Black Alphabet Film Festival 2025 Chicago – Celebrating Black Queer Stories and Empowerment

Black Alphabet Film Festival 2024

The Black Alphabet Film Festival (BAFF) is more than a film showcase—it’s a movement that centers Black LGBTQ+ voices and builds community through cinema and conversation. Founded in 2013 as Chicago’s first Black LGBTQ+ film festival, BAFF has grown into a nationally recognized cultural event. Each year it expands beyond Chicago through pop‑up and drive‑in screenings, virtual events and satellite festivals in cities like Cincinnati and Seattle. BAFF’s mission—“to promote social equity awareness and education in all aspects of life for the Black LGBT+ community through the use of media and the creative arts”—guides every screening, talkback and community gathering.

Why BAFF 2025 Matters

BAFF 2025 marks the festival’s 12th edition, and the program promises to be “bigger, bolder, and more unapologetically us than ever before”. Across three days—from October 24‑26, 2025—audiences can immerse themselves in groundbreaking features, intimate shorts and thought‑provoking documentaries that “challenge, uplift, and reflect the beautiful complexity” of Black LGBTQ+ communities. Whether you’re a filmmaker looking for an audience, a cinephile eager to explore under‑represented narratives or an ally seeking connection, BAFF offers a welcoming space where Black queer stories are the star.

Festival Schedule and Venues

Opening Reception – Friday, October 24

The festival kicks off with an Opening Reception at the Jamii Center for Arts and Media (3850 S Indiana Ave, Chicago). This intimate evening—described as a night “alive with flavor, laughter, and connection”—features live entertainment, light bites and a special short film by **Julia Hester**, the festival’s 2025 NOVA artist‑in‑residence. It’s a chance to mingle with filmmakers, industry professionals and fellow supporters while celebrating the power of Black storytelling.

Day 1 Saturday, October 25 at AMC Theater

Day 1 takes place at the AMC Theater, 1011 S Delano Ct in Chicago, from 12 pm to 6:30 pm**. The festival encourages attendees to “come for the films and stay for the culture, dialogue and vibe”. The Saturday schedule includes:

11:00 am–12:00 pm: Surviving Pulse: Life after a Mass Shooting – A documentary that revisits the 2016 Pulse nightclub tragedy, sharing survivor stories over five years.

12:45 pm–2:00 pm: Screenings of **Three Vendors of Ipanema**, **The New Creation Story**, **The Divine Femme** and **Out of Focus**. These shorts explore topics ranging from Brazilian street vendors beloved by Rio’s LGBTQ+ community to the celebration of Black and Brown femme identities.

- **2:00 pm–2:45 pm:** **Non‑Binary Music Video**, **Meet Me.**, **Songbird** and **SCORED** showcase queer love stories, jazz‑age romance and the emotional cost of artistic compromise.

- **3:00 pm–4:30 pm:** **Soul Kiss & Flower Boi**, **Plenum**, **Taper** and an **Artist Talkback**. Expect themes of intimacy, activism and identity.

- **4:30 pm–7:00 pm:** **Assembly** – A feature documentary in which co‑directors **Rashaad Newsome** and **Johnny Symons** transform New York’s Park Avenue Armory into a “Black queer utopia,” capturing joy and resilience.

Day 2 – **Sunday, October 26** at AMC Theater

Sunday’s program continues at the AMC Theater. The line‑up features:

- **12:00 pm–12:45 pm:** **Settle Down**, **Gasoline** and **Black Panther, Yellow Tiger**, a short exploring interracial same‑sex relationships during the 1992 LA riots.

- **12:45 pm–1:35 pm:** **The Two Essences**, **The Last Goodbye** and **So There’s This Girl**. These films delve into family dynamics, heartbreak and queer teenage confession.

- **1:35 pm–2:45 pm:** A quartet of shorts—**Coffee & Lavender**, **Petichor**, **Pink Isn’t Your Color** and **Chestbound**—exploring summer romance, faith and identity.

- **3:00 pm–4:00 pm:** **Queer Memoirs: Too Gay For Me**, **MAN>CODE**, **Demons** and **home**. Expect humor, suspense and raw portrayals of housing insecurity.

- **4:00 pm–6:00 pm:** **Come Together** followed by a talkback with director **Nathan Hale Williams**. This documentary revisits *Dirty Laundry*’s groundbreaking impact on Black queer representation and examines how art sparks social change.

Spotlight on Featured Films

BAFF 2025 offers a rich spectrum of narratives from across the Black LGBTQ+ diaspora. Below are the films scheduled for screening (alphabetical by title) along with their synopses and directors. Each title is a potential SEO keyword; using them naturally in your posts helps audiences find information about these unique stories.

- **Assembly** – Co‑directed by **Rashaad Newsome** and **Johnny Symons**, this feature documentary chronicles Newsome’s ambitious transformation of New York’s Park Avenue Armory into a “Black queer utopia,” blending performance art, ballroom culture and community activism.

- **Black Panther, Yellow Tiger** – Director **Lauren Butler** depicts an interracial same‑sex couple striving to understand one another amidst the 1992 LA riots.

- **Chestbound** – In **Janine Anne Uyanga’s** tender film, Ray heals after top surgery while their chosen family helps them confront an estranged parent.

- **Coffee & Lavender** – **Allie Morgan** captures a breezy summer romance between two young women that leaves lasting impressions.

- **Come Together** – **Nathan Hale Williams**’s documentary examines the impact of Maurice Jamal’s 2006 film *Dirty Laundry* and celebrates artists who broke barriers in Black queer representation.

