Join Howard University's English Dept. for this inaugural film festival!
Cost: $20 to attend the entire festival
Free for Howard University
students and employees
Video
Check out this great video
SCAN THE QR CODE TO ACCESS THE OFFICIAL 2025 FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM BOOKLET
Update:
Tuesday's screenings will be virtual due to weather.
All screenings today will occur at this Zoom link:
https://howard.zoom.us/j/82194079843?pwd=QQueuWDE3tMi2okmKi7YYmd19y2h7z.1
Meeting ID: 821 9407 9843
Passcode: 30810391
We look forward to "seeing" you there!
Tues. Feb. 11, Virtual
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2025 - NOW VIRTUAL due to weather
All events today will occur at this Zoom link:
https://howard.zoom.us/j/82194079843?pwd=QQueuWDE3tMi2okmKi7YYmd19y2h7z.1
Meeting ID: 821 9407 9843
Passcode: 30810391
11:30am
Red Carpet Opening and Mixer
12 - 1pm
Black In Hollywood by Brandon Miree
(Run time: 25 minutes, followed by Q&A)
In this episode of Black in Hollywood, a docu-series that celebrates Black excellence in the lives of creatives working in Hollywood, we learn about Carlton Jordan's journey as a producer and writer in Hollywood, navigating issues like tokenism to establish a successful career.
1:30 - 2:30pm
Freedom Seekers: Black Seminoles Past and Present by Dr. Anthony Dixon & Zarion Hadley
(Run time: 25 minutes, followed by Q&A)
This documentary examines the people who created the first underground railroad and conducted the largest, most successful slave rebellion in U.S. history.
3 - 5:30pm
Nanny by Professor Nikyatu Jusu
(Run time: 1 hour 39 minutes, followed by Q&A)
In this psychological thriller, Senegalese nanny Aisha pieces together a new life in New York City while caring for the child of an Upper East Side family.
6 - 7pm
Healing From Silence by HU Professor Dr. Monique L. Akassi
(Run time: 30 minutes, followed by Q&A)
This drama follows Nia, a woman grappling with the emotional weight of unspoken trauma. Through quiet reflection and a pivotal conversation with a close friend, Nia embarks on a transformative journey toward healing and reclaiming her voice.
7 - 7:30pm
Musical Intermission with a live performance by Rocky Chatman
7:30 - 9pm
Mile 19 by Howard Clay
(Run-time: 1 hour 25 minutes, followed by Q&A)
On their way to an important business meeting, Linda passes a stalled car on the side of the road. Her intuition and ultimate decision to try to assist the stranger leads her on a journey that changes her life forever.
Opening Night Networking
Wednesday Feb. 12, Virtual
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025 - virtual via Zoom
The screening today will occur at this Zoom link:
https://howard.zoom.us/j/82194079843?pwd=QQueuWDE3tMi2okmKi7YYmd19y2h7z.1
Meeting ID: 821 9407 9843
Passcode: 30810391
12 - 1pm (on Zoom)
The Other Side of Ecstasy by Larry Smith III
A contemplative film that examines how a single evening can alter life's course.
1:30 - 2:30 (on Zoom)
Unbroken: Stories of Survival by Jacobi Davis and Steven Lester
This film chronicles the journeys of three women who have survived domestic abuse.
Thursday Feb. 13, Virtual
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2025 - virtual via Zoom
All screenings today will occur at this Zoom link:
https://howard.zoom.us/j/82194079843?pwd=QQueuWDE3tMi2okmKi7YYmd19y2h7z.1
Meeting ID: 821 9407 9843
Passcode: 30810391
12 - 1pm (on Zoom)
Making Life Sing In Pursuit of Utu by Dr. Ndirangu Wachanga
This documentary explores the life and work of Micere Githae Mugo, one of Africa's leading writers, activists, performers and postcolonial thinkers. A champion for democratic and human rights in Kenya and beyond for close to half a century, she became the first woman dean of any African university.
