The Toronto Black Film Festival is quickly approaching (February 15th-19th). We know you’ll want to catch all the films, but we’ve come up with a short list of the ones you absolutely can’t miss:
NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS
- Oxford Gardens by Obi Emelonye / Feb 16 – 9PM: A chance meeting on a park bench in Oxford Gardens one summer afternoon sets in motion an unlikely friendship.
- Couples Night by Mark Harris / Feb 17 – 6:30 PM: When a bored but quirky housewife becomes obsessed with her argumentative neighbours, she starts a Couples Night that sends her mild-mannered husband into a tailspin.
- The Cursed Ones by Nana Obiri-Yeboah, Maximilian Claussen / Feb 18 – 11AM: A series of misfortune leads a West African village to accuse a young girl, Asabi, of witchcraft.
- Life Is Too Short by Antoine Allen / Feb 18 – 1PM: A look at the lives of five New Yorkers dealing with a variety of life’s challenges and conflicts. Little do they know that all will be over soon.
- Destined by Qasim Basir / Feb 18 – 6.30PM: Destined explores how one man’s future can be changed by a single moment.
- Katatura by Florian Schott / Feb 18 – 9PM: Katutura follows several characters as they experience the gravity of living in a township where dreams are poised to die.
- The Lucky Specials by Rea Rangaka / Feb 19 – 9PM (Closing Film): When tragedy strikes, Mandla, his friend, and the band The Lucky Specials, must find the strength to make their dreams a reality.
FEATURE & MID-LENGTH DOCUMENTARIES
- Tell Them We are Rising by Stanley Nelson / Feb 15 – 7.30PM (Opening film): The story of historically Black colleges and universities.
- Sound of Redemption by N.C. Heikin / Feb 16 – 7PM: This film offers a frank look into the ups and downs of Frank Morgan’s life and a reflective look at African-American culture in 1950s Los Angeles.
- Music Is our Weapon by Taye Balogun / Feb 17 – 7PM: A film portraying the philosophy, history and the fight for justice of the most enthralling band in Kenya, which continues to build a bridge between all different social classes with their music.
- Agents of Change Co-Produced and Directed by Frank Dawson and Abby Ginzberg / Feb 18 – 3PM: This film examines the untold story of the racial conditions on college campuses and throughout the country, and how they lead to protests.
- The House on Coco Road by Damani Baker / Feb 18 – 4PM: An intimate portrait of Fannie Haughton, an activist and teacher who moves her children from Oakland, California, to participate in the Grenada Revolution.
- Ella’s Voice by Katja Duregger / Feb 19 – 1PM: a documentary on the impact Ella Fitzgerald had in the music world and beyond.
SHORT FILMS
- The Suit by Jarryd Coetsee / Feb 19 – 7PM: The story of Philemon who discovers his wife, Matilda, in bed with a lover.
Follow Us On Instagram
