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For all press inquiries, please contact: blackstar@culturalcounsel.com

For other questions, please contact our Communications Director, Imran Siddiquee, imran@blackstarfest.org

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In the News

BlackStar Film Festival’s short films center love from fresh perspectives – Artblog
“Writing With Fire” leads non-fiction winners at BlackStar Film Festival – RealScreen
Eyimofe Wins Best Feature Narrative At BlackStar Film Festival – The Guardian Nigeria
A new ‘Eyes on the Prize’ to premiere at the BlackStar Film Festival – Philadelphia Tribune
BlackStar Film Fest is world-premiering the new ‘Eyes on the Prize’ before it goes to HBO Max, and I’m Philly proud to say so. – Philadelphia Inquirer
Nehad Khader on How the BlackStar Film Fest Cultivates a Cultural Conversation Across Borders – The Moveable Feast
As It Turns 10, the BlackStar Film Festival Continues to Be More Than Just ‘the Black Sundance’ – IndieWire
BlackStar Film Festival returns for its 10th year – WHYY
The Citizen Recommends: BlackStar Film Festival – The Philadelphia Citizen
At Work With: Maori Karmael Holmes – magCulture
‘BlackStar Live!’, ‘The Fleecing,’ honoring Nina Simone and more this weekend – Broad Street Review
‘Test Pattern’ Trailer: Shatara Michelle Ford’s Complex #MeToo Drama Is a Must-See Gem — IndieWire
The Stack, “Episode 348” (Seen) — Monocle
BlackStar Projects expanding on film festival to celebrate 10 years – Philly Voice
Don’t Call It a Comeback: 2021 Film Festivals Remain Vital in Whatever Form They Take – IndieWire
BlackStar Festival’s Maori Karmael Holmes talks Seen, a new magazine about filmmaking and visual culture – Philadelphia Inqurier
Why I’m Starting a New Film and Visual Culture Journal Made By and For Us – Blavity
BlackStar Launches New Magazine – WHYY
BIPOC visual culture journal Seen launches with “irreverent” design – DesignWeek
BlackStar Film Festival Names ‘Miss Juneteenth’ Best Narrative Feature – The Hollywood Reporter
BlackStar Film Festival Returns with First Virtual Edition – Whitewall
In these BlackStar films, workers become the heroes in all their complexity – Philadelphia Inquirer
A Celebration of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Stories – Hyperallergic
BlackStar Film Festival Presents New Movies from Black, Brown, and Indigenous Creators – Teen Vogue
The 2020 BlackStar Film Festival is going virtual. Here’s what to look for. – Philadelphia Inquirer
BlackStar Film Festival: 10 Films and Panels to Watch at the 2020 Edition of the ‘Black Sundance’ – IndieWire
Never been to a film festival before? Thanks to COVID, they’re more accessible than ever – USA Today
BlackStar Film Fest showcases queer cinema – Philadelphia Gay News
BlackStar Film Festival finds a new home at Philly’s Annenberg Center – WHYY
The Best Things to Do Before the Summer Is Out – AnOther Magazine
The Culture Lover’s August Guide – Harper’s Bazaar
Philly’s BlackStar Film Festival announces all-virtual lineup with more than 80 screenings – The Philadelphia Tribune
BlackStar Film Festival sets lineup for digital festival – Real Screen
BlackStar Film Festival Lineup Includes Films From Over 20 Countries – MovieMaker Magazine
Philadelphia’s ninth BlackStar Film Festival goes virtual – Philly Voice
Philly’s BlackStar Film Festival announces all-virtual lineup with more than 80 screenings – BillyPenn
BlackStar Film Festival Goes Digital for 2020 Edition – Real Screen
BlackStar Moves August Film Festival Online – MovieMaker Magazine
BlackStar Film Festival Goes Virtual Amid Pandemic (Exclusive) – The Hollywood Reporter
BlackStar and three Philly DJs connect for three weekends of spiritual ‘Revival!’ – Broad Street Review
More than 1,000 Philly artists, art administrators call for defunding the police department – WHYY
From ‘Boyz n the Hood’ to ‘Whose Streets?’: Films That Explore Black Experiences – Wall Street Journal
Film Festivals Aren’t Just Surviving Online, They’re Creating a Better Future – IndieWire
Film Academy Allocates $2.5 Million in Grants to 96 Organizations – Variety
BlackStar Festival | A Love Song for Latasha – FLAUNT
Breakout movie director centers Black Philly girls — meet her at a watch party and live Q&A – Billy Penn
‘A Love Song for Latasha’ screening – Timeout
Love and Grit: Episode 5 – VisitPhilly
Here’s What’s Still Open for Business in Hollywood – IndieWire
Meet BlackStar Film Festival CEO Maori Karmael Holmes – RollingOut

