The BlackStar Film Festival, now celebrating 15 years of Cinema for Liberation, returns August 6-9, 2026 in Philadelphia — and Women Make Movies is proud to have seven films connected to our organization screening at this year’s festival.
🎬 A DIFFERENT IMAGE (1982, dir. Alile Sharon Larkin), long distributed by Women Make Movies and recently digitally preserved by UCLA Film & Television Archive, will be in the line-up. A foundational work of Black feminist filmmaking, the film is a portrait of a young Black woman exploring her individual sexuality, self-worth, and beauty while grappling with the Western ideals forced upon her in 1980s Los Angeles. The co-stars of the film – Marty and Adisa – will be there for the post-screening panel along with director Alile Sharon Larkin!
Two films made with the support of WMM’s Production Assistance Program will premiere at the festival:
🎬FINDING YOUR LAUGHTER
dir. Arlieta Hall & Brittany Alsot
WORLD PREMIERE
After comedian Arlieta quits her day job to care for her father, who is losing himself to Alzheimer’s, she learns to find healing and support in laughter, while striving to balance a growing career with her father’s declining health.
🎬 FREE LYRIC
dir. Cherish Oteka
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Set against the rise of social media, FREE LYRIC explores the layers and origins of cancel culture by revisiting one of rap culture’s earliest viral moments: the public shaming of a 17-year-old female rapper after a sexual confession spreads online.
Additionally, new films from Program Alum and WMM Filmmakers Julie Dash and Michèle Stephenson, are also screening, as well as new films from Program Alums Yoruba Richen and Martine Granby.
Congratulations to all of our filmmakers! Check out the full festival lineup here.
