On Friday, January 29 at 3pm ET, Firelight Media presented a special edition of the Beyond Resilience Series at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, “Creating & Commissioning Art In Times of Crisis.”
Throughout the past year, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) artists have been commissioned by institutions to perform cultural work from their position at the epicenter of interlocking systems of oppression – racial and economic inequality, police violence, and a global pandemic that disproportionately impacts communities of color.
How can BIPOC-led organizations challenge this paradigm while continuing to provide opportunities for artists of color in times of crisis? How can BIPOC artists best be supported in making socially-relevant work, even as they and their communities experience precarity? This conversation looked to past and present BIPOC artists, filmmakers, and institution builders who make bold and visionary work within and without the establishment.
The panel discussion was moderated by Marcia Smith, president of Firelight Media, and included Maori Karmael Holmes, founder of BlackStar Film Festival; F. Javier Torres-Campos, director of the Thriving Cultures program at Surdna; Frank B. Wilderson III, writer and Chancellor’s Professor and Chair of African American Studies at UC Irvine; and Coco Fusco, interdisciplinary artist and professor at Cooper Union.
How does a documentary filmmaker fulfill their role in the midst of a pandemic and an uprising?
Firelight Media joined The Movement for Black Lives' national call to action on June 19 with a panel conversation that explored the history of Juneteenth and the burning of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, and grappled with the path toward economic justice for Black America.
As physical distancing continues to be the new norm, how can we still make an impact when apart? Sonya Childress, senior fellow at the Perspective Fund, takes us through case studies of documentary film campaigns that have launched in this moment and raise key questions around audience access, care, and how to reach social justice impact goals.
A live event featuring a music set by DJ Frotasia to give our community the opportunity to dance, sing, and shout during a time of tremendous difficulty.
Conversations on representation, labor, and equity featuring the work and perspectives of Undocumented storytellers.
A conversation with Black filmmakers on how they are navigating the ubiquitous images of Black trauma in this moment, documenting Black life, and forging new cinematic languages, practices, and formal approaches.
The recent announcement that golfing icon Tiger Woods would be the subject of a two-part HBO documentary series set in motion a heated debate in the documentary industry about equity, power, and BIPOC filmmakers' demands for structural change.
A conversation to lift up the life and legacy of the former Congressman with inside stories and reflections on his leadership.
