The Seminar is a gathering for Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists working in cinematic realms. It will take place in-person only at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.

Registration and pass purchase is required. We have three levels of passes available, depending on your preference and financial ability, but all provide the same access to programming.

The Seminar begins at 9AM PST on March 8, 2024 and goes through 6PM PST on March 10, 2024.

For all other questions, please contact seminar@blackstarfest.org.

Participants can expect to explore the technical and creative aspects of media-making, while having honest conversations about the successes and pitfalls of their work.  Our environment considers the intersection of cinema and visual arts, and is exclusively designed for people of color to focus and not manage the added burden of representation.

The Seminar is named after visionary filmmakers William and Louise Greaves, who together co-produced landmark documentaries such as  Symbiopsychotaxiplasm and Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey. Read more about the importance of William’s decades-long career, which included over 200 documentary films, here. See program highlights below.

The 2024 Seminar will take place on the campus of Stanford University with specific locations and venue information to be announced.

Recommended Hotels:

Sheraton Palo Alto 

625 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301

(7mins walking distance from campus) 

Westin Palo Alto

675 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301

(9 mins walking distance from campus)

Recommended Airports:

• San Francisco International Airport

(25 mins driving distance from campus)

• San Jose Mineta International Airport 

(23 mins driving distance from campus)