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Halloween has long been associated with fear, folklore, and the supernatural. Within Black cinema, however, horror offers more than a seasonal thrill; it creates space to explore cultural memory, social anxieties, identity, and the histories that shape Black experiences. From chilling supernatural encounters and unsettling urban legends to stories rooted in African folklore and the complexities of race and identity, Black horror has continued to expand the possibilities of th

Keldamuzik on creating, hosting and producing Diva Talk Tonite, and the behind-the-camera work independent artists can’t skip, from the run of show to the delivery package. Behind the scenes of Diva Talk Tonite: a headset-wearing Keldamuzik in the control room, with studio monitors and production equipment. Photo credit: Digz Media Group. Creating Diva Talk Tonite has expanded my work as an independent artist and sharpened my focus on the responsibility behind the camera. Mus

Page Kennedy on writing, directing, and starring in Macbeth in Compton, his short that puts Shakespeare's own words in a world Black audiences actually care about. Page Kennedy as Mac and Candice Renée as Lady M in Macbeth in Compton. Photo: Courtesy of Kennedy Entertainment. Cinematography by Jason Andrew. When I first picked up Shakespeare, I couldn't stand it. I tried to read the first paragraph of A Midsummer Night's Dream in community college and told my professor straig

Mike Tyson in his own words, Omar Sy on the run, Mahershala Ali as a religious hitman, Club Eden's last dance, a whole lot of home, and some very good news from Hillman. Here is everything Black and African worth your remote this October. October said, "spooky season who?" Yes, the pumpkins are out and everybody is doing horror marathons, but look a little closer, and this month is stacked with Black stories on just about every screen you own. Across the water, the UK is cele

As African and Black films continue to seek sustained theatrical access beyond festivals and streaming, Mo Abudu’s London venture raises a bigger question: who builds the infrastructure that allows these stories to reach audiences? Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Place London, which officially opened on October 8, introduces a new proposition: a dedicated cinema and cultural venue in South London built around African and Black screen stories. Its significance lies not simply in adding a

The second edition runs October 15–18 in Praia, with Angèle Diabang chairing the jury, a program shaped by Cabral’s legacy, masterclasses and an expanded children’s section. By Y Marie Kiven, Black Film Wire Kafuka African Film Festival 2026 The second edition of the festival will take place October 15–18 at TeckPark in the city of Praia. The event will bring filmmakers from different countries to the city, along with films featured at major international festivals, talks, ma

The Zimbabwean filmmaker's feature directorial debut, a whodunnit set inside a traditional marriage negotiation, lands global representation four days before its Silicon Valley bow. Deborah Kabongo plays Hanayashe in Rusambo | Photographer: Angela Zivo Gapa, Safrilens Rushlake Media has acquired Rusambo, the feature directorial debut of Zimbabwean filmmaker Angela Zivo Gapa, for international distribution and global representation, Black Film Wire can exclusively reveal. The

A Shondaland directing mentorship, a $60,000 short film grant, a free trip to Sundance and more. Here is what is open right now for Black storytellers across the diaspora. I'm almost three weeks into my writers' season with the AuthenticA Series Lab, where I was accepted to develop my TV series. Being on this side of a development program has reminded me how much these opportunities can change a career, and I wanted to make time to talk about them. This list is for the young

Four writers from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Cameroon are a week into a six-month program turning original series ideas into pilot scripts, with a pitch at Series Mania waiting at the finish line. Official AuthenticA 2026 cohort photo | From L-R Lindsey Addawoo, Sahndra Fon Dufe,Phumi Morare, Lateefah Mayaki | Black Film Wire The Realness Institute has named the four screenwriters selected for the 2026 AuthenticA Series Lab, and for the first time since the program laun

Black Film Wire becomes JIFF's first African/diaspora media partner ahead of the festival's January 2027 edition, its first-ever partnership in India. Black Film Wire officially joins JIFF 2026. Black Film Wire Becomes JIFF 2027's Official Media Partner, Bridging African Cinema and One of the World's Fastest-Growing Film Markets. Partnership marks BFW's first collaboration in India, connecting African and diaspora storytelling with Bollywood's booming industry. JAIPUR, INDIA

