Films from a black perspective are films that are more in the order of weapons in the struggle for freedom, for equality, for liberation and self‑expression, and for all those human rights... William Greaves, Filmmaker

As we celebrate 50 years of the Newark Black Film Festival, we reflect on a legacy of bold vision and voices in Black film.

This program celebrates the community as filmmaker. These films were not made to sell tickets in movie theaters — they were collectively created by community entities to confront local power, preserve local histories and effect local change.

Join us for this dynamic curation of radical short documentaries, made across geographies, over the past 50 years, about, by and in service to Black communities across the United States.

Following this screening will be a panel discussion featuring MacArthur prize-winning documentary filmmaker and founding executive director of Philadelphia’s Scribe Video Center, Louis Massiah.  The panel will be moderated by Yvonne Michelle Shirley, director of Express Newark’s Community Media Center.

This program is inspired by the 2022 WE TELL: Fifty Years of Community Participatory Media National Touring Exhibition.

This event is part of the 50th Newark Black Film Festival!

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