or self-pity among the dying and already dead. take a tour with us as we share Our Backyard Hist'ry.

Delong’s (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Kameron Donald

The story of DeLong's Bar-B-Q Pit, one of Ann Arbor's most famed bygone eateries.  In a history told by Diana McKnight-Morton, one of DeLong's founders, we learn about the idea for the restaurant being born out of the many heads that popped over the backyard fence during family barbecues and hear about the many people, Ann Arborites and those much more far-flung, who numbered it among their favorites.

a film called black: King's Speech (Chicago 2024)

Dir. Cam Be

‘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.

Relentless Warrior: Al Wheeler - Ann Arbor's First Black Mayor (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Carole Gibson

It's been 50 years since Al Wheeler’s historic campaign for Mayor of the City of Ann Arbor. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of his death. Relentless Warrior lifts up little-known facts of Dr. Wheeler’s amazing saga.  From humble beginnings to a whirlwind tour of top educational institutions, we share how Professor Wheeler shaped and shared a life of firsts with his equally impressive wife, Emma, and their accomplished family. We also hear from some of the people who knew Al best and helped him become the first Black Mayor of Ann Arbor, as well as win re-election with a one vote, precedent-setting result.

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A2BFF @ State Theater 6:40PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ State Theater 6:40PM

Finding Hero (Baltimore 2025)

Dir. Matt Coole

A young man struggles to silence his inner voices and schizophrenia diagnosis to unleash his musical genius. Meanwhile his mother fights the stereotypes and inherent prejudice to find him the best treatment while simultaneously trying to hold her family together

Grieving Brothers (California 2025)

Dir. Jere'Miah McGhee

Two brothers grieve the loss of their sibling, each wrestling with guilt and unspoken emotions. As their sorrow deepens, they’re forced to confront the roles they played in his life—and in each other’s. A tense argument erupts, but through the pain, they find connection and solace. The film’s single-location setting intensifies the drama without distraction, allowing the story to shine. This is a powerful meditation on grief, forgiveness, and the importance of leaning on family in times of need—a must-watch for intimate drama lovers.

Huey (Los Angeles 2023)

Dir. Ken Gregory & Dave Mack III

Huey, the short film looks at the final days of Dr. Huey P. Newton’s life to try and look at the plausible possibility, “Was Huey P. Newton randomly murdered or was it an orchestrated assassination by the United States government?” By taking public information from government agencies and private sources such as news agencies and media outlets and publications who have interviewed key players as well as Dr. Newton’s loved ones and personal friends, this film revisits the days and month leading up to the fateful day he was murdered and the circumstances surrounding his death/execution.

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A2BFF @ AADL 6:00PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ AADL 6:00PM

All Library Shows are Free Admittance!

Timal Brothers (Guadeloupe 2023)

Dir. Marine Ottogalli

Timal brothers were born when the traditional Gwoka drums met the electronic music. These two musicians made for the stage got together and travelled back into the history of the Ka, a formerly forbidden instrument, to share its story through vibrant and contemporary musical creations.

The Life, The Legend, The Man: Reggie McKenzie (Farmington Hills 2024)

Dir. James C Turner

Reggie McKenzie was the NFL Offensive Lineman for the Buffalo Bills who encouraged OJ Simpson, and the Bills organization, to rush for 2003 yards in 1973. Not only was he the key person clearing a path for OJ to run, he was the inspirational leader powering the attack.
McKenzie also made history as a member of Bo Schembechler's first team at Michigan. The team that won the historic 1969 football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
At the height of his career, McKenzie immediately returned to his hometown of Highland Park, Michigan with the entire NFL roster in tow. He started a football camp and had NFL stars come coach the kids in the community. The impact was profound!
The camp is over 50 years old, has impacted thousands of children's lives, and is still going today. This film is a small testament of how this one man changed the world.

View Event →
A2BFF @ Third Mind Books 4:45PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ Third Mind Books 4:45PM

Shows at Third Mind Books are Free Admittance!

Stay Out of the Sun (Los Angeles 2024)

Dir.  Zola Franchi, Vivienne Ayres & Nidhi Kumar

A visual scrapbook of individuals' memories of colorism, recounting the messages they received about skin tone during their youth and examining how these experiences have left lasting imprints on their lives today.

Our Backyard Hist’ry (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Christopher Thomas Anderson

A Conductor of Ann Arbor's Underground Railroad Tour and a sole survivor of the greatest generation that ever lived, Scott F. McFadden's graphic description of history tells it like it was, and still is. A voice, so clear and with such passion, it speaks for an era without bitterness or self-pity among the dying and already dead. take a tour with us as we share Our Backyard Hist'ry.

