Hard at work and need to reset? Take a break and check out some of the short films we've been enjoying this month. In honor of Black History Month, we've selected films directed by, written by, or featuring Black creators and storytellers.
-SHIP: A Visual Poem
Directed and written by Terrance Daye
In “-Ship: a Visual Poem”, a father teaches his two sons to protect one another at all costs. After his boys make a startling discovery about their deceased cousin (Kelon), brothers, Jeremiah and Junior, form an alliance to survive their father’s grief-induced rage and preserve their cousin’s secret. This film earned the Short Film Jury Award in Fiction at the 2020 Sundance Film Fest.
The Basics of Love
Directed and written by Joshua Zev Nathan
It’s just another day on the route for coworkers, Lefty and Liz, sanitation workers serving the suburbs of Fresno, California. As they drive, they move together through swaths of reveal conversations, both intimate and funny, that hint at their romantic chemistry. It takes a violent robbery for the pair to realize they both crave the same things.The Basics of Love received Special Recognition at the 2023 Stony Brook Film Festival
Wild Magnolias
Directed and produced by Alexandra Kern
Bo Dollis comes from a family with rich ties to the masking tradition practiced by Mardi Gras Indians, and while he’s still young, he’s hoping to mentor young people who express an interest in the music, dance, and costuming that breathe life into this Mardi Gras subculture. Prepared to be stunned by the craftsmanship Dollis and his proteges unveil. Wild Magnolias has screened at Seattle International Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, and Austin Film Fest among others.
Cherry Lemonade
Directed and written by Aisha Ford
A day of unfortunate encounters shows adolescent protagonist Phoenix that even sweetest things can pack a punch when they need to. Phoenix has her mind set on buying a cherry lemonade from her local convenience store, where she isn’t allowed to travel unattended. And when her brother is too busy to escort her, she seizes her opportunity to go it alone.Cherry Lemonade has screened at Tribeca Film Festival and Bushwick Film Festival among others.
After Migration: Calabria
Directed by Walé Oyéjidé and Jake Saner
In this short, a young man and a mother with a small child begin to transition and adjust to their new lives in a tight-knit Italian community, which is in many ways dramatically different from the refugee camps they recently left behind. The landscape shots, fashion styling, and music used throughout will immediately transport you to the softer lives led by the protagonist. For these two, Calabria is a land of immense possibility.
