Section A – 1 pm-2:20 pm
2025-10-25 13:00 - 14:20 (Asia/Dubai) | 651 Arts, 10 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 651 Arts
In celebration of Reel Sisters 27th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

SECTION A – Masks & Mirrors | Oct. 25 – 1 pm-2:20 pm

Little Stories, Big Echoes: Beads of Hope
Director/Writer: Dawn Richard
Producers: Chris Hartley and Dawn Richard
Animation, 5 min.
Beads of Hope is a powerful animated short film set in New Orleans, following Dawn, a young Black girl, as she navigates the chaos of a devastating flood that threatens the life of a beloved family member. The story unfolds in a historically Black neighborhood, on the day of Hurricane Katrina—now marking its 20th anniversary.
Facepaint
Director/Writer: Silvana Carranza
Producers: Karsten Otto and Tommy Schutz
Narrative, 15 min.
A party clown with artistic endeavors outside of her day job fights a panic attack during one of her shifts.
The Knife
Director/Writer: Joy Nesbitt
Producers: Grace Odumosu
In The Knife, Ife, a young Black Irish woman, is anxiously awaiting her 20-week pregnancy scan, hoping for good news about her baby’s health. But when the scan reveals unexpected complications, she and her husband, Darragh, are forced to confront a ridiculous reality that will test their trust in the healthcare system.
(G)host Country
Director: Kheyal Roy-Meighoo Writers: Kheyal Roy-Meighoo, Isaac Gazmararian, Koan Roy-Meighoo
Producers: Isaac Gazmararian, Molly Patrick
Animation, 7 min.
Since moving to the UK, international student Kajal has had odd visions. After her concerns are dismissed by her British therapist, Kajal takes matters into her own hands and confronts her haunts.
Missing Rhythms
Director: Regina Hoyles Writer: Aja Houston Producers: Regina Hoyles, Julie Bersani, Toni Adeyemi, Yhá Mourhia Wright
Narrative Short, 15:25 min.
In a mysterious, insane asylum full of missing Black women from all over the country, a woman must use rhythm to remember her true identity and fight being lost forever behind the ominous Blue Door.

Section B - 2:25 pm-3:45 pm
2025-10-25 14:25 - 15:45 (America/Halifax) | 651 Arts, 10 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 651 Arts
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

SECTION B – Transitions | Oct. 25 – 2:25 pm-3:45 pm

In Transit (Invited)
Director: Jean Paulo Lasmar
Writers: Jean Paulo Lasmar, Thiago Fernandes
Doc., 4 min.
Bernie Wagenblast, a well-known voice to anyone who’s been on a NYC subway, has undergone a transition. On the Transgender Day of Visibility, the MTA revealed Bernie’s true voice as a transgender woman for the first time in its history.
Plenum
Director/Writer: Charlene A. Carruthers
Producers: Ahsha Davis, Charlene A. Carruthers
Narrative, 26 min.
An experimental reconstruction of the 1995 Black Nations/Queer Nations Conference, PLENUM follows the experience of siblings Ajani and Tracy, as they make their way from Chicago to New York City. While Tracy is worried that Ajani’s recent HIV positive diagnosis will drive him into isolation, Ajani fears the consequences of telling their father as he enters a new community and phase of life.
Cuming Out
Director/Writer: Jasmine J Johnson
Producers: Mary Ross Bonney, Whitney Fuller
Narrative, 19 min.
Kennedy’s desire for a heteronormative experience sees her embark on a one-night-stand. What could possibly go wrong?
Blackberry Winter
Director: Jason Hightower Writer: Amber Iman
Producers: Jason Hightower, Arizona Newsum, Amber Iman
Narrative, 16 min.
A fairytale Valentine’s Day takes a turn when Amber, our Georgia Peach living in the Big Apple, sees an unexpected text message in her boyfriend’s phone. Launched into a journey of self-discovery, with a future that is uncertain, Amber questions whether to follow her head or her heart to find her way forward.

Section C – 3:50 pm-5:05 pm
2025-10-25 15:05 - 17:05 (America/Halifax) | 651 Arts, 10 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 651 Arts
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

SECTION C – Ancestral Rhythms | Oct. 25 – 3:50 pm-5:05 pm @651 Arts
She Island
Director: Raven Irabor, SIRA Marissa Lewis
Writers: Kadia Blagrove, Dylan Braud, Olivia Jade Khoury, Andrea Knowles
Producers: Raven Irabor, D’Andre Wilson, Miesha Miller, Ashley Laird
Experimental, 16 min.
She Island is an enchanting and experimental film that weaves together folklore, history, and mysticism to tell a powerful story of resilience and cultural reclamation. Set on the fictional Caribbean island of She Island, where women reign supreme and cultural syncretism flourishes, the narrative is inspired by the folkloric character LaDiabless and navigates themes of hybridity, sisterhood, tradition, ritual, preservation, wisdom, and mysticism.
Boil the Cabbage
Director: Candace Mae Williamson Producers: Kaylee Hayes, Jemina Garcia
Doc., 24 min.
Candace is a documentary filmmaker and novice banjo player. As she learns her first tune, “Boil That Cabbage Down,” she reaches out to historians, activists, and storytellers to uncover the complex history of the banjo. Through her journey, we are transported to the past, where the painting “The Old Plantation” is reimagined, revealing the instrument’s origins.
Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps
Directors: Shellée M. Haynesworth, Michelle Parkerson
Producer: Shellée M. Haynesworth
Doc., 15 min.
Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps follows 4-time Tony-nominated choreographer, director, and educator Camille A. Brown (Hell’s Kitchen, GYPSY) as she elevates the possible with bold explorations of everyday movement and African Diasporic dance.

