3500+ Films - 2.5 million words – 1 million viewers! Founder and Curator Carmela selects some of our most entertaining, powerful and inspiring Black Lives Matter (2) films at We Are Moving Stories. These include documentary and drama, shorts and feature length by and about black lives covering queer voices, the importance of fatherhood (including the short films of upcoming Black filmmaker Martina Lee) and how rediscovering the past can lead to a better future.

Total length of this section: 27 films.

 <QUEER VOICES>

Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story Emerging from years in isolation to an enraptured crowd, a transgender, septuagenarian musical genius finally finds his place in the world. Part biopic, part tour documentary, Keyboard Fantasies tells the mystical tale of cult musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Length: 63 minutes. Director Posy Dixon:

I’ve been interested in inter-generational exchange for a long time. I think we’re missing a trick in not hanging out with people of all ages - learning up and down the spectrum of time. I’ve also had a long-time passion for identity politics and processes. I’m enamoured by those brave souls who step outside the normative box and carve new ways of being.

The Skin of the Teeth - When Josef arrives at John’s apartment for a date, their prickly energy slowly gives way to genuine chemistry. But after swallowing a pill with mind-bending effects, Josef quickly slides helplessly down a rabbit hole of temporal sleight-of-hand, plunged into a surreal interrogation of everything he is. Length: 80 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Matthew Wollin:

The Skin of the Teeth is fundamentally about the relationship each person has with society, and how that impacts the way we see ourselves. Some of that is definitely pulled from my personal experience of coming to terms with my own sexuality and identity and going through the progression of thinking you’re one thing to realizing you’re something else entirely. The film extrapolates on that theme so that every character is revealed to be just a little different than we thought at first, which is a universal experience, I think.

2 Black Boys - A poem, a dance and a song. 2 Black Boys muses on growing older, race, gender and queer identity. Length: 6 minutes. Director/Producer Rachel Myers and Writer/Actor Giovanni Adams:

Giovanni: The film and the play are rooted in my experience as a black queer man growing up in the American South. Doesn’t get more personal than that.

this is how I want to remember H.E.R. - 9-year-old Corbin is given a different kind of education when his cousin from the inner city moves in with his suburban family. Length: 27 minutes. Writer/Director Kali Baker-Johnson:

I think the film is interesting in that it explores class distinctions within the black community. So often we think about race relations purely from an interracial standpoint and not an intraracial one, and I think this film is unique in that it looks at the ways black people of different classes have trouble interacting, even when they’re family. And I think people should watch because of Jabree Webber. She’s incredible.

Outdooring A young man attends his nephew's Ghanaian baby naming ceremony with a plan to steal the money collected from family and friends to run away and keep a secret hidden. Length: 18 minutes. Writer/Director Maxwell Addae:

This film centers on a black family mostly comprised of Ghanaian immigrants and some black American characters, but the themes are very universal. I’m not sure why that happens. I can watch a film about a person and culture that I know nothing about, but if it feels like real human beings are on that screen, I can connect with their story. I love that about the film.

Fabulous - Dance as if it was the last day of your life. Length: 46 minutes. Director Audrey Jean-Baptiste:

We discover the discrimination, ostracism and violence that the LGBTQ community has to face within French Guiana, and how it’s difficulty to be who you want to be, to live your life as you want, to free yourself from the codes of genders and sexuality of your society, it’s a universal fight.

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A Rodeo Film - A black bull rider must choose between his family's legacy and the woman he loves. Length: 19 minutes. Writer/Director Darius Dawson:

Not a lot of people know about black rodeo athletes so I think that this culture sits at an interesting intersection between Western culture and African American culture. The film in a nutshell is about love and family. I feel that so much of what we do day to day revolves around love. I also feel that family is that thing in our life that’s the toughest to figure out. I think that audiences should check out A Rodeo Film is they want to see flawed characters try to figure out love and family and how it all pieces together.

THIS IS NORTH PRESTON is a feature length documentary about the largest black community in Canada. It started as a safe haven for escaped slaves but has more recently been labelled as one of the biggest hubs of pimping and human trafficking in the nation. This Is North Preston illustrates how the town of 4,000 has dealt with generations of economic struggle, pimp culture, limited government resources, violence, and constant systemic racism. Artist Just Chase paints a picture of his life in crime and the events that made him leave the street life to follow his musical dreams. Length: 75 minutes. Director Jaren Hayman writes:

The feedback has been mostly positive but of course, when you deal with the difficult subject matter, there will be those are offended or taken aback... The film can be difficult to watch at times, but that is so people can fully understand certain realities that are still happening in this country. We can’t change anything without first understanding the how and why of things. We do not shy away from the problems the town has had, but we make sure to look at reasons for these problems and possible solutions.

Blackface is a short film about blackface/minstrel actor Henry Roberts becomes the victim of a hate crime in his small southern town due to a tragic case of mistaken identity. Length: 11 minutes. Writer and Director Shanrica Evans writes:

In the aftermath, of what seemed like a cycle of racially motivated killings, I wanted to create something about the history of racism and present-day racism. I also wanted to make something that would question if people like Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin and many others would still be alive if they could’ve taken off their skin.