2019 Press Mentions

Press Releases

BlackStar Film Festival Announces Winners for 10th Annual Festival – 8/9/2021
BlackStar Announces Programs, Closing Night World Premiere for 10th Anniversary Film Festival – 7/20/2021
BlackStar Announces 10th Anniversary Festival Lineup – 7/6/2021
BlackStar Launches Second Issue of Seen – 5/25/2021
BlackStar Celebrates 10th Anniversary with 2021 Festival – 4/1/2021
New Revival! Installation at The Fabric Workshop and Museum – 2/26/2021
BlackStar Projects Announces Staff and Board Additions – 2/9/2021
BlackStar Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Announces New Year-Round Programs – 1/11/2021
BlackStar Launches Film and Visual Culture Journal Seen – 11/11/2020
BlackStar Film Festival Wraps Up 9th Year, Announces Winners for 2020 Competition
– 8/27/2020
BlackStar Film Festival Programs Include Panels, Conversations, Screenings, and Parties – 8/13/2020
Maori Karmael Holmes Appointed at Annenberg Center and Annenberg School – 8/10/2020
BlackStar Film Festival Announces Full Lineup, Ticketing, and More for 2020 Edition – 7/16/2020
BlackStar Film Festival Goes Digital – 6/25/2020
BlackStar Presents Revival!, a Series of Virtual Celebrations for Collective Joy and Resilience – 6/8/2020
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Announces 2020 Grant Recipients – 5/12/2020
BlackStar Hosts Exclusive Screenings of A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA on Anniversary of L.A. Uprisings – 4/30/2020
Major New Grants and Full-Time Staff Announced – 4/7/2020
2019 Festival Award Winners Announced – 8/6/2019
2019 Closing Night Film Announced – 7/12/2019

Photo Gallery

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By Indie Means Necessary

BlackStar Projects, home of the annual BlackStar Film Festival, celebrates and provides platforms for visionary Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists.

Twitter

@BlackStarFest - 12 hours

Now on @Watch_Argo, a curated playlist of short films that have screened at BlackStar Film Festival over the years.… https://t.co/zIKMqyynLk

@BlackStarFest - 14 hours

CHÈCHE LAVI, "a lyrical portrait of two Haitian migrants...who find themselves stranded at the US-Mexico border," h… https://t.co/9b9399iFKK

Instagram

We collaborated with @watch.argo to curate a playl

We collaborated with @watch.argo to curate a playlist of short films which have previously screened at BlackStar Film Festival! You can watch all these shorts today by signing up for a free trial of Argo (link in bio), a social streaming platform that focuses on shorts and seeks to support filmmakers. ⁠⁠
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The BlackStar Film Festival playlist includes:⁠⁠
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We Can't Cop Cars Without ⁠⁠Seeing Cop Cars ⁠⁠
dir. by Fahamu Pecou ⁠⁠
@fahamupecou⁠⁠
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Braiding and Singing (a point) ⁠⁠
dir. by Rashida Bumbray⁠⁠
@sunrara⁠⁠
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DVD & Chill ⁠⁠
dir. by Johnny Ray Gill⁠⁠
@johnnyraygill⁠⁠
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Midnight Oil ⁠⁠
dir. by Bilal Motley⁠⁠
@bilalmotley⁠⁠
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A Song About Love ⁠⁠
dir. by Rikkí Wright⁠⁠
@rikkwright⁠⁠
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By Way of Canarsie⁠⁠
dir. by Emily Packer & Lesley Steele⁠⁠
@marginalgapgirl @quiet.conqueror⁠⁠
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In Hot Time ⁠⁠
dir. by Leah Solomon & Jesus Hilario-Reyes⁠⁠
@kahsai_ @morenxx_x⁠⁠
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Learn more at watchargo.com.

