24 HOURS OF BLACK FUTURES BLACK AI FILM FESTIVAL
AI FilmmakingAI FuturesChicagoFestivals June 14, 2026
A Good Eye: Capturing Joy
ChicagoDocumentaryIn-ProductionUnited StatesWorks-in-Progress May 27, 2026
INTERVIEW: Chris Adams: Building Worlds from the South Side
ChicagoDirectorsFeaturesFilm HistoryFilm ShowcaseInterviewsProductionUnited States October 18, 2025
Christopher Adams, a Chicago native and founder of Impakt Studio, combines self-reliance with creativity in film and animation. His versatile works include Grammy-nominated music videos and documentaries. Influenced by his father’s ingenuity, Adams emphasizes care in storytelling, aiming to rewrite narratives about Chicago’s Black community while fostering an independent film ecosystem.
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The Yasuke Reclamation: Moving the African Samurai From Colonial Novelty to Global South Hero
AnimationBFM News and UpdatesCommunityDramatic FeatureFeaturesFilm HistoryInternationalJapanReflectionsSouth AfricaUnited StatesWorks-in-Progress October 14, 2025
The story of Yasuke, the African samurai, has become a global Rorschach test. For Hollywood, he is a box-office premise. For gamers, a controversial character.
But for those of us engaged in global Black cinema, he represents a far more urgent question: Who has the right to tell our stories — and from what soil must those stories grow?
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2025 Black Perspectives | Chicago International Film Festival
CameroonCommentaryCuratorsEast AfricaExhibitionFestival CalendarFestivalsUK/EuropeUnited States October 20, 2025
A pre-history: The Black Perspectives program at the Chicago International Film Festival, celebrating its 28th year, honors decades of efforts by filmmakers and communities to highlight Black cinema. Festivals emerged to provide a platform, preserve archives, and nurture filmmakers in a landscape where mainstream industry often overlooked or suppressed their contributions. The importance of these festivals remains vital.
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