The festival showcases films that address social issues from around the world.

Black August is an annual commemoration and prison-based holiday that honors Black freedom fighters and political prisoners, highlighting Black resistance against racial oppression. The event takes place throughout the entire month of August.

Schedule:

August 17, 2024

BLOCK 1 at 11AM

PISTOLS & APPLE PIE
Follows Alex, a troubled teenager navigating a harsh urban environment. Facing abuse and neglect, Alex finds himself at a crossroads where desperation meets opportunity. Through encounters with manipulative individuals and reckless thugs, Alex grapples with tough choices, highlighting the raw realities of survival in a gritty world. With

EMOTIONAL BURDEN
The passing of a toxic family member brings attention to how a family can be held emotionally hostage by one person.

12AM
Is a dramatic short film that explores the challenges of Jack and Aji, two young African-Americans with mental health disorders, who are taken back to pivotal moments from their pasts, causing emotional responses in the present.

TRUTH SAVES THE WORLD
Is a half-hour sitcom geared towards kids and teens that chronicles a mixed Black teenage girl who must overcome the everyday struggles of adolescence in order to fight the injustices she sees in the world and find her true voice and purpose.

RED FLAGS
A Young Woman in a relationship battling with her thoughts not knowing if she wants to leave or stay or kill her partner. She is in a psychological war with herself.

BLOCK 2 at 1:10PM

A CLEAN SLATE
This uplifting documentary follows Shanyeill McCloud’s work helping the formerly incarcerated expunge their records and start their lives again.

THE STRIKE
The Strike is a feature documentary that tells the story of a generation of California men who endured decades of solitary confinement and, against all odds, launched the largest hunger strike in U.S. history.

BLOCK 3 at 3:20PM

HALF BROTHER
While documenting the birth of his niece, Director William Jenkins leads a series of intimate conversations with his father and half-brother — both named Ronald — as he confronts the impacts of Ronald’s incarceration on family dynamics. This intimate and personal film explores the worries and fears of fatherhood while also raising questi

THE HOOD TROPHY BINO STORY: BREAKING THE GENERATIONAL CURSE
Dive into the captivating narrative of HoodTrophy Bino - a California hip-hop artist from the projects of South Central and Palmdale, discovered by Soulja Boy in jail, and destined to overcome the generational curse of poverty and incarceration plaguing all of the males in his immediate and extended family. Bino opens up about the trial

INTERCEPTION: JAYNE KENNEDY at AMERICAN SPORTSCASTER
When a bronze-skin bombshell rocks the world of Sunday Morning Football, millions tune in... but few know the tumultuous story of Jayne Kennedy, the first Black woman to boldly tackle the racial lines of American sportscasting.

BLOCK 4 at 4:45PM

THE UNTOLD ISIS BRANTLEY STORY
Isis Brantley is one of America's matriarchs of the black natural hair movement. This film is about her arrest in 1997 for the "high crime" of braiding hair without a license. She was arrested and jailed, and went on to fight a 20 year legal battle with the State of Texas, ultimately winning in federal court, culminating in the cosmetolo

FREEDOM HAIR
Based on the inspiring, true story of Melony Armstrong, a mother who works at a shelter for battered women decides to start a natural hair braiding business to achieve financial independence for herself and others. To do so she must overcome unexpected obstacles imposed by a powerful cartel and the state of Mississippi.

BLOCK 5 at 7:00PM

PUT THE GUNS DOWN: A WORLD EPIDEMIC
A World Epidemic confronts the stark reality of gun violence with unflinching honesty. Set against the backdrop of South Central Los Angeles, this documentary
offers a sobering glimpse into the deep-rooted societal issues perpetuating violence.

THEY'RE MARCHING ON US

An overview of police brutality.
THE RETURN

BLOCK 11 at 11AM

BRAVE GIRLS
BRAVE GIRLS (DHAKAD CHHORIYAAN) unfolds in Hisar city, Haryana, where a group of young women forge deep bonds within the walls of their hostel. Led by Mansi, they form an unnamed sisterhood dedicated to social change. When news of a heinous crime committed by a powerful politician rocks their community, they unite in solidarity. One rape

BLOCK 12 at 1:30PM

IN THE HOOD
Two gangs of village gossips from Mozambique and Bulgaria join forces and embark on a mad race to get the deal that will make them the absolute bosses of the neighborhood.

