ZOLA

1h 27m

Zola is based on a 2015 viral Twitter thread posted by A’ziah King. In this true-life tale of a Detroit waitress, seduced into a weekend of stripping in Florida for some quick cash, 23-year-old Zola finds herself ensnared in a sleepless 48-hour odyssey involving a nefarious friend, her pimp, and her idiot boyfriend.

DIR Janicza Bravo

The One and Only Dick Gregory

1h 57m

The One and Only Dick Gregory is a feature-length documentary examining activist, pop-culture icon, and thought leader Dick Gregory, whose work as a selfdescribed ‘agitator’ shaped a generation demanding justice. As a renowned Black comedian, Gregory had a platform to take on the most incendiary battles of hunger, gender equity, and civil rights – stirring trouble and making headlines in the service of social justice. The film features Gregory’s personal reflections, archival footage, and interviews with the artists he influenced – including Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Wanda Sykes.

DIR. Andre Gaines   

Citizen Ashe

1h 35m

Filmmakers Sam Pollard and Rex Miller chart the evolution of tennis legend Arthur Ashe—still the only Black man to win singles championships at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open. The film chronicles how Ashe navigated between a conservative sports culture and the activist politics of the Civil Rights movement, finding his voice as an advocate for the oppressed before his life was cut short by AIDS-related complications at age 49.

DIRS Sam Pollard and Rex Miller

Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America

1h 57m

Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America.

DIRS Emily Kunstler & Sarah Kunstler

THE LOYOLA PROJECT

(Milwaukee premiere)

In 1963, at the height of the civil rights movement, the Loyola Ramblers of Chicago broke racial barriers on their way to a national championship. Now, nearly 60 years later, this legendary team is reexamined by Loyola basketball player and co-captain, Lucas Williamson. Woven together with archival footage and modern-day interviews, this captivating story is surprisingly relevant to today's continued struggle for equality.

Admission is free and all who attend receive a redeemable popcorn and soda voucher, courtesy of presenting sponsor Northwestern Mutual.

DIR. Patrick Creadon

sankofa

2h 5m

To celebrate the re-opening of America’s Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM), Black Lens teams up with Ava DuVernay’s Array Films to screen a 20th anniversary remastered version of Sankofa. This empowering film tells a story of slavery and the African Diaspora from the perspective of the enslaved, challenging the romanticizing of slavery prevalent in American culture and illuminating the resilience in the face of subjugation. Post screening conversation to take place at 6 p.m.

DIR. Haile Gerima

SHORTS PROGRAM #1: Black Love through a Black Lens

Affirming Black life And amplifying Black love beyond narratives of pain and suffering, our annual “Black Love through a Black Lens” short films program centers accurate representations of loving, yet complicated Black familial and intimate partner relationships.

Film titles coming soon! 

Shorts Program #2: Family Matters 

An award-winning collection of short films chosen with kids and parents in mind, our inaugural family-friendly shorts program features intergenerational themes appropriate for all.

Film titles coming soon!