BlackStar Film Festival

BlackStar 2026: Award-Winning Films

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12 films in package
An Impossible Address
Haunted by questions of disappearance, loss and revolutionary struggle, An Impossible Address continues director Suneil Sanzgiri’s examination of the life of Sita Valles and the bonds of solidarity that developed between India and Africa against the Portuguese empire.
Zenón and the Rebel Boats (Zenón y la flotilla rebelde)
After being displaced from his home by the U.S. Navy, Puerto Rican fisherman Carlos “Taso” Zenón pledged his life to fight against the military occupation of the island of Vieques. Zenón organized countless efforts to halt U.S. war games in the Caribbean Sea, inspiring one of the most influential environmental and anti-war movements in the Caribbean.
Finding Your Laughter
Finding Your Laughter follows Chicago comedian Arlieta Hall, who turns to her greatest tools, stand-up comedy and improvisation, to navigate the heartbreak and humanity of caring for her father, who is living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Authors of the Estate
In Northwest London, two estates take their stories into their own hands, exploring what would happen if a council house became a publishing house in this tale of ownership, creativity and the power of community.
Closed captions available
Another Day Shall Come (سيجيء يوم آخر)
A portrait of Palestinians living in the suffocating 1948 borders during Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. The film weaves together anonymous voice recordings and present-day footage of historical Palestine, encapsulating 76 years of identity deprivation and alienation.
Tell Me When You Get Home
Fifteen-year-old Honest Cardamom hasn’t seen her mother since she was 4, but at a crowded family party, she begins to feel her presence in ways she can’t explain.
Closed captions available
The Seeds We Carry
A short documentary weaving intimate portraits of community farm stewards in Southwest Philadelphia. Through the rhythms of planting, cooking and sharing food, the protagonists reveal how everyday acts of care and resistance nurture belonging, foster cross-cultural kinship and preserve a sense of home amid the pressures of gentrification and displacement.
Tenants of Lenapehocking in the Age of Magnets
Tenants of Lenapehocking in the Age of Magnets is a collection of stories about the developing Black community of North Philadelphia from the late 19th through the 20th centuries, a time of migration, industry and blossoming culture. Oral histories are combined with archival photos, including from the collection of John W. Mosely.
Scene Not Heard: Women in Philadelphia Hip Hop
Scene Not Heard tells the story of a group of emerging and established female hip hop artists as they struggle to find success in the City of Brotherly Love.
Call of My Life
Soluchi, 31, is a radiant and thoughtful call center agent, still carrying the scars of a long relationship with Kalu, a man whose neglect left her questioning her worth. When loneliness threatens to swallow her, a routine customer call connects her to Eli, a magnetic man whose kindness and attention awaken feelings she has long buried.
Closed captions available
When They're Gone
After an abrupt encounter at a graveyard, two elderly men form an unexpected bond over the grief and love of their late wives.
One More Show (ضايل عنا عرض)
Struggling with the uncertainty of their own fate, the Free Gaza Circus troupe defies despair during the genocide carried out by Israel by performing for children in shelters and on the streets.
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Experimental

WINNER: An Impossible Address, dir. Suneil Sanzgiri


Feature Doc

WINNER: Zenón and the Rebel Boats, dir. Juan C. Dávila Santiago

Special Mention: Finding Your Laughter, dirs. Arlieta Hall and Brittany Alsot


Feature Narrative

WINNER: Variations on a Theme, dirs. Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar - Not available for online viewing


Short Doc

WINNER: Authors of the Estate, dir. Abdou Cissé

Special Mention: Another Day Shall Come, dir. Aida Kaadan 


Short Narrative

WINNER: Treasure Island, dir. Miryam Charles - Not available for online viewing

Special Mention: Tell Me When You Get Home, dir. Tshay Meade


Philadelphia Filmmaker Award

WINNER: The Seeds We Carry, dir. Gabrielle Patterson


Audience Award: Feature Documentary

WINNER: Scene Not Heard: Women in Philadelphia Hip Hop, dir. Maori Karmael Holmes


Audience Award: Feature Narrative

WINNER: Call of My Life, dir. Dammy Twitch


Audience Award: Experimental

WINNER: Tenants of Lenapehocking in the Age of Magnets, dir. Louis Massiah


Audience Award: Short Documentary

WINNER: The Seeds We Carry, dir. Gabrielle Patterson


Audience Award: Short Narrative

WINNER: When They're Gone, dirs. Ragan Henderson and Lauryn Darden


Shine Award for First-Time Filmmakers

WINNER: One More Show, dirs. Mai Saad and Ahmed Al Danaf

After being displaced from his home by the U.S. Navy to build a military base, Puerto Rican fisherman Carlos “Taso” Zenón pledged his life to fight against the military occupation of the island of Vieques. Alongside Puerto Rican fishermen and activists, Zenón organized countless efforts to halt U.S. war games in the Caribbean Sea. Never-before-seen archival footage reveals the artisanal strategies implemented by fearless fishermen to defy warships, inspiring one of the most influential environmental and anti-war movements in the Caribbean.


Thank you to our screening partners: Taller Puertorriqueno, Norris Square Neighborhood Project, Collective Climb and Black Documentary Collective.

  • Year
    2026
  • Runtime
    93 minutes
  • Language
    Spanish, English
  • Country
    Puerto Rico, United States
  • Premiere
    World
  • Genre
    Feature Documentary
  • Director
    Juan C. Dávila Santiago
  • Producer
    Juan C. Dávila Santiago, Camila M. Rodríguez Estrada
  • Executive Producer
    Leslie Fields-Cruz, Denise A. Greene, Stanley Nelson, Marcia Smith, Loira Limbal, Sandie Viquez Pedlow, José Juan Nazario
  • Co-Producer
    Black Public Media, Firelight Media, Latino Public Broadcasting
  • Cast
    Carlos "Taso" Zenón, Aleida Encarnación, Pedro Zenón Encarnación, Emilia Rodríguez, José “Tachuela” Peralta
  • Cinematographer
    Juan C. Dávila Santiago, Valery Pérez, Laura Bustillos Jáquez
  • Editor
    Juan C. Dávila Santiago, Camila M. Rodríguez Estrada
  • Animator
    Sabina Shanti Kariat, Isela Ashburn Quijas
  • Composer
    Aníbal S. Vidal Quintero
  • Sound Design
    Benny Mouthon
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