#BlackStar10 #byindiemeansnecessary

"For [Felicia D.] Henderson, working on Family Mat

"For [Felicia D.] Henderson, working on Family Matters offered an introduction to a defining feature of her long career in Hollywood. Negotiated authenticity is the phrase she uses to describe what many Black screenwriters are tasked with producing—Blackness, sure, but only of a kind that is acceptable to white showrunners, studio executives, and viewers." Hannah Giorgis (@hannahgiorgis) in a recent article for @theatlantic on the history of Blackness in television production.⁠⁠
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You can read/listen to the full article at the link in our bio.⁠⁠
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[Image Description: The first image is an illustration from Danielle Del Plato which features a towering stack of vintage televisions. On the screens, stills from popular Black television shows can be seen, creating a collage. The second image is a graphic displaying the title of Giorgis' article "Most Hollywood Writer's Rooms Look Nothing Like America: Could that finally be changing?" The last graphic shows a quote from Hannah Giorgis, as written above.]

Our 10th Anniversary Print Sale Continues with a n

Our 10th Anniversary Print Sale Continues with a new limited edition print from interdisciplinary artist and scholar Dr. Fahamu Pecou! @fahamupecou’s work (#BSFF13, #BSFF17, #BSFF20) combines observations on hip-hop, fine art, and popular culture, while addressing concerns around contemporary representations of Black masculinity. He was most recently at BlackStar Film Festival in 2020 with the short film "We Can't Cop Cars Without Seeing Cop Cars."⁠⁠
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His contribution to the print sale is titled "While Seed." There are only 30 prints available.⁠⁠
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Check out the link in our bio to learn more!
⁠⁠
Fahamu Pecou⁠⁠
While Seed⁠⁠
2020⁠⁠
8.5 x 11 in.⁠⁠
Pigment print⁠⁠
Edition of 30⁠⁠

#BlackStar10
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[Image Descriptions: The first image is of the piece "While Seed" by Dr. Fahamu Pecou. It depicts two Black people dressed in loose clothing. One sits on the ground and wraps an arm around their leg. The second figure, who seems shirtless, leans on the back of the first whilst turning their head to look at something in the distance. The next image features the same art with the title and artist's name included. The third is a graphic advertising BlackStar's 10th Anniversary Print Sale.]

"Seeing this archive and working on this and still

"Seeing this archive and working on this and still, you know, discovering films, I just know that there are just so many radical ideas and expressions of Blackness in Black cinema's past that can really help shape Black cinema's future." - Maya Cade (@sooulamazing) in an @npr interview on the creation and importance of the recently launched Black Film Archive. ⁠⁠
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@theblackfilmarchive showcases Black films made from 1915 to 1979 that are currently streaming.⁠⁠
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Read/listen to the full interview at the link in our bio and visit the archive itself at blackfilmarchive.com.
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[First image is a still from Dry Wood, a 1973 documentary short directed by Les Blank with Maureen Gosling. It shows a Black person in a teal shirt and thick-framed glasses playing a violin. The BFA noted that it is currently available to watch via Criterion Channel.]

Such a heartbreaking and tremendous loss... ⁠
⁠Here is Michael K. Williams speaking on stage at the 2014 BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia, with @rashidzakat. ⁠
⁠
Rest in peace. 🙏🏾 🖤 ⁠
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Photo by @primarilydave⁠

If you're still reflecting on last month's festiva

If you're still reflecting on last month's festival (we definitely are!) check out Issue 002 of @seen_journal, where a number of films and panelists from #BSFF21 are also featured! Here are just a few examples: ⁠⁠
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"The importance of who sits behind the camera—who gets to edit, frame, and share a piece of media— is a fact that the film itself reminds us of repeatedly." — @imransiddiquee reviews WRITING WITH FIRE from directors @rintuthomas and @mentalsyrup⁠. @writingwithfire.film won Best Feature Documentary at this year's festival.⁠⁠
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"Indeed, perpetual alienation from land has defined Blackness in the Americas." - @cacata_fea in their review of @liboriofilm. In addition to screening LIBORIO at the festival, director @ninomartinezsosa appeared on the "Caribbean Film and Relational Poetics" panel (along with Issue 002 guest editor, @dahsawn).⁠⁠
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@jlin_p, who you may have seen on the Composer's Roundtable panel during the festival, contributed a one-of-a-kind annotated score to this issue. This is only available in the print edition!⁠⁠
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Read the above reviews and more on the #SeenJournal site, where you can also buy the physical copy. Link in our bio!⁠⁠
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All panels and conversations are available to re-watch via our Facebook page as well.⁠

