CFFS 2024 – Black is Beautiful (Ages 12+) [Hybrid]
Watch online: Feb. 2–10, 2024
Visiting Artist
**The Tweetations Revue director Fraser Collins will be in attendance!**
Ticketing, concessions, cinemas, restrooms, and our public edit lab are located on Northwest Film Forum’s ground floor, which is wheelchair accessible. All doors in Northwest Film Forum are non-motorized, and may require staff assistance to open. Our upstairs workshop room is not wheelchair accessible.
We have a limited number of assistive listening devices available for programs hosted in our larger theater, Cinema 1. These devices are maintained by the Technical Director, and can be requested at the ticketing and concessions counter. Also available at the front desk is a Sensory Kit you can borrow, which includes a Communication Card, noise-reducing headphones, and fidget toys.
The Forum does NOT have assistive devices for the visually impaired, and is not (yet) a scent-free venue. Our commitment to increasing access for our audiences is ongoing, and we welcome all public input on the subject!
If you have additional specific questions about accessibility at our venue, please contact our Patron Services Manager at maria@nwfilmforum.org. Our phone number (206-329-2629) is voicemail-only, but we check it often.
Made possible due to a grant from Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Sensory Access, our Sensory Access document presents a visual and descriptive walk-through of the NWFF space. View it in advance of attending an in-person event at bit.ly/nwffsocialnarrativepdf, in order to prepare yourself for the experience.
A number of seats will be held at each show for members of the community for whom ticket cost is an obstacle. If you’d like to attend free of charge, please email María and Paul (maria@nwfilmforum.org, paul@nwfilmforum.org) to let them know which program and showtime you’re interested in!
NWFF patrons will be required to wear masks that cover both nose and mouth while in the building. Disposable masks are available at the door for those who need them. We are not currently checking vaccination cards. Recent variants of COVID-19 readily infect and spread between individuals regardless of vaccination status.
Read more about NWFF’s policies regarding cleaning, masks, and capacity limitations here.
About
Through music, love, and life lessons, these stories celebrate the beauty and joy of being Black! Follow along as the characters in these films learn to embrace who they are – both inside and out.
Header photo credit: Bird’s Nest, dir. Nadia Louis-Desmarchais
BUY TICKETS HERE
- Purchase your ticket through Northwest Film Forum’s Eventive virtual cinema. A free Eventive login is required.
- From the Eventive virtual catalog page, purchased tickets will appear under “My Content Library” under your user menu (upper-right). From the Eventive festival landing page, they will appear under “My Tickets” on the site’s menu bar (at top).
- Your confirmation email will also route you back to these pages to watch. (Can’t find it? Check spam!)
- If all else fails, please contact paul@nwfilmforum.org
- Purchase your ticket through Brown Paper Tickets; come to the show!
- You can also purchase a ticket on the day of the screening at Northwest Film Forum’s box office (1515 12th Ave, Seattle).
- If you have purchased a Hybrid or In-Person-Only Festival Pass, we’ll be able to look you up at Will Call by the name you purchased under.
Films in this program:
JoJo – A Toad Musical
This film follows JoJo Nyaribo, a creative and musical young nature lover and wildlife advocate, as he explores the meaning of biodiversity and stewardship in his own backyard.
This story weaves together Jojo’s love for the natural world with his journey in learning about and fighting against a specific fungus that threatens amphibians around the globe. Jojo will explore what his role is in preventing the spread of this fungus through exploration and song! Seattle premiere!
(Chelsea J Jolly, US, 2022, 9 min, in English)
More than Hair
Sitting for the first time in a barbershop, a young black boy discovers the power of Black hair. Seattle premiere!
(Fitch Jean, Canada, 2022, 12 min, in French with English subtitles)
Reflection
Reflection is a metaphorical attempt to illustrate the current state of humanity. The piece highlights how the little things about us poses our differences and similarities as humans. US premiere!
(Oladele Bello, Nigeria, 2023, 2 min, in English)
*This youth-made film was programmed in partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organization for Migration’s PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival.*
Bird's Nest
Lena, a 7-year-old Black girl, receives a drawing mocking her hair. Her and her big sister spend the evening trying to make her beautiful like her classmates. West Coast premiere! CW: Bullying.
(Nadia Louis-Desmarchais, Canada, 2022, 9 min, in French with English subtitles)
Joyce's Neighborhood
Mary Mills grew up as an only child in the 1960s in a quiet neighborhood near Santa Monica, California. Although Mary didn’t have siblings to play with, she was never lonely. There were plenty of children nearby, and they all wanted to be at her house to hang out with Mary’s mother, Joyce Carter Mills, who served as a caring beacon for the community. Seattle premiere!
(Richard O’Connor, US, 2022, 3 min, in English)
The Tweetations Revue
A charismatic cast of songbirds take flight on a musical journey through a vibrant variety show, creating a fantastical celebration of cultural heritage and artistic brilliance. West Coast premiere!
(Fraser Collins, Canada, 2023, 22 min, in English)
Gaps
A pubescent girl from a close-knit family finds herself at a crossroads between keeping her gapped front teeth or risking it all for the seemingly “perfect” smile. West Coast premiere!
(Jenn Shaw, US, 2023, 11 min, in English)
Festival Directory
3... 2... 1... BLAST OFF with Children's Film Festival Seattle 2024!
2024 festival artwork by Kid Lerner.