The Ghost and The Negro, Web-Series Framed for murder, a bookstore keeper teams up with a self-proclaimed ghost hunter to clear his name. Length: Three episodes total, 5 minutes in length. Writer/Director Sylvester Folks writes:

I am big fan of murder/mystery films, especially those that have a supernatural twist. I grew up watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the Twilight Zone and these two shows had a high impact on my writing and storytelling. One thing that I’ve noticed in a lot of the modern day horror/supernatural films is the lack of people of color portraying roles outside of comic reliefs or victim number number 3.

LAST LIFE is a feature film about two reincarnated African American spirits who've been returning as different people since the dawn of slavery, feel they've had enough with modern day America and that this is their 'last life'. Length: 80 minutes. Writer/Director Michael Phillip Edwards and Producer Tamika Lamison write:

We invite audiences to take a complicated journey into love, spirituality and race. Where “GET OUT” operated as a serious race discussion film disguised cleverly as a HORROR MOVIE; “LAST LIFE” operates similarly as an American race discussion film disguised as a fantasy LOVE STORY. Two slaves in love, separated by their white master, travel time knowing each other as different people at different stages of American history, finally facing each other in modern times. We believe audiences will enjoy this unique ride.

#BlackBoyJoyGone - #BlackBoyJoyGone (#BBJG) is a BFI Doc Society-funded hybrid documentary by and for black men on mental health, sexual trauma and finding strength through brotherhood. Blending interviews, poetry, dance and storytelling, it captures the lives, realities, and the hopeful perspectives of men in the North, the Midlands and London in the United Kingdom. Length: 25 minutes. Director Ashley Karrell and Writer/Actor Isaac Ouro-Gnao:

The beauty of the film is in its ability to connect with any and everyone. We all have men in our lives. Finding ways to relate to each other and better understand each other is a powerful thing. You should watch this film because Black men who have and are still struggling are being upheld for the beautiful people we are. It’s Black joy and hope.

<FATHERHOOD>

Pops is a documentary web series that explores parenting experiences of African American men.  This show provides a fresh and youthful look at parenting from men sharing video diaries and daily life experiences. 11 episodes, 97 minutes total. Writer/Director/Producer Garland McLaurin writes:

I found out I was going to be a father and I think the fear of wondering how I would be as a parent played a major role in why I made the film. Around the same time, all of the police shootings of African American men was a national topic of conversation. I began to reflect on my childhood, thought about people I grew up with, kids I watched in the educational system on a documentary I filmed and friends with kids.

Baby - A young Black father must learn to navigate parenthood after his girlfriend mysteriously abandons him and their five-year-old daughter. Length: 20 minutes. Writer/Director Cole Swanson:

I wanted to capture the relationship between a father and daughter in a vulnerable and intimate way that we rarely see represented on screen. Loosely inspired by the illustrations by Kadir Nelson in the children’s book “Please Baby Please” by Spike and Tonya Lewis Lee, I reimagined the story of a young girl whose name we never learn and a father who she loves. I wanted to go even further and subvert audience expectations by having the mother out of the picture as opposed to the Black father. Black masculinity, vulnerability, sensibility, and mental health were all thematic elements I had in mind and explored when writing and shooting this project.

Baby Steps - Every year, on the anniversary of his father's suicide, Kenny’s growing depression haunts what he fears will be his destiny. Length: 21 minutes. Writer/Director Eric A. Dyson:

The basic human need of help is something everybody goes through. Being asked for help and helping get help is difficult when we have obligations such as family that are also in need of our help. How do you choose where to invest your time. Especially when time is the only thing that we can never get more of.

F.A.M. - The true story of a bond between a father and daughter in a blended family. Length: 29 minutes. Director Kyle Romanek and Creator Anthony E. Williams:

As a pilot episode of an eight part series, we wanted to address topics that are considered taboo in black cinema. For instance, a daughter struggling with a sexual identity crisis and confiding in her father for his honest opinion. Or a black family trying to live a normal life in an all-white suburb in Roswell, GA. As the show progresses we hope to raise awareness to issues such as bullying, homophobia, racism, and co-parenting.

Circles - A Hurricane Katrina survivor who works to keep Black teenagers in school in Oakland, California finds his personal and professional lives colliding when his 15-year-old-son goes to jail for a crime he didn't commit. Length: 81 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Cassidy Friedman:

Circles tells the story of Eric Butler, a restorative justice coordinator who believes that by deepening communication and building trust with students at a continuation high school in Oakland, California, problems can be more easily and justly resolved. The film focuses on Eric’s struggle to do what few adults ever do with kids: to assume positive intent and learn where behavior stems from by being in conversation. We see him doing this masterfully at work, and less effectively at home with his 15-year-old son, Tre. This duality – his public success versus his personal struggle – intensifies throughout the film, drawing the viewer ever deeper into Eric’s world.