Delong’s (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Kameron Donald

The story of DeLong's Bar-B-Q Pit, one of Ann Arbor's most famed bygone eateries.  In a history told by Diana McKnight-Morton, one of DeLong's founders, we learn about the idea for the restaurant being born out of the many heads that popped over the backyard fence during family barbecues and hear about the many people, Ann Arborites and those much more far-flung, who numbered it among their favorites.

a film called black: King's Speech (Chicago 2024)

Dir. Cam Be

‘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.

Relentless Warrior: Al Wheeler - Ann Arbor's First Black Mayor (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Carole Gibson

It's been 50 years since Al Wheeler’s historic campaign for Mayor of the City of Ann Arbor. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of his death. Relentless Warrior lifts up little-known facts of Dr. Wheeler’s amazing saga.  From humble beginnings to a whirlwind tour of top educational institutions, we share how Professor Wheeler shaped and shared a life of firsts with his equally impressive wife, Emma, and their accomplished family. We also hear from some of the people who knew Al best and helped him become the first Black Mayor of Ann Arbor, as well as win re-election with a one vote, precedent-setting result.

View Event →
A2BFF @ State Theater 4:25PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ State Theater 4:25PM

Driving the Green Book (Long Island 2024)

Dir. Mike De Caro, Alvin Hall, & Saro Varjabedian

Broadcaster and author Alvin Hall and his two young mentees Chrissy and Jaron travel across Long Island (NY) looking for locations once listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book. They retrieve hidden stories about how Black travelers endured segregation during the years the Green Book was published (1936 - 1967) while also uncovering new subtle ways in which the issues continue today. Location after location, our road-trippers create an exciting, emotional and inspiring travelogue.

Stoop Chat with Maani & Mr. Sweat (Brooklyn 2025)

Dir. Marj Kleinman & Christine Thomas Yoon

"Stoop Chat with Maani and Mr. Sweat" brings you to the Brooklyn stoops of Mr. Sweat, a dapper neighborhood elder and Vietnam veteran with old school swagger, and Maani, a young aspiring entrepreneur. Against the vibrant cultural backdrop of Bedford-Stuyvesant, this documentary captures the power of mentorship and the enduring spirit of Black identity. Through the simple act of playing stoop ball, wisdom is passed down, dreams take shape, and the lessons of the past help to guide the future. Exploring faith and masculinity, the short film tells the heartwarming story of the strength found in community, the lessons shared between generations, and the amazing transformative power of love.

LRSC (Land Rivers Spaghetti Catfish) (Chicago 2024)

Dir. Derek Anthony Holland

“Land Rivers Spaghetti Catfish,” is a short film and community centered research project done in conjunction with Fellows in the Black Midwest Initiative Fellowship. At its genesis, The fellows were asked to answer the question “What does the Midwest mean to you?” Fellow’s responses guided the form and narrative structure of the work configured by Derek with the use of only adapted footage from the midwestern United States. The film itself is an attempt to answer and further question the “midwest,” as a geopolitically, socially and culturally through people born and or raised there and those who recently migrated to or are transiting through the region. This project continues Derek’s research into modes of articulating fissures in everyday occurrences to question and criticize the modern world and identity.

Stay Out of the Sun (Los Angeles 2024)

Dir. Zola Franchi, Vivienne Ayres & Nidhi Kumar

A visual scrapbook of individuals' memories of colorism, recounting the messages they received about skin tone during their youth and examining how these experiences have left lasting imprints on their lives today.

View Event →
A2BFF @ AADL 3:30PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ AADL 3:30PM

All Library Shows are Free Admittance!

Bankie Banx: King of the Dune (Anguilla 2024)

Dir. Nara Garber

An exploration of the life of Bankie Banx, a man whose brain never turns off. The child who could not sit still became the ten-year-old who built his own guitar, who became the first Anguillian to make a living playing music, who became a local legend and an artist/entrepreneur who answers to no one while opening doors for friends and family and a generation of younger musicians. Bankie’s restless energy and creative drive forged paths where there were none, and he continues to find an outlet in his music, his ever-evolving beach bar, his music festival, and his regular tirades against corruption and neocolonialism. In spite of a world filled with obstacles, Bankie’s story and music will inspire you and other dreamers to stay the course and envision a better world.

View Event →
A2BFF @ Third Mind Books 2:45PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ Third Mind Books 2:45PM

Shows at Third Mind Books are Free Admittance!