Section D – 5:15 pm-6:47 pm
2025-10-25 17:15 - 18:47 (America/Halifax) | 651 Arts, 10 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 651 Arts
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

SECTION D – Rooted In Resistence | Oct. 25, 2025 – 5:15 pm-6:47 pm @651 Arts

On A Sunday at Eleven
Director/Writer: Alicia K. Harris
Producers: Jeff Chiu, Hayley Brown
narrative, 9 min.
A young Black ballerina performs her Sunday rituals, while facing the pressures to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.
Yáamay: An Ode to Blooming
Directors: Casse Kihúut, Camaray Davalos Producers: Casse Kihúut, Camaray Davalos
Writers: Emily Clarke, Alexis Munoa-Dyer, Meadow Fuller, Avelaka Macarro, Marlene’ Dusek
narrative, 12 min.
Using original poetry as the foundation, we are taken through a journey examining what it means to be a contemporary California Indigenous woman. With a montage of modern, archival, and animatic visuals, this film becomes as dynamic and alive as the women telling their stories.
Headbang
Director/Writer: Anna Khaja
Producers: Raelle Tucker, Cameron Fife
narrative, 24 min.
An American perspective on the hijab and female empowerment that resonates with universal questions of selfhood and freedom. Through the lens of two different young women, Leila, from secular background, and Amara, from a religious one, HEADBANG explores the complex power of the hijab, and how a seemingly simple piece of cloth embodies both what the wearer imbues it with and what society project onto to it.
A Beauty Supply In Queens
Directors: Oluseyi Olatujoye, Princess Adenike
Writer: Princess AdenikeProducers: Princess Adenike, Caroline Chikezie, Shalom Obiago
narrative, 17 min.
An HBO Short Film Finalist, A Beauty Supply in Queens follows Ms. Aji, a Nigerian mother, and her daughter Tobi as they navigate the challenges of running a beauty supply store in Queens. Amidst fierce competition and underhanded tactics from rivals, the film celebrates their resilience and the strength of their community.
Nannies of New York (Invited)
Director: April Guscott
Doc., 10 min.
Nannies of New York provides uncensored, first-hand accounts of three Afro-Caribbean women’s perspectives working as nannies to wealthy white families in NYC, the stigma associated with the work, and the fight for their rights as domestic workers.
Kiss My Grass
Directors: Mary Pryor, Mara Whitehead
Producers: Justin Benoliel, Luke Anderson, Saki Fenderson
Doc., 15 min.
Kiss My Grass exposes the persistent inequities faced by Black women entrepreneurs in the booming cannabis industry. Executive produced by trailblazers Colin Kaepernick, Rosario Dawson, Mary Pryor, Luke Anderson, and Justin Benoliel, the film takes viewers on an emotional journey through the struggles, corruption, and lack of support these women encounter as they fight for their place in a landscape fraught with obstacles.

A Mess of Memories – 7 pm-9 pm
2025-10-25 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Halifax) | 651 Arts, 10 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 651 Arts
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present a feature screening of A Mess of Memories.

A Mess of Memories – Oct. 25, 2025 – 7 pm-9 pm
Director/Writer: Ebony Blanding
Producers: Mandy McCowan, Hunter Barcroft, Brandon Williams
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.

Section F – 1 pm-2:15 pm
2025-10-26 13:00 - 14:15 (America/Halifax) | Center For Fiction, 15 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11217, United States
Saturday, October 26, 2025, Center For Fiction
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

SECTION F – Body & Birthright | Oct. 26, 2025 – 1 pm-2:15 pm @Center For Fiction
Abbie
Producer/Director/Writer: Erica Young
narrative, 5 min.
Abbie, a marginalized teenager struggles with her identity and finding a place to fit in.
You Are Not Alone
Producer: Deem Banton
Director: Brittney M Russell
doc., 52 min.
In the United States, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, a disparity that rises sharply in the Bronx, one of New York State’s most impacted communities, where Black mothers face a maternal mortality rate nine times higher than their counterparts. You Are Not Alone captures the powerful stories of women in the Bronx navigating pregnancy and advocating for change.

