3rd Black American Film Festival
Sankofa Stories: You’ve got to know where you’ve been to know where you’re going.

Hosted by Dr. Erin Watley

Black Ice

2022; 1 h 36 m; R for language including racial slurs.

Black Ice exposes a history of racism in hockey through the untold stories of Black hockey players, both past and present, in a predominantly white sport.

Directed by Academy Award®- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Hubert Davis, Black Ice masterfully navigates the challenges, triumphs, and unique experiences faced by these athletes through poignant firsthand accounts from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) hockey players past, including Willie O’Ree, the first Black player in the National Hockey League, and former professional hockey player Akim Aliu, with the stories of present stars, including P.K. Subban and Wayne Simmonds. The film explores the deep BIPOC roots of the game, dating back to 1865 and the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes (CHL), the first all-pro league, which not only introduced the slapshot but shaped the game of hockey we know today. Davis exposes racist patterns that span generations, even highlighting stories of how sports institutions have exerted pressure on players seeking change to remain silent.

A reflection note:

Did you know that hockey has been a Black sport since the 1800’s? Black Ice explores the influence that Black people have always had on the sport and the damage caused in the present when that legacy isn’t acknowledged.

Each Black American Film Festival screening will feature a brief introduction and a facilitated post-show discussion with Dr. Watley (Assoc. Professor of Communication & Cinema at McDaniel College).