5 - 6:30pm (on Zoom)
Shutdown by Dr. Simone Drake
(Run time: 1 hour, followed by Q&A)
This documentary film tells the story of a group of passionate Black teens in Columbus, Ohio, in turbulent 1971, who fought for the equality they believed they deserved.
Fri. Feb. 14 at Cramton Auditorium
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2025 - Cramton Auditorium and Virtual
12 - 2pm
Nikki Giovanni virtual Read-A-Thon
Honorable guest include Dr. Virginia Fowler (Dr. Nikki Giovanni’s lifelong partner), Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., and Mayor Cashenna Cross of Glenarden, MD.
The read-a-thon will take place at this Zoom link: https://howard.zoom.us/j/88283060955
Meeting ID: 882 8306 0955
Passcode: 61054316
2:30 - 5:30pm - Homegrown: Films by Howard University professors and alumni
2:30 - 3:30
The Last Battlefront by HU Professor Maha Haddad and Anna Reid Jhirad
(Run time: 56 min.)
This documentary is the first historical film on the right for self-government in Washington, D.C., told through the lives and voices of its citizens.
3:30 - 4pm
Sin Luces by HU Prof. Dr. Shahriar Shafiani and HU Prof. Srikanth Nandigama
(Run time: 18 min.)
Sin Luces follows Jerry, a Mexican American bartender struggling to feel at home in a changing hometown. Through fleeting moments of friendship during a World Cup workday, Jerry comes to face the costs of holding onto a world that feels increasingly distant.
4 - 4:30pm
Somewhere in Brooklyn by HU Alum Brandon Wilkerson
(Run time: 21 min.)
A police officer rekindles a romance with a woman he was involved with while undercover during the 2020 quarantine.
4:30 - 5pm
Healing From Silence by HU Professor Dr. Monique L. Akassi
(Run time: 30 min.)
This drama follows Nia, a woman grappling with the emotional weight of unspoken trauma. Through quiet reflection and a pivotal conversation with a close friend, Nia embarks on a transformative journey toward healing and reclaiming her voice.
5 - 5:30pm
Q&A with Professor Haddad, Professor Shafiani, Professor Akassi, and Brandon Wilkerson
6 - 8:30pm
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project by Joe Brewster and Michele Stephenson
(Run time: 1 hour 42 minutes, followed by Q&A)
This documentary travels through time and space to reveal the enduring influence of Nikki Giovanni, one of America's greatest poets and social commentators.
Closing Celebration
Celebrating Black Voices and Social Justice
Howard University's Department of English's First Year Writing Program is thrilled to launch our inaugural Black Film Festival. We are dedicated to providing a platform for filmmakers and intellectuals to showcase and discuss their work--with a focus on narratives centered around social justice, cultural empowerment, and the African diaspora, the festival aims to amplify diverse perspectives and celebrate the legacy of influential cultural figures.
THE OFFICIAL 2025 FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS
Celebrating Our Award-Winning Filmmakers
We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 Visions of Freedom Film Festival Awards:
🏆 Best Visionary Ultimate Film Award – Nanny by Dr. Nikyatu Jusu
🏆 Best Visionary Ultimate Documentary Award – Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project by Joe Brewster & Michele Stephenson
🏆 Best Featured Film Award – Mile 19 by Howard Clay
🏆 Best Documentary Award – Black in Hollywood by Brandon Miree
🏆 Best Short Film Award – Healing from Silence by Dr. Monique L. Akassi
PLANNING COMMITTEE 2025
- Dr. Monique L. Akassi, Director and Executive Producer
- Mr. Steven Lester, Videographer and Technical Services
- Ms. Yael Kiken, Programming Staff and Coordinator
- Mr. Zarian Hadley, Marketing and Signage
- Ms. Chaquitta McNeil, Administrative Assistant and Coordinator
- Mr. Jordan Lewis, AdministrativeAssistant Coordinator
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