- **Demons** – Directed by **Emmanuel Imani**, this thriller follows a London cop returning to Lagos to avenge his lover’s death while battling corruption and personal demons.

- **Gasoline** – **Zoë Hodge**’s drama uncovers secrets when Jacob comforts a heartbroken friend.

- **home** – **Donja R. Love** presents a gritty yet tender portrayal of a homeless queer teen in NYC who contemplates contracting HIV to access housing programs.

- **MAN>CODE** – A witty short by **Adrian Gardner** that explores hook‑up culture among Black queer men in Britain when an expected no‑strings meeting takes an odd turn.

- **Meet Me.** – **Jay Najeeah** crafts a romantic drama about a queer couple preparing for an emotional reunion with an absentee parent.

- **Non‑Binary Music Video** – **Lena‑Camille Otalora** reimagines R&B tropes through a queer, Jazz‑Age love story set in a dreamy speakeasy.

- **Out of Focus** – **India Martin** shares experimental stories of Black queer women and chosen families shaped by tenderness and love.

- **Petichor** – Directors **Audrey Booth** and **Ren Park** explore internalized homophobia when a devout Christian is drawn to an openly lesbian woman at Bible study.

- **Pink Isn’t Your Color** – **Fatima Diallo** follows Binta, a secretly queer African‑Muslim teen in Atlanta, who sells candy to buy her crush a dream bike.

- **Plenum** – **Charlene Carruthers**’ short navigates the AIDS crisis through the eyes of two siblings at a historic Black queer conference.

- **Queer Memoirs: Too Gay For Me** – In **Taja Copeland’s** comedic short, Lucki must confront insecurities when his masculine fantasy turns into a voguing nightmare.

- **SCORED** – **Robert Henry** portrays Jacob, a Black queer composer in LA, who accepts a new scoring job that stirs up unresolved grief and tests his relationship.

- **Settle Down** – **Sam Coyle**’s piece follows Mason’s staycation plan with partner Jarod while colleagues navigate a closeted rap star’s PR needs.

- **So There’s This Girl** – Written and directed by **Isis Gullette**, this film follows a Black queer teen struggling to admit her feelings before college.

- **Songbird** – **Jonathan Horton** tells of a Jazz singer whose revolutionary lyrics captivate 1930s Harlem and attract unwanted FBI attention.

- **Surviving Pulse: Life after a Mass Shooting** – **Alexa Sheehan** shares exclusive interviews with survivors and families of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting, filmed over five years to reveal lasting trauma and resilience.

- **Taper** – **Ben Locke** highlights the microaggressions faced by a queer Black student seeking a barbershop haircut at a predominantly white institution.

- **The Divine Femme** – **Odu Adamu** presents voices from Toronto’s ballroom scene as Black and Brown trans and cis women discuss womanism and self‑expression.

- **The Last Goodbye** – **Ahlaam Yasmin** shows a former couple reuniting in a park to tidy up loose ends after a breakup.

- **The New Creation Story** – A collaborative piece by **Dane Figueroa Edidi**, **J Mase III** and **Audria LB** that celebrates the Black Trans community through animated mythology and poetry.

- **The Two Essences** – **Jade Bryan** follows Essence, a sexually fluid Latina mother navigating an open marriage and her conservative deaf daughter’s life.

- **Three Vendors of Ipanema** – **Jonathan S. Lee** documents street vendors whose homemade foods and long‑standing connections with Rio’s LGBTQ+ community embody entrepreneurship and independence.

- **BLACK & MERRY** – **CoquieHughes**’ incisive scripted series explores the love lives of urban Black queer women, capturing identity, heartbreak, humor and healing.

What Makes BAFF Unique

**Community & Dialogue:** BAFF fosters conversations between filmmakers and audiences through talkbacks, panels and performances. This year’s **artist talkback** following *Soul Kiss & Flower Boi* and the closing **Come Together** session with **Nathan Hale Williams** invite deeper engagement.

**Inclusive Spaces:** BAFF offers safe, affirming environments for Black LGBTQ+ people and their allies. From the Jamii Center to the AMC theater, attendees experience culture, cuisine and connection.

**Expanding Footprint:** Although rooted in Chicago, the festival hosts satellite events in Washington DC, Houston, Cincinnati and South Florida. This expansion increases exposure for Black queer filmmakers and allows supporters nationwide to participate.

**Awards & Recognition:** As Chicago’s premier Black LGBTQ+ film festival, BAFF rewards excellence. Winners of the Best Feature, Documentary and Short categories receive engraved crystal awards.

How to RSVP and Support

Tickets for BAFF 2025 are available now. **Early‑bird tickets** for Day 1 are priced at $10, and there are flexible pay‑what‑you‑can options for the opening reception and day two. To secure your seat:

1. Visit [Black Alphabet’s official festival page](https://www.blackalphabet.org/film-festival) and select “Get Tickets.”

2. Choose your event—Opening Reception, Day 1 or Day 2—and the number of tickets.

3. Complete the RSVP form and payment details.

Can’t attend? You can still support BAFF’s mission by donating or sharing the festival on social media. Your contributions help provide free art therapy, mental health services and year‑round programming for the Black LGBTQ+ community.

Final Thoughts

The Black Alphabet Film Festival remains an essential platform for Black LGBTQ+ storytellers, offering audiences heartfelt dramas, daring documentaries and bold new voices. By attending, sponsoring or sharing BAFF 2025, you help uplift voices that deserve the spotlight. Grab your tickets, invite friends and celebrate at Chicago’s premier Black queer film festival this October!

Tickets are free/pay what you can. We hope you join us.

RSVP for BAFF 2025