USA • 44 minutes Directed by Frederick DeShon Murphy
Film director, Sidewalk alum and mental health therapist Frederick DeShon Murphy brings together families of both the enslavers and enslaved connected to the Forks of Cypress plantation in Florence, AL, to share their deeply personal histories and to create an opportunity for community and reconciliation.
Warriors reveals the story of Mobile’s 2009 Davidson High School football team which featured the first high school duo drafted by the same NFL team, Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt. The reminiscences of the players, coaches, and family members of this dynamic team overlap to reveal the combined pressures of young athletes doing everything to follow their NFL dreams.
Jessica Chriesman - Director of Education and Outreach
You may know Punkie Johnson from several seasons on SNL, but PUNKIE creates a raw, behind the scenes portrait of a stand up comedian and Saturday Night Live star as she deals with life, touring on the road, trying to protect her artistic voice, and true self.
Films that recognize Black stories on screen are not limited to one genre, identity, or experience.
Capriccio Directed By Kiah Clingman 9:27 • United States • Alabama Premiere NARRATIVE, WOMEN IN FILM Two strangers meet in a cozy bookstore where music and dance form a non-verbal language of expression and ignite an unexpected romance.
Church Hat Directed By Miceál Og O'Donnell 7:04 • United States • Southern U.S. Premiere ANIMATED, SHOUT When his traditional Jamaican mother catches him playing dress-up with her prized church hats (crowns), a young boy expects trouble. Instead, he discovers that love means being seen, accepted, and celebrated exactly as he is.
Lemon Directed By Beth Curry 14:47 • United States • Southern U.S. Premiere WOMEN IN FILM, NARRATIVE When her agoraphobic mother dies suddenly, six-year-old Lemon must overcome her conditioned fear and venture outside for the first time. Her journey from fear to bravery becomes a tender exploration of courage, imagination, and human connection.
A Mystical Ornithology Directed By Jeremy Seifert, Benjamin James Roberts 11:07 • United States DOCUMENTARY In this lyrical portrait, ornithologist, poet, and professor Drew Lanham invites you into his South Carolina farm where birdwatching becomes both refuge and revelation.
God Sleeps On Sundays Directed By Naishe Nyamubaya 16:47 • Zimbabwe • Southern U.S. Premiere INTERNATIONAL, NARRATIVE When a new preacher arrives to build a church, he clashes with a village's traditional healer in an exploration of the current tension between traditional culture and Western religion in Zimbabwe.
Eternal Directed By Joshua Jeffrey Miller 17:15 • United States • Alabama Premiere ALABAMA, STUDENT, NARRATIVE "Eternal" is an allegorical tale about a man who, in his grief, seeks out death and the ability to see his loved one again.
Spilled Milk Directed By Jared Leaf 13:04 • United States NARRATIVE A father's innocent errand leads him to an encounter with an enigmatic figure called The Milk Man in this Jordan Peele produced film.
Award-winning, lifelong environmental activist Dr. Jackie Echols is dedicated to protecting Atlanta’s South River, the largest freshwater system in the state. When planned construction of “Cop City” (the largest police training facility in America) threatens the ecosystem and forest that serves predominately Black communities, activism and politics intersect into a story of environmental defense and grassroots activism. This observational documentary shows how environmental issues affect us all while also serving as a call for immediate action.
KEN • 1 hour 33 minutes Directed by Andrew H. Brown and Bea Wangondu
The central highlands in Kenya is one of the most verdant, fertile agricultural lands in the world. A land rights dispute attracts Kenya-based journalist Bea Wangondu to uncover the depths to which multinational corporations have exploited this veritable “Garden of Eden” and its inhabitants. The secrets she uncovers and the struggles she documents reveal the undying legacy of a wicked past.
USA • 1 hour 30 minutes Directed by Maya Annik Bedward
One of cinema’s greatest subgenres also has one of its most complex histories: the origin of the Zombie. Through the lens of cinema history, this doc chronicles the advent of the horror trope from spiritual Haitian Vodou rituals through the evolution of contemporary Hollywood horror. The film dispels rumors and attaches significance to the entity of the walking dead.
USA • 1 hour 34 minutes Directed by Kenny Dalsheimer and Rafael Samanez
An endearing look at Jazz musician Yusuf Salim through his voice and the artists he inspired over the years. Salim was the core force behind the development of a beautiful music community in Durham North Carolina. A community built on connection and support which shows the power of music.
USA • 1 hour 40 minutes Directed by Sienna McLean-LoGreco
Three Black men retrace the harrowing slave route, walking through sites of historical suffering and resilience. As they confront the lingering brutality of colonialism, they retrieve lost stories and power, transforming generational trauma into pride. Along the way, they connect with communities, honor their ancestors, and forge a vibrant, revitalized sense of connection and identity. Their journey evolves into a powerful act of remembrance, healing, and cultural affirmation.
AUS and USA • 1 hour 32 minutes Directed by Daniel Jarvis and John Kassab
The film follows Compton’s Clutch Gang mini-bike club after the death of their beloved leader in an illegal street race. Left fractured and grieving, the group’s unlikely hope rests with the club’s homeless black sheep, who must step forward if they are to stay together and compete in the GTS — the biggest mini-bike tournament of the year.
Leaving Angola follows Justin Singleton, a man serving life without parole for murder at Louisiana's infamous state penitentiary, and Derek Moss, a young father preparing for early release who he has taken under his wing. When Derek returns home, he must put Justin’s life lessons to the test as both of the men’s lives take unexpected turns. Filmed over seven years with rare access inside America’s largest maximum-security prison, this film is a powerful exploration of family, redemption, and the realities of reentry in America's most incarcerated state.
Jessica Chriesman - Director of Education and Outreach
