This festival is brought to you by the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul University. All film screenings are also co-sponsored by the Department of International Studies and the Department of African & Black Diaspora Studies.

Join us for  the screening of three shorts films that wowed the festival jury by the level of craftsmanship, artistry and beauty  of the camera work. They include the following films.

ABOUT THE FILM, A RODEO FILM

A bull rider who falls out of love with the sport must choose between his family’s legacy of rodeo and his own aspirations of life.

Darius Dawson is an international filmmaker based in Los Angeles. He received his BA in Film Studies from North Carolina State University. After undergrad he went on to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts based in Singapore for graduate film production where he concentrated in cinematography.

He has lensed projects across Southeast Asia , China and Japan. His projects have screened in several international festivals across the globe. After working several years in advertising Darius has returned to school at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles to focus on directing.

ABOUT THE FILM, OKLAHOMA IS BLACK

Oklahoma is Black is a portrait of Black life on the Northeast side of Oklahoma City.

Melinda James is a queer Black/Thai filmmaker with a primary focus in cinematography. Her style embodies a visual style that is minimal and intimate. James' personal work is centered around women and QTPOC communities and extends to other marginalized experiences. Over the years she has shaped a body of work that puts these underrepresented communities at the forefront, as keepers of their own images.

Based in Los Angeles, she's created short films, music videos, and commercials that have debuted on The Root, Essence, NPR Music, Participant Media, and has been screened at Frameline Film Festival, Outfest Fusion, Queer Women of Color Film Festival, SF Urban Film Festival and Oklahoma Contemporary.

ABOUT THE FILM, FREED

Issa, 20 years old, is about to get out from jail, when he meets Gaetan a young inmate who has not served his sentence yet.

Josza Anjembe is a French filmmaker. In 2016 she directed her first short film, "Le bleu blanc rouge de mes cheveux" ('French"). The film has received many awards such as HP Bringing Borders at Palm Springs Film Festival, Interpretation’s Award at Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, Jury’s award at Off-Courts Film Festival, and it has been screened in more than 160 festivals around the world.

It has also been nominated at the Cesar 2018 for Best Short Film.

REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-diaspora-short-film-festival-cinematography-shorts-program-tickets-142166508855