Black Europe Film Festival

Global Queer Blackness: Free Short Film Program + Virtual Q&A with Directors

Saturday, February 1 • 11:00am • Tickets: FREE

The intersection of Blackness and queerness has long been underexplored in film and media, leaving vital stories untold and perspectives unheard. While works such as Moonlight and Pose in the United States have recently begun to address this gap, more films and series across the globe are forging new narratives that amplify the voices of underrepresented communities. These groundbreaking works are challenging stereotypes, reclaiming histories, and celebrating the complexities of identity.

The short films featured in this program extend the conversation on intersectionality from the U.S. to South America and Europe, offering a global perspective on the lived experiences of Black queer individuals. From intimate personal struggles to collective stories of resilience, these works contribute to the creation of an invaluable archive that resists marginalization and exclusion.

Through diverse storytelling, this program highlights the joys, challenges, and nuances of navigating a world where both race and queerness intersect with societal barriers. The films not only invite audiences to witness these stories but also serve as a call to action to recognize and embrace the richness of intersectional identities.

This celebration of creativity, resistance, and self-expression will culminate in a virtual Q&A with Lamin Leroy Gibba (showrunner and lead actor, Black Fruit), Simisolaoluwa Akande (director, The Archive: Queer Nigerians), and Jordan Anderson (director, The Black Queer Italian Experience).

ABOUT THE FILMS

Black Fruit. Episode 1 (Germany • 2024 • German • 36 min • Directors: Elisha Smith-Leverock, David Uzochukwu)

When Lalo is thrown off course by the sudden death of his father, he suppresses his loss with impulsive actions that disrupt his life. While he and his best friend Karla, both in their mid-twenties, queer and Black in Germany, try to shape who they want to become, they are forced to grapple with the limits of their adaptability. Lamin Leroy Gibba's television series is taking Germany by storm.

The Archive: Queer Nigerians (United Kingdom • 2023 • English • 25 min • Director: Simisolaoluwa Akande)

This visually stunning documentary follows five queer Nigerians living in the UK as they document their lives through audio diaries. From childhood to the present, participants share stories that explore how universal ideas of family, love, and finding oneself are obfuscated within the intersection of Blackness, Africanness, and queerness. With Nigerian queer history erased from the national narrative of Nigeria, queer Nigerians in the U.K. gather to tell their stories, documenting their experiences so they can never be erased again.

The Queer Black Italian Experience (Italy • 2021 • Italian • 27 min • Director: Jordan Anderson)

This video project offers an in-depth exploration of Italian society, examining what it means to grow up and live as members of the Black and Queer community within a strongly Eurocentric and heteronormative reality. Through interviews and conversations with seven Italian Black Queer individuals, the project creates a safe space to share their stories. It aims to both celebrate the beauty and resilience of the Black Queer Italian experience and shed light on the racism, queerphobia, homophobia, and transphobia that often overshadow it.

How To Breathe Out Of Water (Brazil • 2021 • Portuguese • 17 min • Director: Júlia Fávero, Victoria Negreiros)

On her way back from swim practice, Janaina is violently confronted by the police. Back home, Janaina heals in her girlfriend’s tender embrace while struggling to navigate the relationship with her own father, who is a policeman.

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS

Lamin Leroy Gibba, born in 1994, is a German actor, writer, and producer. He began his theater journey with the youth ensemble at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg and later pursued acting and film studies at The New School in New York City. Gibba has showcased his talents in various theater productions, including performances at the Classical Theatre of Harlem and Theater Oberhausen. Dogfriend, which he co-produced, wrote, and starred in, received critical acclaim. In 2023, he was recognized on Forbes' 30 Under 30 Europe list in the Entertainment category. His TV series Black Fruit is airing on the German channel ARD.

Simisolaoluwa Akande is a multi-award-winning filmmaker whose fascination with the art of storytelling has crossed continents, from Nigeria to England, before finding its ultimate expression through film. Celebrated for her deeply collaborative and intimate approach to visual arts, Simisola creates cinematic safe spaces where Black narratives can be told, retold, and cherished. Rooted in her journey from Lagos to London, Simisola's vision marries the traditions of her Nigerian heritage with the diverse influences of her life in England.

Jordan Anderson is a Milan-based creative director and fashion journalist originally from Jamaica. His work delves into and magnifies political themes such as race, gender, identity, and cultural ethics, using fashion and storytelling as mediums for meaningful discourse. Anderson is the founder of My Queer Blackness, My Black Queerness, an innovative online platform that celebrates and explores Black queer identity through creative expression. Anderson serves as editor-at-large for nss magazine and contributes to renowned publications, including Document Journal, A Magazine Curated By, and Vogue Italia. His contributions consistently push boundaries, reflecting his commitment to amplifying diverse perspectives and reimagining the intersections of fashion, identity, and activism.

This special free short film program is made possible by the generous support of The Center for German and European Studies at the University of Minnesota and MSP Film's Images of Africa Film Series.

ABOUT - BLACK EUROPE FILM FESTIVAL

The Black Europe Film Festival of Minneapolis/St. Paul is a groundbreaking celebration of Afro-European cinema, debuting in the Twin Cities from January 30 to February 2, 2025. Rooted in community collaboration and anti-racist organizing, BEFF MSP brings you a dynamic lineup of documentaries, fiction films, and shorts by Europe’s most acclaimed Afro-descendant filmmakers. This festival offers a space for artists to showcase their work and foster connections across the global Black diaspora and the international film community. At its core, BEFF MSP recognizes the intertwined legacies of racism, colonialism, and displacement while celebrating the vibrancy, creativity, and resilience of Black filmmakers. These artists challenge stereotypes, redefine narratives, and envision worlds beyond the limits imposed by whiteness, amplifying an authentic vision of Black Europe and Black Europeans. The festival experience is enriched by masterclasses, filmmaker encounters, workshops, lectures, and artist residencies, creating opportunities for learning, connection, and joy. Join us to celebrate the power of storytelling and the boundless creativity of Afro-European cinema while engaging diverse audiences, communities, and youth.