THE BLACKHOUSE FOUNDATION CELEBRATES FIFTEEN YEARS WITH RETURN TO THE 2022 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
(Los Angeles, California, January 14, 2022)– For the fifteenth consecutive year, The Blackhouse Foundation is bringing the culture to independent film and content as it joins the virtual lineup of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on Sundance Digital Main St. The organization will curate three days of programming for the festival, from January 21 - January 23, as was exclusively announced today via The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, The Blackhouse Foundationwelcomes Meta back as Presenting Sponsor. This year, the festival features 35 black films across all categories out of 82 programmed films.
Regarding the presence of The Blackhouse Foundation at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, Executive Director Jenean Glovercommented, “We are privileged to have a unique partnership with our returning sponsor Meta. Together, we are excited to host three exciting virtual activations. We are consciously inclusive in the delivery of transformative content to our audience of diverse creatives and digital festival-goers. As we pivot to a digital festival for the second year in a row, we are excited to scale our audience in much the same way Blackhouse and Meta increased our impact on our student filmmaker fellows tenfold in 2021.”
In advance of the festival, The Blackhouse Foundation will unveil a dynamic schedule of virtual activations, discussions, events, and community gatherings. As always, expect surprise guests and full cultural immersion.
Included among the events hosted by The Blackhouse Foundation is the return of The Blackhouse Portrait Studio, during which illustrious photographer Erik Umphery will return to capture the essence of Blackhouse via unique, invitation-only, one-on-one sessions.
Meta returns for their third year as Presenting Sponsor with an expansion of their SEEN program, an activation providing continuous support for Black filmmakers at every stage in their career, along with We The Culture for Black Creators and Instagram’s Share Black Stories programs. The 2022 Sundance Film Festival marks Meta’s fifth year of partnership with The Blackhouse Foundation. In addition to highlighting the best Black films and directors of the festival, the partnership facilitates Blackhouse’s transition to the virtual world.
Meta is thrilled to join Blackhouse at this year’s festival with the following programming:
Friday, 1/21, 4:30pm MT: At the Sundance Filmmakers Lodge, Meta and Blackhouse present “Being SEEN: The Black Filmmakers Journey,”featuring filmmakers JaSaun Buckner and Kaelo Iyizoba from Meta’s SEEN Black Filmmakers Program, moderated by Blackhouse Executive Director Jenean Glover, and includes Blackhouse co-founder Brickson Diamond and Meta’s Head of Entertainment Creative Shop, Jen Barrett.
Friday, 1/21, 6pm MT: We The Culture, Meta’s Black Creator program, led by Michelle Mitchell (Meta, Media Partnerships) will engage in a candid conversation with Ms. Tina Knowles-Lawson –– star of the Facebook Watch show, “Talks with Mama Tina” and co-founder of the WACO Theater Center, along with impressive creators from its inaugural year. Together, this group of creatives will discuss their journeys and the role We The Culture has played along the way.
Saturday, 1/22, 10am MT: Instagram and #ShareBlackStories Presents: The Land of Milk and Honey, a vision byAlexander-Julian (AJ) Gibbson(Creative Director) and Shakeil Greeley(Brand and Editorial Director); panel moderated by Sarissa Thrower (Instagram Comms). This project was ideated as an audit of the American Dream, in the form of a series of photo essays and video interviews with immigrant families of color. The United States is famously known as a ‘land of immigrants,’ and this project explores and celebrates the ways in which immigrants are different and how their experiences vary, intersect, and deviate, all within the spectrum of the American experience. These families are shot in their homes and communities, by photographers of the same descent, and dressed in clothes designed by members of those same immigrant groups. It’s imperative to find ways to really see one another, to look deeply and embrace the kaleidoscopic experience of what it means to be an immigrant.
Be on the lookout for more soon as The Blackhouse Foundation powers the culture at The Sundance Film Festival virtually.
The Blackhouse Foundation stands out as a bastion for the most influential and impactful Black writers, directors, producers, crew, and talent throughout film, television, digital media, and beyond. Celebrating its 15th year, The Blackhouse Foundation continues to elevate such talent into the spotlight on a global scale via engagements at Sundance and beyond.
