Black Reels
The Black Reels Project is a twofold initiative consisting of both a filmmaking workshop and a film festival designed for Black, African and Afro-diasporic artists. This project is organised by Kameron Locke, Project Leader of the Black Reels Project and founding member of the arts-activism collective Black Art Action Berlin (BAAB), with the support of the BAAB network Alice Z. Jones, Osman Mukhtar and Charlotte Sohst. BAAB is an initiative that centres Black, African and Afro-diasporic artists and community. Film producer and UdK lecturer Karina Griffith joined the Black Reels Project as Curatorial Leader for the Black Reels Film Festival. The works showcased diverse perspectives, realities, and forms.
In an effort to support ongoing community building and culture making, this event centred and synergised the magical possibilities of what happens when we come together and create together.
The Black Reels Filmmaking Workshop broke new ground from 12 July to 16 July 2021 as the first group to make use of the with the rubbles of old palaces new location. Locke expresses that “the idea of the workshop was for Black creatives to learn from and with each other, and to explore the limitless potentials of holding space to create art and film collaboratively.”
On day 2 at with the rubbles of old palaces, Black Reels Workshop leaders Branwen Okpako and Jide Tom Akinleminu explain film equipment to the workshop participants.
On day 2 at with the rubbles of old palaces, Black Reels Workshop leaders Branwen Okpako and Jide Tom Akinleminu explain film equipment to the workshop participants.
“Falling into the Light” film group (Jota Ramos, Alex Mello, SJ Rahatoka, Osman Mukhtar, Nicky Chue and Black Pearl de Almeida), pose outside with the rubbles of old palaces with their workshop leader Branwen Okpako before filming their scenes for the day.
The third and last day of filming SJ Rahatoka’s screenplay “Falling into the Light,” a short film about queerness, healing and belonging. This work was created through intentional collaboration and learning, and translated into film for the Black Reels Filmmaking Workshop.
The “Oil on Water” film group (Youde Monga, Luisa Wolf, Kubi Meyer, Daniellis Calderon Hernandez, Nyambura Murage, Fenja Akinde-Hummel, and workshop leader Jide Tom Akinleminu) on their third and final day of filming at the Floating University. This filmic-essay explores identity and ancestral heritage/connections.
with the rubbles of old palaces was transformed into a production studio for the week. The “Oil on Water” film group (Youde Monga, Luisa Wolf, Kubi Meyer, Daniellis Calderon Hernandez, Nyambura Murage, Fenja Akinde-Hummel, workshop leader Jide Tom Akinleminu, and workshop editors Hildi Oehler and Fenja Akinde-Hummel) return from filming to work on post-productionat the space.
with the rubbles of old palaces was transformed into a production studio for the week. The “Oil on Water” film group (Youde Monga, Luisa Wolf, Kubi Meyer, Daniellis Calderon Hernandez, Nyambura Murage, Fenja Akinde-Hummel, workshop leader Jide Tom Akinleminu, and workshop editors Hildi Oehler) return from filming to work on post-productionat the space.
Workshop editor Hildi Oehler and workshop leader Jide Tom Akinleminu work on edits for “Oil on Water” at with the rubbles of old palaces.
Black Reels Project leader Kameron Locke documents behind-the-scenes of the groups filming at the Floating University.
Black Reels Workshop assistant Alice Z. Jones working and watching as the Falling into the Light group film scenes at the Floating University.
The Black Reels Film Festival soon followed the workshop. This initiative supports the space created by Black-led organisations in Germany that centre Black identity, such as the Fountainhead Tanz Black International Cinema Berlin. The Black Reels Festival is a model for and encourages the ongoing work in the film and cultural spaces in Berlin.
The Black Reels Film Festival made its debut in Berlin at ACUD MACHT NEU on 4th and 5th of September 2021. The Black Reels film Festival short film categories “Love & Freedom,” “We Invented Embodiment” and “The Work We Do” symbolised the overarching themes of the films assigned to their respective category. The works reflected themes such as love, movement, determination, queerness, identity, activism and more. Branwen Okpako’s “The Education of Auma Obama” was the feature film for the festival. In addition to the engaging films, audience enjoyed panel discussions with featured filmmakers from the short film categories, moderated by Fenja Hummel and SJ Rahatoka.
Attendees of the Black Reels Film Festival watched the premiere of the two short films created during the July 2021 Black Reels Filmmaking Workshop. During this brief period, two groups of Black filmmakers from throughout Germany created two short films on a modest budget within five days. The workshop was hosted by the cultural research space with the rubbles of old palaces, and filming took place at Floating University and throughout Berlin. Together, the groups meditated on the themes “belonging,” “identity,” and “community” to design stories based on participant submissions. Each participant was in control of their narrative; they had both the freedom to decide, and the professional guidance to film and direct their own scenes. The goal of the workshop was to collectively produce short works to be shown at the Black Reels Film Festival. This could not have been possible without the mentorship of workshop leaders Branwen Okpako, Associate Professor at UC Davis and director, Jide Tom Akinleminu, documentary film director and cinematographer, workshop assistant and artist Alice Z. Jones, and editor, Hildi Oehler.
“Falling into the Light,” is based on a screenplay by workshop participant SJ Rahatoka, and “Oil on Water,” is inspired by Daniellis Hernandez Calderon’s text on ancestral heritage and belonging. Both premiered at the Black Reels Film Festival alongside many other captivating and unique stories to an excited and supportive audience. After the Black Reels short films premiere, Kameron Locke moderated an insightful panel discussion with some of the workshop participants. They shared what the Black Reels Project meant to them and the necessity for spaces that encourage this type of collaborative work.
The Black Reels Project is more than an initiative that engages films created by Black, African and Afro-diasporic filmmakers, it’s a space that brings together community, creativity and collaboration to reflect the various and complex narratives of our vast diaspora.
Fenja Akinde-Hummel, Black Reels Filmmaking Workshop participant, and Karina Griffith, Black Reels Film Festival curatorial leader, embrace during the intermission at ACUD MACHT NEU.
Black Reels Filmmaking Workshop participants panel discussion: Nicky Chue, Jota Ramos, Black Pearl de Almeida, Alex Mello, Youde Monga, Fenja Akinde-Hummel.
Black Reels Filmmaking Workshop group: Deborah Moses Sanks, Black Pearl de Almeida, Jota Ramos, Nicky Chue, SJ Rahatoka, Gil DuOde, Osman Muhktar, Alex Mello, Nyambura Murage, Daniellis Hernandez Calderon, Youde Monga, Kameron Locke and Fenja Akinde-Hummel.
Black Reels Film Festival: Karina Griffith, Black Reels Film Festival curatorial Leader, Nicky Chue and Fenja Akinde-Hummel, Black Reels Filmmaking Workshop participants.
Black Reels Film Festival’s audience awaits the films to begin.
Black Reels Film Festival screening of Timmi Kwaku Davis' "Mon Pays."
The poster for the inaugural Black Reels Film Festival was designed by Ford Kelly.
Sponsorship for this project was provided by Fonds Soziokultur e.V. NEUSTART KULTUR, Medienboard Berlin-Bradenburg, and Interflugs. Each One Teach One (EOTO) e.V. joined the Black Reels Project as a cooperation partner.
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