Charlotte Black Film Festival 2026

Prepare to be enthralled, inspired, and swept away on a rhythmic journey unlike any other.“Rise of the Legion!” is a spellbinding documentary that dives deep into the heart and soul of The Spartan Legion Marching Band at Norfolk State University—capturing their unmatched energy,...

A halfway house for ex-cons spirals into chaos when a resident is murdered, exposing dangerous secrets and power struggles.

When two friends’ night out takes a supernatural turn, they cross paths with The Gallo—an ancient spirit banished from heaven who feeds on lust and destroys chemistry before bad decisions are made. What begins as a regular bar hookup mission spirals into a hilarious, eerie confro...

In this animated adventure, Karlton Bailey tries to navigate through his personal life and professional life as he deals with the different people that are a part of his world.

A character-driven case study of the human condition. Captured through grounded performances and visual realism, the short film Sanctuary focuses a cinematic lens on a mother and daughter addressing themes of vulnerability, unresolved emotions, and the resilience of love.

A mysterious love letter forces a married man to revisit a past relationship he never fully let go of, confronting the quiet choices that shaped his life and the love he never allowed himself to choose.

When a hard boiled young woman from one of the toughest neighborhoods in her city recognizes a teenage mother that’s been falling in with a dangerous group of girls from her hood, she tries to remain indifferent, only to find out that she, herself, is in danger of losing custody...

A charming church girl with big dreams hides a dark side. But when she meets someone more dangerous than herself, secrets unravel and survival becomes the only goal in this intense drama-thriller about manipulation, exposure, and unexpected justice.

A Black poet haunted by the sound of fingers snapping attends therapy to address the source of his hallucinations.

When an anxious, perfectionist PhD student discovers an AI app that predicts the outcome of her decisions before she makes them, her life unravels as she becomes obsessed with the app. This is a sci-fi drama about anxiety, decision-making, and what happens when you put your fate...

Logline - In 1971, a six-year-old girl in the Bronx discovers a glowing cross in her bathroom window, igniting awe and doubt across her community. Fifty years later, she returns to confront the mystery that shaped her faith—and her understanding of miracles. Synopsis - The Sight...

Chicago community organizer, Kyla, travels throughout the state of Illinois to learn about Black resistance across time and place, coming to understand that in communities across the world Black people have always found ways to resist oppressive currents. Synopsis In the document...

Dreams in Black: With Love from the South to Los Angeles profiles three creatives and Historically Black College and University alums from Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia who all relocated to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams of joining the entertainment industry and their...

After taking different paths in life, two childhood best friends, one a former Wall Street playboy, the other a virginal, video game loving former correctional officer, reunite as roommates on the South Side of Chicago where it all began. Now in their late 20's they learn to live...

Two aspiring professional MMA fighters relentlessly chase their dreams of success, while battling their demons in and out of the cage.

When their childhood home is threatened by their mother Jovita’s hoarding, estranged siblings Deja, Riley, Mylo, and Brooke are forced to reunite. As they sift through years of clutter, buried memories resurface, tensions ignite, and long-held secrets unravel. What begins as a de...

A lonely farmer meets a mysterious woman in the woods, who carries a dark and terrifying secret.

Barred from his high school basketball team due to his temper, a hot-head, street-baller battles demons from his past and present to earn a spot on a summer league team and his last shot at a college basketball scholarship.

Joseph Mukendi, an upright police officer, secretly harbors a dream of escape: to become a professional MMA fighter in Singapore, far removed from the burden of a legacy tainted by rumors surrounding his grandfather—an influential general—and his late father. When the Nyanza, an...

In 2005 Mike G., a member of the legendary hip-hop group the Jungle Brothers moved from New York City to North Carolina, where he becomes a licensed plumber and meets the film’s director Ricky Kelly who is also a plumber. They became great friends and decide to make a film explor...

A New Day Begun: The Black National Anthem is a 21-minute documentary that traces the 126-year legacy of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” From its origins in a segregated Florida School at the turn of the 20th century to its recitation at the inauguration of America’s first Black pre...

This short coming-of-age drama explores the relationship between Alonzo, a young single father and his budding daughter, Ruth who have packed their city life into a truck and are heading south to return to the rural community where he was raised. During their trip, Alonzo makes s...

Submission for Episode 4 (of 5) in Season 1. Unlisted Preview of Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/6cnPa8MT57M Shades of Us" is a powerful, introspective drama series that explores the complexities of identity, ambition, and connection within the Black experience in modern-day America...

Erin Cambridge catches the eye of Lance Reynolds, the city's most eligible bachelor. While she wants to keep it casual, he sees a future. But there’s something in his past that could be deadly for both of them.