Inventory (Black Dad) is a social Black Parental Commentary through the lens of a middle aged father, who has realized he misled his children in terms of how they are perceived by fearful and hateful Americans. A father bears his soul, pain, fear and regret for not preparing them for the eventual institutionalized racism they would face as they grew into adulthood. Length: 6 Minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Trevor Kyle Hansford writes:

I would like to champion the single black father’s plight. I would like the most marginalized voices in our cities to be heard and humanized. We love our children as passionately as anyone else, and we are the only fathers that need to teach our kids to not only avoid evil doers, but police as well, for fear of loss of life.

Watch Inventory here

Black Boys Can't Cry - Javion is a dutiful and loving black father. He is the protector and provider of the family, including his wife, daughter, and grandmother. However, he is haunted by a secret that he continues to bury in silence. Not knowing how to deal with the trauma, he attempts to hide the behemoth inside him that is trying to break out. But not until tonight when he is finally overwhelmed, and he attacks his family while he ultimately comes face-to-face with his painful past. Only the prayerful hands of his grandmother can help channel his buried emotion from taking control. Length: 4 minutes 34 seconds. Interview with Cinematographer Robert L. Hunter and Writer/Director Victor Gabriel.

Watch Black Boys Can’t Cry on Vimeo

<THE FILMS OF MARTINA LEE>

Blueberry - An Afrocentric podcast host wants to find his biggest idol Harambe Cornell, but is forced to take care of his 6-year-old son who is dressed like a blueberry. Length: 16 minutes. Writer/Director Martina Lee:

Blueberry explores the desire to be spiritually enlightened for all the wrong reasons. It also explores the complex father and son relationships.

Black Boy Joy is a short film about three generations of black men struggling to juggle the demands of raising a young son with autism while adapting to their new normal after the death of a loved one. Length: 17 minutes. Director Martina Lee writes:

You should watch this film if you want to see a nuanced look of black fathers being vulnerable. Toxic Masculinity, Fatherhood, Loss, Autism are key topics of this film, but underneath it all, its a story about love. This story is a film made by and for black people, but the emotions and themes in it are universal.

<CELEBRATING THE PAST>

Buffalo Soldiers: A Quest for Freedom is a feature length film about the hidden heroes of America. Length: 95 minutes. Isabelle Brothers writes:

We were amazed that so many African American men fought, spilled blood and died in the face of extreme systematic racism to make America what it is today. Their stories had not only not been told, but were virtually nonexistence in the canon of contemporary American history. The parallels of what they went through over a century ago, and what our black men are still enduring today were spellbinding. We had to not only highlight their achievements, but celebrate them with modernity.

Freetown - Freetown is a neighborhood founded by self-emancipated slaves and is trying to uphold its legacy. Hearing the decedent's own triumphs through living in a segregated town emphasizes the importance of their mission. Length: 8 minutes. Director/Producer Kendall Outing:

This film shows a prosperous side of African American history that I think is extremely important in shaping the way we view the past. Yes, undoubtedly there was struggle and hardship, but through it all, families persevered and were grateful for everything they had.

Gip is the story of Henry "Gip" Gipson, a gravedigger by day and a hard drinking bluesman by night. Length: 73 minutes. Producer Melanie Jeffcoat

It’s rare to find an individual with a life history and mission that intercepted (or collided) so perfectly with such a tumultuous time in our country’s history. For me, the story of Gip is a clear reminder that every ripple we make has repercussions and that our experiences (good and bad) create us, guide us and ultimately are the legacy we leave behind. Gip is an underdog, a missionary, an inextricable part of American music history.

Two Trains Runnin' is about the search for two forgotten blues singers, set in Mississippi during the height of the American civil rights movement. Length: 79 minutes. Directed by Sam Pollard, written by Benjamin Heiden, narrated by Common, and featuring the music of Gary Clark Jr. Writer Benjamin Heiden:

When it comes to race, it often seems as if in the past fifty years everything in America has changed—and nothing has. What is one to do with that contradiction; how can we make sense of it?

Maynard was Obama before Obama, Maynard Holbrook Jackson became first black Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in 1973 and this film is an exploration into a man who had dreams and ambitions to be a public servant for his people seeing that it was the next logical step in the journey that had been started by Dr. King, and so many others who had blazed the trail during the years of horrific segregation. Length:  99 minutes. Director Sam Pollard writes:

Maynard Jackson is one of the most important African American figures in the 1970’s and one of the most influential African American politicians since Reconstruction.

He was the first African American mayor of Atlanta that ran for 3 terms. He supported affirmative action which was one of his major goals and he succeeded. The is an important figure in American history that has been forgotten.

Bo Legs: Marvin Arrington, Sr., An Atlanta Story - One man's story of service parallels and contributes to Atlanta's growth as an international city. Length: 116 minutes. Writer/Director/Editor/Producer Adelin Gasana:

Our team was congratulated on telling the unknown story of an impactful leader of Atlanta who has long been unrecognized in the history of the city. We were also thanked for informing audiences about the history of the city itself thanks to our visual documentation of the transformation and growth of metro-Atlanta in a four-decade span.