A STILL FROM the film ‘The Weekend.’
The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago proudly announces the full lineup for the 30th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival, celebrating three decades of showcasing Black cinematic voices and visions across the Diaspora.
This year’s festival, which takes place November 8 to November 21 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, located at 164 N. State St., features more than 75 Chicago premieres, with 13 feature films and 10 shorts programs from 18 different countries, including Raoul Peck’s documentary “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found;” the Chicago premiere of the Charles Burnett’s long un-seen “The Annihilation of Fish,” with Burnett in person; and an evening with visionary film and television director Terence Nance.
In honor of this milestone celebration, the “Dirty 30s” shorts program is a flirty program of six short films about navigating life in your thirties with humor, heart, and raw honesty, one laugh (or cry) at a time—reflecting on the Festival’s journey to 30 years.
Audiences will enjoy exclusive screenings, thought-provoking dialogues, and celebratory receptions as they come together to honor three decades of Black Harvest.
“As we celebrate 30 years of Black storytelling, we honor the legacy of voices and visions that have brought us to this moment. Over the past three decades, new paths of cinematic expression have continued to unfold.
Each film in this year’s lineup offers a powerful connection across time and space, reminding us of the stories that shaped our past and the visions that will inspire our future,” said Black Harvest Film Festival Lead Curator Jada-Amina.
Some highlights:
Opening Night, November 8: NBC Chicago entertainment reporter LeeAnn Trotter will emcee the night, presiding over a showcase of select Black Harvest Film Festival short films and the announcement of the winners of the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Black Harvest Film Festival Prize.
This year marks the seventh year that a $1,000 prize will be awarded to a short film, and the fourth year a $2,500 prize will honor a feature film. This year, the Sergio Mims Prize for Excellence in Black Filmmaking, a cash award of $5,000, will also be awarded to a local Chicago filmmaker whose work is included in the Black Harvest lineup.
The winning films will be announced, as selected by the Black Harvest Film Festival jury, featuring pioneering and legendary filmmaker Julie Dash (Daughters of the Dust), RogerEbert.com associate editor Robert Daniels, and award-winning filmmaker Raven Jackson (All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt). Following the program, attendees are cordially invited to a reception in the lobby.
Special Guests: The Black Harvest Film Festival proudly welcomes more than 50 filmmakers for insightful, compelling dialogues following festival films, including:
An Evening with Terence Nance: Black Harvest is thrilled to welcome visionary filmmaker Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty) for an intimate evening showcasing episodes four and five from Season Two of the acclaimed HBO series Random Acts of Flyness, where Nance delves into the richness of Black experiences. Following the screenings, Nance joins us for an expansive conversation facilitated by Black Harvest lead curator Jada-Amina.
Local Filmmaker Mixer: Ticket holders for the Monday, November 11, “From The Block” Chicago shorts program are invited to celebrate and mingle with local Black Harvest Film Festival filmmakers following the program. Tickets include a complimentary drink.
Feature Films:
“Ernest Cole: Lost and Found,” Raoul Peck’s profound documentary about South African photographer Ernest Cole, whose lens exposed the stark realities of colonial oppression in the wake of South African Apartheid.
Chicago Premiere of “The Debutantes:” Focusing on the first group of Black debutantes in Canton, Ohio, in a decade, this documentary follows young women as they confront the ball’s legacy, redefining it and charting their own path forward.
Chicago Premiere of “Jimmy:” Shot in 16mm, “Jimmy” celebrates James Baldwin’s journey from New York to Paris, leaving behind the oppressive backdrop of the 1940s United States to join fellow Black expats searching for liberation. Immersed in the Algerian quarters’ rich cultural fabric and the Left Bank’s artistic pulse, he confronts the complexities of his queerness.
Short Film Programs: Enjoy the Chicago premieres of more than 60 dynamic shorts in this collection of 10 short film programs, including:
“From The Block:” Experience the vibrancy and diversity of Chicago and Illinois communities in this program of eight compelling short films.
There is also a program of seven short films of Black horror and haunting.
Sonic Constellations: A Deep Dive Into Film Scores: Chicago-based scholar and curator chris d. reeder, alongside artist and theorist Nina Garibaldi, explores the essential role of sound in cinema, revealing how scores shape narratives and emotional experiences.
The Community Film Workshop Showcase: South Side Shorts: For more than five decades, the Community Film Workshop of Chicago has supported African Americans and people of color in the film industry. This free showcase features 13 captivating short films, each highlighting and reflecting the rich tapestry of our community. Followed by a reception with light refreshments.
There are other special programs, in addition to a fantastic closing night film.
Closing Night, November 21: “The Annihilation of Fish,” with director Charles Burnett in person. Black Harvest is honored to conclude the 30th Black Harvest Film Festival with the Chicago premiere of the 4K digital restoration of Charles Burnett’s (“Killer of Sheep,” “To Sleep With Anger”) the long-lost feature, “The Annihilation of Fish,” (1999 romcom) starring James Earl Jones, Lynn Redgrave and Margot Kidder.
A woman (Lynn Redgrave), who believes a dead composer is in love with her, falls in love with a man (James Earl Jones) who constantly fights an imaginary man named Hank.
Charles Burnett will join us For almost a quarter of a century, “The Annihilation of Fish” has been unavailable on all media—it has never been distributed on 35mm, DCP, VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, television, or streaming—until now.
Tickets and Passes
Festival passes and individual Black Harvest Film Festival tickets are available for purchase.
Tickets are $13, with Film Center members paying only $6.50 per ticket.
Students with a valid school ID pay $8.
SAIC students, staff, and faculty pay $5 for regular film presentations.
Black Harvest Film Festival passes are $60 and can be redeemed for six regular film presentations (excluding Opening Night and Closing Night). Film Center members will pay only $30 for the six-film festival pass.
Opening Night tickets are $40 (general audience), $35 for students and $25 for Film Center members and SAIC staff, students and faculty.
Closing Night tickets $30 (general audiences), $20 for students and $20 for Film Center members and SAIC staff, students and faculty.
A sneak peek at Albany Road, featuring Lynn Whitfield. A corporate executive finds herself sharing a rental car with her ex-fiancé’s mother amidst a fierce storm. As the rain pours, old wounds reopen, and heartfelt revelations surface, compelling both women to confront their tangled past. https://youtu.be/i-RfWcZw4Rk?si=n2uZ0qdH0U0JNPpQ
Nickel Boys: Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, “Nickel Boys” chronicles the powerful friendship between two young Black teenagers navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in Florida. (MGM).
Full Program here.
Showtimes and guest appearances are subject to change.
Black Harvest Film Festival | 30 Years