Black Music as Resistance
BlackStar Film Festival 2025
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 5:30pm ET
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Daily Jawn Stage
300 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Co-presented by Firelight Media’s Beyond Resilience Series
With Stanley Nelson, Christine Turner, Elegance Bratton, and Joseph Patel, moderated by DJ Lynnée Denise
Black music has always been a tool of resistance — pushing against societal norms, reshaping cultural expectations and amplifying the voices of those demanding change. This panel explores the deep connection between Black musical innovation and acts of defiance, from funk’s rejection of rigid structures in the 1960s and 1970s to Sun Ra’s refusal to be confined by genre. Along the way, we’ll examine films that capture funk’s political power and cultural legacy, revealing how cinema has helped preserve and amplify its revolutionary spirit. Join us for a powerful conversation on how Black artists have challenged limitations and, in doing so, created timeless movements of sonic and social revolution.
Planning to apply for Firelight Media's Spark Fund? Join us for this technical workshop to get detailed instructions about how to apply.
Firelight Media and WORLD Channel present a free virtual screening of the new short film 'This Body,' directed by Zac Manuel as part of the Hindsight series.
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Firelight Media hosted a Beyond Resilience screening + livestream Q&A with filmmaker Dilsey Davis to celebrate the digital premiere of the Hindsight documentary short film series.
Firelight Media hosted a conversation about what filmmaker-centric leadership could look like, and the possibilities for industry-wide structural change in this moment of upheaval.
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Firelight Media joined The Movement for Black Lives' national call to action on June 19 with a panel conversation that explored the history of Juneteenth and the burning of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, and grappled with the path toward economic justice for Black America.
As physical distancing continues to be the new norm, how can we still make an impact when apart? Sonya Childress, senior fellow at the Perspective Fund, takes us through case studies of documentary film campaigns that have launched in this moment and raise key questions around audience access, care, and how to reach social justice impact goals.