THE AMERICAN DREAM
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any industrialized country in the world. More than two women die every day in the US from pregnancy-related causes. African-American women in the US are at especially high risk; they are nearly 4 times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications compared to European A

SPEAK BADLY
T-sow and Socra are on a mission to track down a man who has betrayed their trust. As they navigate the dimly lit streets of Bienne in their car, their determination grows. Upon capturing the individual, they escort him to their secret headquarters.

BLOCK 13 at 3:00PM

LES MAUDIS - ACT II - HENRY'S BLOODLINE - PART I (VAMPIRE SERIES)
A half human, half vampire prince struggles to find his place in a world ruled by vampires as his father preps his for the crown.

KAAWAÏ NA ANA, BREAKING MOURNING
On the banks of the Maroni river in French Guiana, the Aluku people (the offspring of African slaves who escaped from Dutch plantations centuries ago), hold the ceremony of Puu Baaka, the breaking of mourning. In this last farewell to the deceased, villagers of all generations joyfully gather together for rituals, danses, storytelling an

CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN: EP. 1- LENIANCY IN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION LAWS
Dr. Lisa Spencer fights to change laws in the US and abroad to better protect children.

IN THE SHADOWS OF MODERNISATION
In this documentary, we explore the experiences of Sudanese migrant workers to Saudi Arabia. Most of whom have been doubly dispossessed; firstly, by alienating them from their labour; and secondly, by enforcing taxes on their dependents. This has led to a situation where the Sudanese migrant worker is transformed into a modern slave. All this is facilitated by the notorious Kafala system.

WALT BUTLER at 5:00PM

WALT BUTLER: THE JET
One of the greatest athletes to come out of Pasadena, Walter Butler is a name that rings synonymous with sports in the city. Walt has trained or contributed to the success of hundreds of men and women over the past 50 years.

He quickly excelled, serving on the student council as an 8th-grade representative, where he gained a multifaceted

August 18, 2024

BLOCK 6 at 11AM

THE LAST WEEK
A poetic tale of love and sacrifice, The Last Week details the emotional rollercoaster one couple faces during their last week together as a prison sentence threatens to tear them apart. From the perspective of the woman, the effects that black male incarceration has on everyone involved becomes very clear and hardly bearable.

ZOE'S POSSESSION

UNDER FALSE COLORS
In Reconstruction Era Memphis, two Black women redefine the words freedom and community by holding and healing one another in the aftermath of a historic massacre.

BLOCK 7 at 1:05PM

BELONGING IN THE USA: THE STORY OF MICHAEL D. MCCARTY
“Belonging in the USA: The Story of Michael D. McCarty” shares the journey of a man who even in the face of great obstacles spreads joy wherever he goes.  Follow Michael as he evolves from aspiring scientist to Black Panther Party member, from FBI target to soldier, from drug addict to health nut. The twists and turns of Michael’s life w

NEW PANTHER: A CALL FOR ACTION
New Panther: A Call for Action is an award-winning documentary independently produced and directed by Sage Love and Nola Asantewa. The film is focused on capturing the social views of people within their communities. These innovative people saw the need for change in their community and created the change they felt would be impactful.

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM
A mother, convicted of a crime she did not commit, makes a last resort attempt at freedom. But that decision comes at a cost.

BLOCK 8 at 3:50PM

ROOFLESS A HOUSING CRISIS IN AMERICA

The importance of the Federal Fair Housing Act within the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) when addressing unfair housing practices for formerly incarcerated individuals, victims of domestic violence and the devaluation of homes in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.

LET ME SEE YOU
A filmmaker turns the camera on herself to reveal her struggles with hair loss while talking to my family members about illnesses they are also hiding.

EXPOSING POLITICS: A PLAY OF ACTS
Oscar Sanders, the Dick Gregory and Paul Mooney of social justice spoken word portrays aging and highly opinioinated Broadway janitor Midge "Buddy" Fletcher who rails against content ripped from the headlines to an audience that isn't there.