Stay Out of the Sun (Los Angeles 2024)

Dir.  Zola Franchi, Vivienne Ayres & Nidhi Kumar

A visual scrapbook of individuals' memories of colorism, recounting the messages they received about skin tone during their youth and examining how these experiences have left lasting imprints on their lives today.

Our Backyard Hist’ry (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Christopher Thomas Anderson

A Conductor of Ann Arbor's Underground Railroad Tour and a sole survivor of the greatest generation that ever lived, Scott F. McFadden's graphic description of history tells it like it was, and still is. A voice, so clear and with such passion, it speaks for an era without bitterness or self-pity among the dying and already dead. take a tour with us as we share Our Backyard Hist'ry.

Delong’s (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Kameron Donald

The story of DeLong's Bar-B-Q Pit, one of Ann Arbor's most famed bygone eateries.  In a history told by Diana McKnight-Morton, one of DeLong's founders, we learn about the idea for the restaurant being born out of the many heads that popped over the backyard fence during family barbecues and hear about the many people, Ann Arborites and those much more far-flung, who numbered it among their favorites.

a film called black: King's Speech (Chicago 2024)

Dir. Cam Be

‘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.

Relentless Warrior: Al Wheeler - Ann Arbor's First Black Mayor (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Carole Gibson

It's been 50 years since Al Wheeler’s historic campaign for Mayor of the City of Ann Arbor. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of his death. Relentless Warrior lifts up little-known facts of Dr. Wheeler’s amazing saga.  From humble beginnings to a whirlwind tour of top educational institutions, we share how Professor Wheeler shaped and shared a life of firsts with his equally impressive wife, Emma, and their accomplished family. We also hear from some of the people who knew Al best and helped him become the first Black Mayor of Ann Arbor, as well as win re-election with a one vote, precedent-setting result.

View Event →
A2BFF @ State Theater 2:15PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ State Theater 2:15PM

Our Backyard Hist’ry (Ann Arbor 2024)

Dir. Christopher Thomas Anderson

A Conductor of Ann Arbor's Underground Railroad Tour and a sole survivor of the greatest generation that ever lived, Scott F. McFadden's graphic description of history tells it like it was, and still is. A voice, so clear and with such passion, it speaks for an era without bitterness or self-pity among the dying and already dead. take a tour with us as we share Our Backyard Hist'ry.

Something in the Water (Milwaukee 2024)

Dir. Nateya Taylor

Five water justice advocates discuss how Milwaukee’s Black communities are disproportionately being lead poisoned, and the debilitating effects it has on residents' health, with hopes to see equitable change that will heal the water and Black resident’s relationship with it.

St. John Street: Story of a Neighborhood (Flint 2023)

Dir. Justin Rodney Brown

In the city of Flint, Michigan there was once a thriving neighborhood of predominately Black citizens known as St. John Street. But that all changed when urban renewal and the highway came through the city. Displaced and forgotten for over 60 years, see the story of a community that no longer exists, forgotten in time, until now.

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A2BFF @ AADL 1:00PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ AADL 1:00PM

All Library Shows are Free Admittance!

Timal Brothers (Guadeloupe 2023)

Dir. Marine Ottogalli

Timal brothers were born when the traditional Gwoka drums met the electronic music. These two musicians made for the stage got together and travelled back into the history of the Ka, a formerly forbidden instrument, to share its story through vibrant and contemporary musical creations.

The Life, The Legend, The Man: Reggie McKenzie (Farmington Hills 2024)

Dir. James C Turner

Reggie McKenzie was the NFL Offensive Lineman for the Buffalo Bills who encouraged OJ Simpson, and the Bills organization, to rush for 2003 yards in 1973. Not only was he the key person clearing a path for OJ to run, he was the inspirational leader powering the attack.
McKenzie also made history as a member of Bo Schembechler's first team at Michigan. The team that won the historic 1969 football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
At the height of his career, McKenzie immediately returned to his hometown of Highland Park, Michigan with the entire NFL roster in tow. He started a football camp and had NFL stars come coach the kids in the community. The impact was profound!
The camp is over 50 years old, has impacted thousands of children's lives, and is still going today. This film is a small testament of how this one man changed the world.

View Event →
A2BFF @ State Theater 12PM
Jun
7

A2BFF @ State Theater 12PM

OBJECT PERMANENCE (New York 2025)

Dir. Juan Lopez

A memorial and testament to the absurd nature of loss.

The film functions as allegory, memory, poetry - a motif or representation of a body that is no longer there.
How do we - the living - reconcile that absence?
How do you reconcile that absence when you see yourself reflected in that loss?
Grief is confusing and grief is non-linear.
Object Permanence is a haunting, not a resolution.

