Skip to content

Joiri Minaya: Venus Flytrap
A photo taken over the shoulder of an artists with brown curly hair painting a canvas while holding a cup of bright green paint.

BlackStar Film Festival 2025 Submissions Now Open

Submit Your Film

A photo of five people sitting on stage at the Festival, speaking out to an audience, all laughing and smiling. The four people on the right, who are centered in the photo, are all Black.
Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Upcoming
View all events
A still from The Dawn shows an arid field. There are three young Black boys standing together, their bodies folded into one another as if they are one. Their eyes are white.
Screening

BlackStar Selects

This special program, focusing on altered states, the occult, liminal worlds and liminal beings.

Sold Out
A photo of a group of people sitting together, one is looking at a journal and reading from it to the ground. There others appear to be listening intently.
Seminar

William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar 2025

A seminar for Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists working in cinematic realms, hosted by BlackStar. Registration open now.

A still shows a man with an afro standing in front of a body of water. His eyes are squinting.
Screening

Ancestral Futures

Desire is the focus of this shorts block, which showcase lush, joyful, and tender longing for a world beyond patriarchy.

A still from Family Tree shows four Black people standing in a forest. Two are wearing hard hats. They are looking up at something and smiling.
Screening

Confluence Film Festival: Family Tree

As part of the month-long environmental film festival that showcases films from regional filmmakers, we will host a screening of Jennifer MacArthur’s Family Tree.

Coming Soon
A photo taken over the shoulder of an artists with brown curly hair painting a canvas while holding a cup of bright green paint.
Exhibition

Joiri Minaya: Venus Flytrap

A new performance series and installation from artist Joiri Minaya, curated by Dessane Lopez Cassell.

A photo of a crowd watching a film, masks on, at BlackStar Film Festival inside the Kimmel Center.
Festival

BlackStar Film Festival 2025

Our annual celebration of the visual and storytelling traditions of the global majority. This year's festival will be in-person in Philadelphia and online around the world.

Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured Programs Featured
View all programs
A photo of Imran Siddiquee and Raven Jackson in conversation at the 2024 William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar.
Seminar

William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar

A three-day seminar for Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists working in cinematic realms, hosted by BlackStar.

A photo of a crowd watching a film, masks on, at BlackStar Film Festival inside the Kimmel Center.
Festival

BlackStar Film Festival

An annual celebration of the visual and storytelling traditions of the African diaspora and of global communities of color, showcasing films by Black, Brown and Indigenous artists from around the world.

Seen Issue 007 cover image. It has a black-and-white image of Ja'Tovia Gary. She is looking straight ahead at the camera, half of her face is obscured by a wall of some sort. The Seen logo is at the top of the image in sky blue.
Journal

Seen

A journal of film and visual culture. Order Issue 007, guest edited by Ja'Tovia Gary, today.

Lab

Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab

A year-long fellowship with BlackStar for Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers in Philadelphia.

A photo of Maori Karmael Holmes recording an episode of Many Lumens
Podcast

Many Lumens

In this podcast, BlackStar founder Maori Karmael Holmes chats with the most groundbreaking artists, change makers, and cultural workers — finding meaning in the intersections of art, social change, and popular culture.

News Latest News Latest News Latest News Latest News Latest News Latest News Latest News Latest News Latest News Latest
View all news
A photo taken over the shoulder of an artists with brown curly hair painting a canvas while holding a cup of bright green paint.
Press Release

BlackStar Projects Presents Joiri Minaya: Venus Flytrap

BlackStar Projects is pleased to present Venus Flytrap, a site-specific, four-day performance series and summer-long installation by Joiri Minaya that …

A photo of four people posing in front of the step-and-repeat. They are smiling.
Press Release

BlackStar Projects Announces Festival Dates & Winter Program

BlackStar Projects is pleased to announce its winter program and upcoming events, including the dates and submission opening for the …

Donate Today
Help BlackStar Shine

BlackStar is a leader in a global movement recognizing media arts and visual culture as a vital component in rectifying historical imbalances and creating a more equitable world. You can help BlackStar shine by making a one-time donation today.

Support BlackStar