Black History Month Film Festival Program 1: Black Mothers in Film

Hosted by Vernon “Smij” Williams (Afrikan Poetry Theatre) and Shantel Moses (MOM Film Fest)  

Total runtime: 90 min.  

As part of The Afrikan Poetry Theatre Presents Black History Month Film Festival, this program celebrates the works of Black mothers in film and is developed in partnership with the programmers of the organization MOM Film Fest, which serves as a career development and advocacy resource for mothers working in film and television. Followed by a panel discussion with local filmmakers, this short film showcase celebrates the voices and stories of Black mothers rooted in love, loss, triumph, and tragedy created entirely by Black mother filmmakers from across the African diaspora.  

The lineup includes Khule Mayisa’s Okumhlophe, an experimental film that imagines a world in which women finally experience their first dance with freedom; Yolonda Johnson-Young’s Finding Elijah, which follows a young man’s journey from home and a mother’s search for answers; Hakima Benjamin’s Call End, about a young man’s encounters with a few unsavory police officers during a walk home; Shaunic Stanford’s The Best Time, about a woman who does everything she can to meet the demands of being a new mother; Joy, a short film executive produced and written by Brittani Minnieweather about life’s biggest burdens; Tonya Mollineau’s Tainted, about a mother battling depression; and Nuria Dixon’s Ethan Art Venture, an animated short about a young autistic illustrator. Recommended for ages 14+, due to depiction of suicide.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.