American Black Film Festival creators Jeff and Nicole Friday will launch Social Justice Now Film Festival, which will run from Oct. 21 to 25. The annual program from their nonprofit, the Film Life Foundation, will feature screenings, community conversations and impact events centering on social and economic issues faced by Black and Brown communities.
The mission of Social Justice Now Film Festival is “watch, reflect and take action.” This year’s inaugural program will include virtual screenings followed by discussions on police brutality, criminal justice reform, health care reform and voter reform, led by preeminent voices from their respective spaces. The event will also introduce action items, including online petitions and educational resources, regarding the upcoming presidential election.
“This first-of-its-kind festival will merge art and activism to drive today’s necessary conversations forward toward lasting social and political change,” said Jeff and Nicole Friday. “On behalf of our partners, we look forward to using our collective abilities to provide a platform committed to amplifying the voices of the marginalized and educating attendees on the most pressing issues impacting these communities.”
The festival will accept submissions in narrative features, documentaries and new media projects that align with themes of social justice and tackle issues of racial justice, implicit bias, Black identity and human rights. Submission opens on Aug. 27 on its website, and the deadline for entries is Sept. 12.
Michael B. Jordan and Black Lives Matter co-founder Opal Tometi serve as co-ambassadors. Coalition partners include Endeavor Content, One Community and Outlier Society, and Sony Pictures is the event’s founding sponsor.