< Back to Festival Program List
59th Chicago International Film Festival banner

Black Perspectives

A celebration of the cultural and historical impact of African-American and Black experiences, showcasing the diversity and richness of African diasporic narratives.


In-Person
A woman wearing a white dress, cradles a baby in a diaper in a neighborhood surrounded by trees.

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt

Raven Jackson  |   United States
English  
Coming of Age, Family Affairs, Women Centered

This lyrical, decades-spanning exploration of a woman’s life in Mississippi is a haunting, beautiful ode to the people and places that shape us.

In-Person
A bald, bearded man wearing a white button up stands in front of a large home with an American flag hanging from it.

American Fiction

Cord Jefferson  |   United States
English  
Comedy, Political, Social Commentary

Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Starring Jeffrey Wright as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment.

In-Person
A man and woman lay in the grass, gazing at each other.

Banel & Adama

Ramata-Toulaye Sy  |   Senegal, France, Mali
Pulaar  
Drama, Romance, Women Centered

Rebellious young lovers challenge tradition in this mesmerizing and emotionally charged romantic drama tinged with magical realism

In-Person

Beyond the Frame: 376 Days (Nick Cave: Keep it Movin’) + Chronicle of a Summer Day

Various  |   United States
English  
Art, Documentary, LGBTQ

This suite of films explores the fusion of the natural world and cultural narratives, as well as the limitless possibilities of creative expression and transcending convention.

In-Person
Streaming
Two black cyclists, in full kits, ride past camera on a flat road.

Bike Vessel

Eric D. Seals  |   United States
English  
Documentary, Social Commentary, Sports

A father and son embark on an epic bike ride from St. Louis to Chicago in this stirring documentary that takes a hard look at health disparities in the Black community.

In-Person
A man and woman sit beside eachother in front of a fireplace. The man looks pleased and relaxed, the woman is upset.

The Bride

Myriam U. Birara  |   Rwanda
Kinyarwanda  
Drama, LGBTQ, Social Commentary, Women Centered

Kidnapped and forced into marriage, Eva forms a tender friendship with her new husband’s cousin as together they face the ghosts of Rwanda’s past.

In-Person
A woman in a silk pink robe watches a young Sudanese woman with a smile.

Goodbye Julia

Mohamed Kordofani  |   Sudan
Arabic  
Drama, Political, Women Centered

Two women from different class and racial backgrounds form a dangerous bond against the tumultuous backdrop of South Sudan’s impending secession.

In-Person
A civil rights march. People standing arm in arm and walk in unity.

Rustin

George C. Wolfe  |   United States
English  
Biopic, Historical, LGBTQ, Political
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, never apologized for who [...]
In-Person
Streaming

Shorts 7: Black Perspectives – Resonance

Various  |   Tanzania, United States
English  
Comedy, Documentary, Drama, LGBTQ, Sports

Vibrant cultural legacies come to life, hidden histories are unearthed, everyday life is illuminated, and resonant stories unfold in captivating splendor in this collection of shorts.

In-Person
A black family of six poses together in front of their home.

Silver Dollar Road

Raoul Peck  |   United States
English  
Documentary, Political, Social Commentary

Acclaimed director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) tells the shocking story of a Black family who fought for decades to keep their ancestral land.

In-Person
Astronaut Ronald McNair smiles while holding a film slate. He wears a name badge that says Cecil B. McNair.

The Space Race

Lisa Cortés, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza  |   United States
English  
Documentary, Historical, Political, Social Commentary

Pioneers in civil rights and outer space, Black astronauts boldly ventured where no Black Americans had ever gone before. This is their untold story.

In-Person

Stamped from the Beginning

Roger Ross Williams  |   United States
English  
Documentary, Historical, Political, Social Commentary

Based on the book by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (How to Be An Antiracist), this searing documentary explores the roots of anti-Black racism in America.

Black Persepctives Program Sponsor

Logo: AllState