BIFF Shorts: Racial Justice in View

Evocative shorts exploring racial and social justice issues.

Total runtime is 85 minutes.

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“Oasis”

Daniel Croix + Jonathan Logan, 8 minutes, USA, New York Premiere

An English teacher's livelihood is on the line after she's fired for teaching banned literature.

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"One Last River to Cross"

Alexander Bezeau (Dir), 13 minutes, Canada, Western New York Premiere

Director Alexander Bezeau in attendance.

A complicated portrait of History Teller Kevin Cottrell, who dedicated his life to telling the history of Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad in Niagara Falls. But for those seeking to erase this history, Cottrell’s dedication put him directly in their line of fire, with smear campaigns aimed at him. Making an impossible task crystal clear – for keepers of difficult histories across America, your every perceived or real flaw will be weaponized to belittle and even erase these histories. But despite this, Cottrell changed the historical landscape of Niagara Falls forever.

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"My Name is Not Amy"

Dewi Sungai (Dir), 19 minutes, USA, New York Premiere

Against the backdrop of the worst wildfire in Colorado history, a mixed-race Native Bornean filmmaker reflects on her transracial, transnational adoption into white suburban America, triggering an awakening that challenges memory, coloniality, and the adopted name she was given.

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"The Wall"

Pamela Falkenberg + Jack Cochran (Dir), 19 minutes, USA, New York Premiere

Directors Pamela Falkenberg + Jack Cochran in attendance.

Based on a poem by David Bowles, about the futility of small minds, exemplified by the patchwork wall being erected on the U.S. side of the Texas/Mexico border.

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"Him/Self"

Ryan Hope Travis (Dir), 5 minutes, USA, East Coast Premiere

Director Ryan Hope Travis in attendance.

A boy’s father disappears. Rather than face the truth, the child imagines his dad on a noble quest. In the quiet spaces of loss and longing, he begins to see that what he’s searching for in his father is already inside him.

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"Blueprint For My People"

Carol Bash (Dir), 10 minutes, USA, Western New York Premiere

A short film that illuminates the African-American experience by lyrically interweaving spoken-word narration of Margaret Walker’s epic poem, “For My People” with contemporary images and rare 19th century cyanotypes (blue photographic prints known as “blueprints”) of African Americans. By incorporating poetry, cyanotypes, contemporary imagery and graphics, the film captures the struggles of a people—through candid moments—whose lives created the context of American culture.

Many thanks to Film Fatales.

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“5/14: The Journey Here, The Hope to Come”

Mercedes Wilson + Lavonne Ansari (Dir), 29 minutes, USA, World Premiere

Co-Director Mercedes Wilson and Producer/Editor Robin Lazzara in attendance.

We will never forget the tragic event in Buffalo on 5/14/22. The 10 lives lost – Celestine Chaney, Roberta Drury, Andre Mackneil, Katherine "Kat" Massey, Margus Morrison, Heyward Patterson, Aaron Salter Jr, Geraldine Talley, Ruth Whitfield, Pearl Young – will never be forgotten. We all know that change needs to happen and work needs to be done to the systems that exist. We must acknowledge where we came from in order to get where we need to go.

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