BLOCK 9 at 5:00PM

I DIGRESS: THE INTIMATE INSIGHTS OF A CHILDHOOD WEIRDO, PART 1 & 2 OF 4
The Intimate Insights of a Childhood Weirdo, fuses archival materials, filmmaking, and video art with theater performance, projection design, song, and original music to instigate and investigate ways of storytelling. Resulting in a transmedia, performance memoir that explores the weight of inheritance and the recollection of memories

IDISCONNECT
In a dystopian world driven by social status currency, a chance encounter sparks a woman's transformation as she confronts the superficial allure of social media.

BLOCK 10 at 7:00PM

THEY DON’T LIVE LONG
The Intimate Insights of a Childhood Weirdo, fuses archival materials, filmmaking, and video art with theater performance, projection design, song, and original music to instigate and investigate ways of storytelling. Resulting in a transmedia, performance memoir that explores the weight of inheritance and the recollection of memories an

MARS
A man driven to madness by a mysterious and persistent whistling noise spirals out of control as he becomes obsessed with uncovering the source of the sound and stopping it at any cost.

I AM NOT OK
A mother and son respond to the unending killings of black Americans amidst the backdrop of the protests that followed the death of George Floyd. Dance and archival photographs are woven together to evoke fear, outrage, and anger and the need for communities to come together and find solutions.

HARLEM FRAGMENTS
An Afro-futurist scrapbook storytelling of a Harlem Black family's beautiful destruction during the 2008 recession. A natural disaster so mesmerizing you can't look away from the tragedy. Based on true events

THE GIRL FROM THE VILLAGE: A STORY OF HOPE
Join us on a journey of educational hope for students in poverty-stricken Kenya. Surging Films teams up with The Weiss Scholarship Foundation to bring the stories of various Kenyan scholarship recipients, hopefuls, and alumni to the forefront. In particular, we follow Christine Akoth's journey as she travels from Kenya to America in hope

BLOCK 14 at 3:00PM

KIKUM SPIRIT (THE UNTOLD AFRICAN STORY)
Fonyuy thinks people bearing gifts don't come with bad intentions. So he takes the gifts from Pedro and Enrico (2 explorers).
The Fon thinks hia people can benefit from knowing more about the strangers land. So he sends his son Mumu to the foreigners' land to learn about them.

TRAVESSIA
"Travessia" is a contemporary dance performance that revives the Black diaspora, from the horrors of the water-covered dungeon - the slave ship - drifting through to the present day. It has been 134 years of freedom, but Black people are still chained to many shackles in Brazil. The Black, poor, and favela-dwelling people are the concret

IWO (TOXIN)
IWO is a story of a king ( Adejuwon) whose life is under threats as his ******* Prince teams up with the younger queen to go for King Adejuwon's life. The palace becomes a battlefield when the autistic prince, one of the King's children, does all that he can to save his father from this fatal fate. Shot as an old school themed concept in

BLOCK 15 at 3:00PM

HOUSE ON A BRIDGE
A young couple who intend to commit suicide on their wedding anniversary

ALI VS. ALI
Alireza Rofougaran’s childhood dream of meeting Muhammad Ali had long been forgotten, till it sprung back to life following the death of Ali’s former rival, Joe Frazier. The reawakened dream brings back to memory a whole era in which Muhammad Ali had been embedded in Iranian culture as a legend, compared in mythical proportions with Nati

RETURN TO YOUR CORNER
Who was the first Boxing World Champion from Africa? Why do so few people know his name?
Sadly few know his name even in Africa because Battling Siki was a world Champion during the colonial era and so his world title is recorded as belonging to his colonial ruler.
Siki faced severe racism during his career, but used the very thing used

BLOCK 16 at 5:00PM

NAVIGATING AUTISM IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
Navigating Autism in Communities of Color is based on the stories of six Black families, as well as experts in the field, on the unique struggles of navigating autism in a structurally unequal society and determination for equal access. In collaboration between the School of History and Sociology and the School of Literature Media and Communication at Georgia Tech, and The Color of Autism Foundation, Navigating Autism offers a first-hand account of the challenges and hopes for a future that embraces autism in Black communities.

Date: August 17 - 18, 2024

Time: 11:00am to 8:00pm

Location:

Flintridge Center - 236 W Mountain St UNIT 106 Pasadena, CA 91103

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