Nollywood has lost one of its defining voices Veteran Nigerian actor and film executive Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84. His family announced his passing on September 16, 2026, describing him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and asking the public and media to respect the family’s privacy. For more than five decades, Jacobs built a career that stretched across theatre, British television, international cinema and Nigerian film. He was n

API and Black Film Wire join The Diasporadical Initiative's Africa Fest Barbados 2026, bringing Cameroon's Oscar-submitted film Half Heaven , plus a celebrity-studded live Q&A to Barbados this October. African Pictures International and Black Film Wire officially join Africa Fest Barbados 2026. African Pictures International and Black Film Wire Join Africa Fest Barbados 2026 as Official Film and Media Partners Cameroon's Oscar submission Half Heaven headlines Friday screening

The cast and director of the short film First Fruit sat down with Black Film Wire to talk silence, grief, community, and why choosing quiet is its own kind of resistance. Darrin Dewitt Henson on set from First Fruit. Photo credit: First Fruit official BTS. First Fruit is a short film that trusts its audience. It does not raise its voice to be heard. So when Black Film Wire sat down with its writer, director, and producer Beverly "BJ" Rouse, lead actor Darrin Dewitt Henson, a

The 17th edition of SVAFF will run October 8–11 in San Jose, bringing together narrative features, documentaries, shorts and animation from across Africa and its diaspora, with a strong showing from Nigerian filmmakers. The Silicon Valley African Film Festivall (SVAFF) will return to San Jose from October 8 to 11 for its 17th edition, bringing 76 films from 33 countries to the Historic Hoover Theater. This year's programme spans narrative and documentary features and shorts,

With categories spanning film, television, and music, the Image Awards formally recognizes African storytelling for the first time in its 59-year history, and BET's broadcast partnership means the world will be watching. By Y. Marie Kiven Kyla Pratt at the 56th NAACP Images Award Source: Instagram The NAACP Images Award have never had a dedicated home for African film, television, or music. until now. For the 58th ceremony, the organization has introduced ten new African c

The 2026 Caine Prize shortlisted writers Credit: The Caine Prize for African Writing A member of the Black Film Wire family is having a major literary moment. Akinwande Remilekun Jordan, a Jr. EIC Fellow at Black Film Wire, has been shortlisted for the 2026 Caine Prize for African Writing, one of the most prestigious honors in African literature. His story, "So Long Now It's Starting To Look Like Eternity," published by Naira Books in February 2026, is one of just five stori

1. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother - September 25 Mahershala Ali playing a religious hitman is an intriguing contradiction! Directed by Bassam Tariq, this film is definitely one to watch. It explores themes of faith, fatherhood, and morality while delivering the tension of a crime thriller. Ali stars alongside John Cho and Giancarlo Esposito. Where to watch: In select U.S. cinemas from September 25, with a wider U.S. theatrical release on October 9 through Orion Pictures.

From a bee with Chris Rock's wit to Riri's road trip to Michael B. Jordan's gloves, here's what's leaving Netflix in the next few days, where you can still catch them after, and the licensing deals that decide when our favorites come and go. CREED, HOME, BLACK LIGHTNING, BEE MOVIE LEAVING NETFLIX SEPTEMBER 2026 Every so often, a recommendation lands from the last place you expect it. Mine came from an investor who, by his own admission, barely has time to watch movies. I aske

On August 21, the marketing icon who built Ghana's Year of Return campaign became the story herself, marrying Keely Watson in a 1,000-guest Akan ceremony in Accra with the Asantehene, Tiwa Savage, and half of RHOBH in the room. By Kiven Yefon | Black Film Wire Inside ‘RHOBH’ Star Bozoma Saint John’s ‘Sacred’ Wedding to Keely Watson in Ghana Boz didn't just get married. She staged a homecoming, and she put it on television. On Friday, August 21, Bozoma Saint John, the market