Songs From the Sky (Grand Rapids 2024)

In this emotionally charged short film, a mother named Phylis discovers that her daughter Cecilla has secretly learned to read—a dangerous act for enslaved people in the South. Caught between pride and fear, Phylis struggles with whether to encourage her daughter’s growing intellect or suppress it to keep her safe. The film offers a compelling dual perspective, allowing viewers to understand both the mother’s internal conflict and the daughter’s quiet defiance. A thought-provoking and visually striking film that is well worth the watch.

Say Your Name (Massachusetts 2024)

Dir. Matthew Francis Kerr

This powerful film follows a young man, Marcus Jones, as he navigates the emotional and psychological hurdles of pursuing a career in acting. As he chases his dream, Marcus is forced to confront his personal demons, making for a deeply human and relatable journey. The film stands out with its strong cinematography and a compelling plot that unfolds with sincerity and heart. With a beautiful and moving ending, it’s filled with heartfelt moments that resonate. A must-watch for those who appreciate realistic stories of struggle and perseverance, this film is both inspiring and rewarding.

Bad Day: Good Man Gone Bad (Farmington Hills 2024)

Dir. Kendrick McLin

Gabriel, a federal agent has had a troubled personal life, despite being a talented and highly decorated agent. Things are about to change in a major way, when Gabriel is faced with a choice. Continue on the straight and narrow, or take a ride down a dark path of corruption, crime and no return.

evergreen (Baltimore 2024)

Dir. Cierra Andrea Gladden

During her final Thanksgiving as a college student, Andrea struggles to see eye-to-eye with her mother, Victoria, sparking an argument that will critically define their relationship from that night forward.

EVERGREEN grounds all-too-familiar coming-of-age fears and anxieties within a narrative that tests the patiences of a mother and a daughter at odds with one another, unsure if either will rise above themselves to see the bigger picture.

Mind Games (Los Angeles 2024)

Dir. Paula Walker

A date gone awry. Two lonely people meet at a hotel in a desperate attempt to find love. Neither get what they expect.

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2025 A2BFF - Day 1
Jun
6

2025 A2BFF - Day 1

All Library Shows are Free Admittance!

Three’s A Crowd (Los Angeles 2024)

Dir. Chanessa Richa'rd
A teenage overachiever attempts to reconcile the relationship between her dad and newfound brother while dealing with sexual abuse in her mother's home.

Bankie Banx: King of the Dune (Anguilla 2024)

Dir. Nara Garber

An exploration of the life of Bankie Banx, a man whose brain never turns off. The child who could not sit still became the ten-year-old who built his own guitar, who became the first Anguillian to make a living playing music, who became a local legend and an artist/entrepreneur who answers to no one while opening doors for friends and family and a generation of younger musicians. Bankie’s restless energy and creative drive forged paths where there were none, and he continues to find an outlet in his music, his ever-evolving beach bar, his music festival, and his regular tirades against corruption and neocolonialism. In spite of a world filled with obstacles, Bankie’s story and music will inspire you and other dreamers to stay the course and envision a better world.

View Event →
Virtual Q & A with the Filmmakers of Breaking Boundaries
Sep
15

Virtual Q & A with the Filmmakers of Breaking Boundaries

Join us for a discussion with Nastasya Generalova and documentarian Dina Burlis about their film Breaking Boundaries.

Californian teenager, Nastasya Generalova, was raised by her single white Russian mother, Olga who enrolled Nastasya in rhythmic gymnastics when she was four years old as a way for her to connect to the homeland. This film looks at Nastasya's personal journey of expression as the only black girl in Team USA, as well as her relationship with her mother in the stressful lead up to Tokyo Olympics qualification.

Click on the link below to join us. Limited capacity available.

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See Class of Her Own with the Film Director
Sep
10

See Class of Her Own with the Film Director

Class of Her Own @ EMU

When: September 10, 2024, 4:00pm to 6:00pm, EST

Where: Ballroom, EMU’s Student Center

Refreshments Available!

This film-screening event is free and includes a follow-up panel dialogue, audience Comments, Questions & Answers.

LBC Credit Approved

For questions, contact Dr. Victor Okafor: vokafor@emich.edu.

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2026 Films

Design with large white numbers '2025' on a black background, featuring a clenched fist inside the zero, surrounded by a laurel wreath made of butterflies, with a tree at the bottom center.

2025 Films

A stylized tree with white branches and round ornaments on a black background, surrounded by a decorative white wreath with small stars and leaves.

2024 Films