BlackStar Film Festival

BlackStar Film Festival

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BlackStar Film Festival presents films by Black, Brown and Indigenous artists from around the world, drawing on the visual and storytelling traditions of the African diaspora and other communities of colour. Maori Karmael Holmes founded it in Philadelphia in 2012; the festival grew into BlackStar Projects, which also runs a filmmaker seminar, a production lab for Philadelphia filmmakers, year-round screenings and the journal Seen.

The programme covers feature and short narrative, documentary and experimental work, chosen through an open call and judged by juries and audiences. Its jury awards for short narrative and short documentary appear on the Academy's list of qualifying festivals for the short film categories. Screenings take place in Philadelphia venues and online, alongside panels and filmmaker conversations. The 2027 edition takes place in Philadelphia on 5–8 August 2027.

Country

United States (USA)

Categories

Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Short

Dates

5 August 2027 — 8 August 2027

Awards and prizes

Jury awards: Best Feature Narrative, Best Feature Documentary, Best Short Narrative, Best Short Documentary, Best Experimental. Philadelphia Filmmaker Award. Audience awards: Favorite Feature Narrative, Favorite Feature Documentary, Favorite Short Narrative, Favorite Short Documentary, Favorite Experimental. Shine Member Award for First Time Filmmakers (presented in 2026). Winners of the Best Short Narrative and Best Short Documentary jury awards may be considered for the Academy Awards in the Live Action Short and Documentary Short categories without a theatrical run, if the film otherwise meets the Academy's rules.

Festival rules

Films must be directed by a person who identifies as Black, Brown or Indigenous, and must feature people who identify as Black, Brown or Indigenous or tell a story of Black, Brown or Indigenous experiences. Short films run 40 minutes or less. Features run longer than 40 minutes, preferably no more than 120 minutes. Non-English works need English subtitles when submitted. Accepted films must have open captions burned in. Premiere status (Philadelphia, East Coast, US, North America or world) is preferred but not required. Work-in-progress cuts are accepted if clearly marked as such. Entry fees are charged per film and are non-refundable. Fees are waived for students with proof of enrolment. All films are entered into the audience competition unless the entrant asks to withdraw at confirmation. Submissions are accepted through FilmFreeway.

Contacts

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