This Black Film Festival Makes Room—and a Name—For Upcoming Artists
For eight years, it has ensured that stories for us and by us get the exposure they deserve
“Representation matters!” has emerged as a collective rallying cry for marginalized people fighting against erasure in films and television shows. For as long as moving images have existed, there have been not-so-unwritten rules regarding what is considered aesthetically and socially acceptable representation and what is risky and threatening to the bottom line.
Whether it’s caving to narrow beauty standards by engaging in colorism, fatphobia, or ageism or erasing the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ or disabled people, the world of film and television has long struggled with representing humanity’s diverse narratives. Fortunately, there are movers and shakers working to make significant changes in the industry by creating and holding space for those voices that have been perpetually silenced in Hollywood.
Whether it’s engaging in colorism, fatphobia, or ageism, the world of film and television has long struggled with representing humanity’s diverse narratives.
