Happy Black History Month!

We have a treat coming at the end of this month, but we are also excited to announce our upcomming film series dedicated to the life of African American filmmaking pioneer 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.

Exhibition Details coming soon!

Featured Films:

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.

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.