#BlackStar10
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[Image Descriptions: The first image is a still from the film "Writing With Fire" and shows three people sitting and looking at something off-screen. One person holds up a video camera to record a video. The second image is a quote from Imran Siddiquee, as written above. The third image is a still from the film Liborio that shows a line of people walking in a mountainous region. They all wear hats or head coverings and gaze at something off-screen. The fourth image is a quote from Dixa Ramirez D’Oleo written out above. The fifth image is a photo by David Evan McDowell showing a spread from Seen, open to Jlin's annotated score for Tower.]

Are you thinking of applying to BlackStar's *new*

Are you thinking of applying to BlackStar's *new* Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab? Join us this Friday, September 3, for an info session to learn more about the application process and program!⁠⁠
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🕐 Info Session | Friday, Sept 3 | 1 PM ET
📝 Register via the link in bio or at blackstarfest.org/lab⁠⁠
🗓 Applications are due September 13⁠⁠
⁠⁠
BlackStar is proud to present the inaugural Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab, uplifting emerging and mid-career Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists in the Greater Philadelphia area. The Lab will support four filmmakers by making equipment, space, crew, mentorship, funding and critical feedback available over the course of a 12-month program. BlackStar will act as an executive producer on the short films created and premiere them at the 2022 BlackStar Film Festival. The Lab is a partnership with Comcast with additional support from All Ages Productions, Independence Public Media Foundation, Kickstarter, Vimeo, and Wyncote Foundation.⁠⁠
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#PhillyFilmmakerLab #byindiemeansnecessary ⁠⁠
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[Image Descriptions: Two-card carousel advertises BlackStar's Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab Info Session on Sept 3, and the subsequent deadline for lab applications, which is Sept 13. Both cards feature the headline text accompanied by a multi-colored gradient circle, all against light gray. The second card also highlights the Comcast and "Black Experience on Xfinity" logos.]

We're excited to continue our 10th Anniversary Pri

We're excited to continue our 10th Anniversary Print Sale with a new limited edition print from festival alumnus @andreapippins (BSFF13, BSFF14, BSFF15, BSFF16, BSFF17, BSFF18, BSFF19)! An incredibly skilled graphic designer, Andrea Pippins has worked on illustration and graphic design projects for ESPN, Instagram, Malala Fund, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and many more. Pippins' work centers on her mission of empowering women and girls through creative expression.⁠⁠
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Her contribution to our print sale is titled "Coiffuture: Shine," and is a limited edition; only 30 will be available for purchase. Head to the link in our bio to learn more and purchase your print!⁠⁠
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#BSFF21 #BlackStar10 #ByIndieMeansNecessary⁠⁠
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[Image Description: The first image shows the print "Coiffuture: Shine" by Andrea Pippins. It is an illustration of a person with several halo-like rings above their head. An antenna can be seen at the top of this multi-layered halo. The second image is an announcement for the BlackStar 10th Anniversary Print Sale.]

The 10th annual BlackStar Film Festival officially

The 10th annual BlackStar Film Festival officially wrapped up earlier this week — and that means it's time for some rest and reflection! These photos capture just some of the many people that came together safely to make this year's hybrid festival happen online and off. Huge thanks and gratitude to the entire BlackStar staff, festival team, volunteers, juries, program committees, panelists, filmmakers, performers, board members, vendors, attendees, sponsors, community partners and everyone else who made the festival possible amidst yet another challenging year.⁠⁠
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We're taking some time off as a team and will be posting only occasionally over the next two weeks 😌. Meanwhile, you can catch up on any panels you missed on our Facebook page or grab some #BSFF21 merch while it lasts at the link in bio!⁠ 🖤 🖤 🖤⁠⁠

#BlackStar10 #byindiemeansnecessary
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📸 @embassy730 & @terrellhalseyart⁠⁠
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[Image Descriptions: Three photos show groups of people posing during the 10th BlackStar film festival. The first is taken outside of a restaurant, the second is outside in front of the festival's pink step-and-repeat, and the third is taken at the radio station where The Daily Jawn was filmed.]

2020 Festival Re-cap

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