Black American Film Festival
EXTRA RESOURCES
The “Jane Crow” that Pauli Murray was subjected to is the same phenomena that led to Kimberle Crenshaw’s development of intersectionality. Listen to her explain:
Listen to this conversation with Pauli Murray’s niece about Pauli’s history and family legacy on Spotify:
Learn more about Pauli Murray and their legacy through the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice.
Boots Riley discusses the roots of Sorry to Bother You’s commentary on the intersection between race and class:
James Baldwin on race as an extension of capitalism and economic power:
Read more of Baldwin’s thoughts here.
- Read about how Stella Meghie, the director of The Photograph, reimagined the Black love story to make this film.
- This list is a great place to start identifying and engaging with modern representations of Black joy and love.
- Watch the recent PBS series “Making Black America: Through the Grapevine” which highlights the radical persistence of Black love, joy, and expression throughout the history of the United States.
Watch the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2020 performance of “Revelations,” a choreographic masterpiece that has become a lasting cultural treasure beloved by generations. The piece, which premiered in 1960, pays homage to and reflects African-American cultural heritage, which Ailey considered one of America’s richest treasures – “sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful.”
Watch this short film Magically Ordinary from Cara Hagen (who created the introduction for the Ailey screening). It is one out of six in a series that Hagen describes as “A collection of short, digital self-portraits that explore the site of my brown, femme body as place. In this exploration of place, I reclaim and declare the site of my body and its contents as sacred and magical, while owning anger, sadness, and all the questions that come from being a human being in relationship to other human beings.”
Director, Dee Rees has a compelling conversation about making Pariah as an independent film, the space it inhabits in the film industry, and Rees’ personal story.
Explore this interactive document which highlights the ways that “Black is Queer“ through the music, history, definitions , and personal stories of Black LGBTQIA+ plus people.
Listen to Indya Moore share her poem “Can I Come Too,” which highlights how Black queer people seek out belonging.
One Night in Miami is an imagining of what may have happened. Click here to read a more historical take on that night and the legacy of those involved.
Director, Regina King demonstrates the artistry of filmmaking as she explains the meaning in one scene from the film.
The cast from the film discuss the legacy and everyday implications of Black representation in front of, and behind the screen.
“Fast Color” plays with Afrofuturist themes with literal portrayals of “Black girl magic.” Watch this video that gives more detail on the history and necessity of imagining Blackness outside of our current limits of time and space.
Read more here about the cultural impact that comes with Blackness existing in places that aren’t yet “normal” (heroes, space travelers, nerds etc.)
Be on the lookout for “My Dad the Bounty Hunter” from Everett Downy Jr. one of the co-creators of “Hair Love.” The feature-length animated film premieres on Netflix in 2023.