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A still from Rafiki of two young people looking at one another and smiling. One has long pink locs and the other a shaved head and a hat. They are in was appears to be a club, they are glowing red in the light.

(Screening)

Oct 6, 2026

Rafiki

Join us at the People's Cinema Club for a screening of Wanuri Kahiu's Rafiki, hosted by BlackStar.

A still from Return to Haifa shows a Palestinian couple standing with one another. The woman has a stricken expression and the man is looking down, he seems to be in contemplation or sorrow.

(Screening)

Nov 2, 2026

Palestine Cinema Days: Return to Haifa

Join BlackStar for Palestine Cinema Days Around the World, with a screening of Return to Haifa followed by a discussion.

(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.

Learn More Order + Subscribe

(Seen)

A journal of film and visual culture. Issue 011 now available for pre-order.

(Seminar)

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

(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.

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.

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Recent News

A college with the Luminary Gala honorees headshots. From left to right: Firelight Media President and CEO Loira Limbal and Senior Director of Finance and Operations Rafiah Vitalis; John W. Simmons; Mahershala Ali; and Mara Brock Akil. They are colorized in shades of blue.

(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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