IN CINEMA
Sunday, May 18th at 8:30PM
SHORTS PROGRAM #2: Ever Rising
Presented with The New York African Film Festival
Co-presented with The Black Art Vanguard
THE THINGS WE DON'T SAY
Ornella Mutoni, 2024, United Kingdom, 21 min.
30 years after the genocide that tore apart their mothers’ worlds, a group of young Rwandans confront the family secrets and the wounds their generation is carrying. They are led by therapist Emilienne, to break cycles of intergenerational trauma together.
THE ADVENTURES OF ANGOSAT
Resem Verkron, Marc Serena, 2025, Angola, Spain, 35 min.
In 2017, Angola launched its first satellite into space... and got lost. THE ADVENTURES OF ANGOSAT is a retelling of this dream. An indie musical film written and performed by Isis Hembe, one of the most renowned Angolan urban artists. It brings together upcoming artists from the streets of Cazenga (Luanda) in a unique one-shot fiction film.
THE RISE OF AZLAN
Dui Jarrod, 2024, Tanzania, 23 min.
In a city clinging to tradition, a young dreamer named Azlan dares to break free from the rigid expectations of his older brother and a life devoid of joy. But when a woman from across the ocean awakens his sense of wonder, Azlan must choose between the safety of home and the uncertain call of destiny.
GUARDIAN OF THE WELL
Bentley Brown, Tahir Ben Mahamat Zene, 2025, Chad, U.S., 6 min.
Amid a historic drought in the southern reaches of Chad's Sahara Desert, a well-goer recalls his lost cattle and contemplates his plans for a change in livelihood.
Shahkeem E Williams
SPEAKN' TRANE
Shahkeem E Williams, 2024, U.S., 19 min.
SPEAKN' TRANE is a visual conversation exploring the revolutionary spirit behind John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme.” Through themes of meditation, nature, and Black musical cosmologies, the film honors Coltrane’s spiritual journey and his deep connection to Philadelphia—returning home to reclaim lost parts of himself, in the spirit of Sankofa.
FIGHTING GIANTS
Oluwaseun Babalola, 2025, Sierra Leone, U.S., 9 min.
Inspired by true events, Abi has arrived in Sierra Leone to help her mother, Mama Amy, search for her missing sister in Freetown. When it's time for Abi to carry the weight of the two, both women realize that they are not on this journey alone.
MAHAMMOUD'S MERCEDES
Ben Eager, 2025, Sweden, 7 min.
A father tells his son a story from his past, where he ventures through various African countries, with unexpected encounters, to the heart of the Congo jungle in a Mercedes Benz.
$15 General Admission / $7 Reduced Price