Section G – 2:20 pm-3:20 pm
2025-10-26 14:20 - 15:20 UTC | Center For Fiction, 15 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11217, United States
Saturday, October 26, 2025, Center For Fiction
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

SECTION G – Living Free & Wild | Oct. 26, 2025 – 2:20 pm-3:20 pm
Rainbow Girls
Director/Writer: Nana Duffuor
Producer: Raman Nimmala
narrative, 16 min.
As San Francisco’s tech boom gentrifies their city, three young black trans women decide to take matters into their own hands by staging an audacious heist targeting the city’s most exclusive luxury brands.
Fantas
Producer/Director/Writer: Halima Elkhatabi
narrative, 12 min.
Tania decides to take her horse Fantas to meet her friends in her working-class neighborhood. By sharing her passion, she seeks to bring together two parts of herself, two worlds that have never crossed paths before and which will collide in an urban tale with surreal overtones.
Backseat Girls
Directors: Kelsey Zhen, Alize Abdelhak
Writer: Kelsey Zhen
Producers: Kelsey Zhen, Alize Abdelhak
Childhood friends run a beach radio station together while navigating through moments of doubts in their roles. The docu-narrative builds a non-linear structure from the two girls’ childhood, young adulthood, and interview footage of kids and college students exploring the essential question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Section H – 3:25 pm-4:30 pm
2025-10-26 15:25 - 16:30 (America/Halifax) | Center For Fiction, 15 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11217, United States
Saturday, October 26, 2025, Center For Fiction
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

SECTION H – Finding Voice | Oct. 26, 2025 – 3:25 pm-4:30 pm @Center For Fiction
The Newcomer
Producer/Director/Writer: Annette Cho
narrative, 6 min.
The story follows a Korean immigrant in the U.S. who feels disconnected from her cultural roots as her homeland becomes increasingly modernized and westernized. She gradually rediscovers cultural pride by realizing that Korean culture itself is a blend of diverse influences, a perspective she embraces in New York City’s Koreatown.
Gloria
Director/Writer: Kim Blanck
Producers: Caitlyn Durkin, Caitlin Machak, Xin Liu, Kim Blanck
narrative, 9 min.
Gloria, a Chinese woman in her 70s living alone and struggling with her memory, finds new purpose in teaching herself Spanish.
Provisions
Director: Kheyal Roy-Meighoo
Animation, 5 min.
“Provisions” is a short stop motion that draws upon the animate possibility of stop motion to articulate the liveliness of culture and memory. The film follows K, a young Trinidadian-American woman who lives on her own, as she prepares provision soup.
Always You
Producer/Director/Writer: PJ Simeon
Animation, 6 min.
Two teens are left to die following a hate-driven assault. With mere seconds in between their deaths, their souls go on their own spiritual journeys. When they finally find each other in the Spirit World, one has already begun preparing for the passage to the next life.
The Blind Reggaetonera
Producer/Director: River Zhihui Zhang
doc., 28 min.
A blind reggaeton artist defies societal barriers to pursue her musical dreams, redefining disability perceptions while mentoring young disabled students, proving that passion and determination can transcend physical limitations.

Courage to Heal – 4:35 pm-6:10 pm
2025-10-26 16:35 - 18:10 (America/Halifax) | Center For Fiction, 15 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11217, United States
Saturday, October 26, 2025, Center For Fiction
In celebration of Reel Sisters 28th Anniversary Season, we present an afternoon of films by women of color from across the globe.

Reel Sisters – Courage to Heal | Oct. 26, 2025, 4:35 pm-6:10 pm @Cenet For Fiction

The Village It Took
Producer/Director/Writer: Victoria Wilcox
narrative, 12 min.
After Everstone University (predominately White institution) denies funding the day of the 56th Annual open mic night of the Black Student Union (BSU), BSU event planner Ozanna writes an unauthorized check out of desperation, to protect this event of community & escapism. With not enough money in the bank account when the check is deposited by the vendor, the account is over-drafted. This triggers the school to charge the BSU with misuse of funds and termination of the organization. Compromising her close friendship with Malik (the BSU President) and the well needed community for Black students on campus, Ozanna and the Black Student Union pleads their case.

Men of Courage
Director: Byron P. Hurt Producer: Natalie Bullock Brown
Doc., 40 min.
Men of Courage takes the viewer on a journey inside the Garden State of New Jersey for a fly-on-the-wall experience as five black and Latino men engage in compelling conversations with other boys and men about the role they play in ending violence against women.

Reel Sisters + BRIC Present An Evening of Staged Script Readings 2025
2025-10-29 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Halifax) | BRIC, 647 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY, 11217, United States
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm, Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series and BRIC Media Education will present an exciting staged reading of scripts by filmmakers from our Summer Screenwriting Lab. Join us for an intimate conversation with the writers on their work-in-progress. Featured writers and guests to be announced.
Enjoy an evening of great stories and networking! Refreshments will be available for purchase. Details will be announced closer to the date.
The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Please RSVP in advance and arrive early. A ticket does not guarantee entry.
GET FREE TICKETS HERE.

ABOUT REEL SISTERS & BRIC
The Summer Scriptwriting Lab and Staged Reading Series are presented by Reel Sisters, the first Oscar Qualifying Festival for short narratives devoted to women filmmakers, and BRIC, the leading presenter of free cultural programming in Brooklyn, and one of the largest in New York City. BRIC presents and incubates new work by artists and media-makers who reflect the diversity that surrounds us. Reel Sisters Film Festival will be held on October 25-26, 2025.
Reel Sisters Screenwriting Retreat 2025 @Langston Hughes House
