BlackStar Film Festival
 | |
| Location | Philadelphia, United States |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founded by | Maori Karmael Holmes |
| Festival date | Opening: 31 July 2025 Closing: 3 August 2025 |
| Language | English, American Sign Language |
| Website | www |
The BlackStar Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by BlackStar Projects. The festival focuses on films about and by black, brown and indigenous people from around the world.[1] It takes place each August in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It has been described as the "Black Sundance."[2][3]
The festival is named after Marcus Garvey's shipping line, the Black Star Line.[3] It was founded in 2012 by Maori Karmael Holmes, with the first BlackStar Film Festival initially conceived as a one-day "microfestival" that, due to the large number of submissions, ultimately turned into a four-day international event.[4] Holmes developed the festival due to her view that there were very few film festivals for Black filmmakers,[5] as well as a desire to share stories that go beyond stereotypical representations of people of color.[6] Backers of the festival include the MacArthur Foundation, the Knight Foundation, HBO, CAA, Comcast, and Lionsgate.[3]
The first festival included a master class and screening of part of Middle of Nowhere by Ava DuVernay.[7][8] Produced by nonprofit BlackStar Projects, that festival included 40 films from four continents.[5] Later festivals have included films by Arthur Jafa,[9] Ja'Tovia Gary,[10] Terence Nance, Jenn Nkiru,[11] Gabourey Sidibe,[12] Janine Sherman Barrois,[13] Darius Clark Monroe, Shatara Michelle Ford,[14] Garrett Bradley,[15] and Naima Ramos-Chapman. Panels have included Bradford Young, Rashid Shabazz,[4] Spike Lee, and Tarana Burke.[16]
Yaba Blay, Akiba Solomon, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter have all previously served on the advisory board of the festival.[17]
In 2024, the festival had over 17,000 attendees.[18]
Sister programming from Blackstar Projects includes Seen, a biannual journal of art and writing; a seminar for artists of color; a fellowship; and exhibitions.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Blichert, Frederick (July 4, 2019). "Questlove, Alex Gibney-produced hip hop docuseries to screen at BlackStar Film Fest". RealScreen. Archived from the original on 2019-07-04. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Hatmaker, Julia (August 4, 2017). "'The Black Sundance' is under way in Philadelphia". PennLive. Archived from the original on 2019-07-24. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ a b c Obenson, Tambay (August 1, 2019). "BlackStar: How a Film Festival for People of Color Became 'the Black Sundance'". Indiewire. Archived from the original on 2019-08-01. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
- ^ a b Allen, Taylor (February 28, 2019). "How one woman expanded a Philadelphia-based black film festival to the international stage". WHYY. Archived from the original on 2019-02-28. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ a b c Hellmann, Melissa (2025-07-30). "The 'Black Sundance' honoring film-makers of color and focusing on community building". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2025-08-11. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ "BlackStar Film Festival: Celebrate Black Independent Films in Philly". EBONY. 2012-08-02. Archived from the original on 2022-09-27. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ Zeglen, Julie (February 20, 2018). "Maori Karmael Holmes moved to LA to work for Ava DuVernay. What about BlackStar?". Generocity. Archived from the original on 2019-06-20. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Rickey, Carrie (October 5, 2012). "She's a Graduate of an Unusual Film School: Ava DuVernay and Middle of Nowhere". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Tomkins, Calvin (December 14, 2020). "Arthur Jafa's Radical Alienation". The New Yorker. Conde Nast. Archived from the original on 2020-12-14. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Marine, Brooke (August 8, 2023). "Ja'Tovia Gary Grew Up on the Internet". The Cut. New York Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-07-20. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Tillet, Salamishah (August 3, 2022). "At the BlackStar Film Festival, a Revelatory Understanding of Cinema". The New York Times. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2022-08-03. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Hornaday, Ann (August 17, 2017). "Festivals celebrating black films provide cinematic safe space when it's sorely needed". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2017-08-18. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Brara, Noor (August 2, 2018). "8 Standout Films to See at This Year's Blackstar Film Festival in Philadelphia". Vogue. Archived from the original on 2018-08-02. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Elfadl, Murtada (August 5, 2024). "'Dreams in Nightmares' Review: A Subversive Take on the Road Movie". Variety. Archived from the original on 2025-01-04. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Choudhury, Bedatri (August 20, 2020). "A Celebration of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Stories". Hyperallergic. Archived from the original on 2020-08-22. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Sims, Megan (July 15, 2019). "Spike Lee and Tarana Burke to participate in 2019 BlackStar Film Festival". TheGrio. Archived from the original on 2019-07-15. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ "Board". BlackStar Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2020-05-07. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Beltran, Alana (2025-07-02). "BlackStar Film Festival set to return for its 14th year in Philadelphia". NBC10 Philadelphia. Archived from the original on 2025-08-12. Retrieved 2025-08-16.