November 4 & 11 | This enchanting collection of homegrown narrative shorts weaves captivating tales of spellbinding tenderness and endurance. Shiloh Tumo Washington’s ONE FOR MY BABY (22 min.) is a unique romance story that unfolds in reverse, revealed through memories triggered by improvisational music. In McKenzie Chinn’s A REAL ONE (16 min.), Lauren and Keisha, two friends from a working-class neighborhood in Chicago, face a significant test of their friendship when a closely guarded secret is revealed. Cache Petters-Matthews’ CURSE BREAKERS (15 min.) explores three generations of women dealing with generational trauma. In Monty Cole’s WHOLE (13 min.) we journey with 12-year-old Brandon Moore as he grows up in the suburbs, grappling with his sense of Black identity. And in BROKE DOWN DROWN (20 min.), director Marquis Simmons explores the harsh realities of poverty, death, and hopelessness in a tough Chicago neighborhood. Content consideration: this program contains themes of abuse and violence. Select filmmakers scheduled to attend.

Black Harvest Film Festival: Chicago’s annual showcase for films that celebrate, explore and share the Black, African American and African Diaspora experience. The Festival curates both short and feature length films, proudly presenting influential auteurs and emerging filmmakers of color side by side. View full festival lineup.

The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu