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A still from Tongues Untied shows two Black men holding one another. They are not wearing shirts, and are looking at the camera with stern expressions.

(Screening)

Sep 8, 2026

Tongues Untied

Join us for the first screening of the People's Cinema Club, Marlon Riggs' Tongues Untied, hosted by BlackStar.

A black-and white still from The Arch (1968), dir. T'ang Shushuen of a group of people in a salon type setting in China. Two are playing a table game and one is sowing a cloth. The image is manipulated so that the pieces of the frame are slightly different.

(Conversation)

Sep 30, 2026, 3:00 PM

Seen 010 Reading

Join us for a special reading of “Seen But Not Visible: The Paradox of Film Restoration” from Seen 010, by Koel Chu.

(Gala)

Nov 20, 2026

2026 Luminary Gala

BlackStar's annual benefit honoring the people who move culture forward.

A photo of a group of people sitting together, one is looking at a journal and reading from it to the ground. There others appear to be listening intently.

(Seminar)

Mar 5, 2027 – Mar 7, 2027

2027 BlackStar Greaves Seminar

A seminar for Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists working in cinematic realms, hosted by BlackStar. Call for Proposals now open.

Featured Programs

A photo of a seated audience intently watching or listening to something out-of-frame.

(Club)

A new microcinema powered by BlackStar at the Village of Industry and Art.

(Festival)

An annual celebration of the visual and storytelling traditions of the African diaspora and of global communities of color, showcasing films by Black, Brown and Indigenous artists from around the world.

(Seminar)

A three-day seminar for Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists working in cinematic realms, hosted by BlackStar.

(Seen)

A journal of film and visual culture. Issue 010 now available for pre-order.

Learn More Buy Now

A photo of a young Black man operating a film camera. He is wearing a black hat and glasses.

(Lab)

A year-long fellowship with BlackStar for Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers in Philadelphia.

A photo of Maori Karmael Holmes recording an episode of Many Lumens

(Podcast)

In this podcast, BlackStar founder Maori Karmael Holmes chats with the most groundbreaking artists, change makers, and cultural workers — finding meaning in the intersections of art, social change, and popular culture.

Listen Subscribe

Recent News

(Press Release)

Sep 10, 2026

BlackStar Projects Announces 2026 Luminary Gala

This year's gala will honor Mahershala Ali, Mara Brock Akil, John Simmons and Firelight Media.

(Press Release)

Aug 11, 2026

2026 Edition of BlackStar Film Festival Celebrates 15 Years

The 15th annual BlackStar Film Festival brought thousands of attendees together in Philadelphia for four days of boundary-pushing cinema, lively conversations and community gatherings, culminating in jury and audience awards honoring standout films from the 2026 program.

(Press Release)

Jul 9, 2026

BlackStar Projects Releases Full Schedule of Programs for 2026 Film Festival

Beyond the screenings, the 2026 BlackStar Film Festival offers four days of conversations, live events, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, community gatherings and special programs that deepen engagement with the artists and ideas shaping contemporary cinema.

A black-and-white film still from Black Lions – Roman Wolves shows a Black woman with an afro standing forward next to her horse. She is wearing a soldier’s uniform and holding her horse’s reins in her right hand.

(Press Release)

Jul 9, 2026

BlackStar Film Festival Announces 2026 Opening and Closing Night Selections

Two films rooted in histories of resistance, memory and collective identity will bookend this year's BlackStar Film Festival.

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