OUR RIGHT TO GAZE  is a touring film anthology, featuring original narrative short films by emerging Black artists.

The theme for this year’s second edition of OUR RIGHT TO GAZE is HEART OF THE MATTER. From the spark of an old flame to the embrace of intergenerational bonds to the heartbreak of systemic injustice, love can take many shapes and emotional valences. This collection is a tribute to Black love of all kinds, be it romantic, platonic, familial, or communal.

Content Advisory: This program contains flashing/strobe lighting, themes of racism, pregnancy/childbirth, death, mild gore, sexual violence and violence. This program also features mentions of slavery and histories of colonization.

Film List

Robyn Hood by Shayla Racquel
A fresh, modern take on the succubus folklore merged with an inside joke in Black culture, Robyn Hood is a fun and frightful horror-comedy detailing the saga of a sensual and alluring Robyn, a dame who finds comfort in stealing men’s hoodies for something more sinister.

The Funnel by Charlene Carruthers
Trina, a young Black poet living on the South Side of Chicago, navigates an escalating housing crisis with her mother. After falling into an intimate recollection of her family history, she awakes in a world with people, sounds, and possibilities she’s never known. 

Ro & The Stardust by Eunice Levis
A free spirited teen and her terminally ill grandmother build a rocket ship they plan to launch into outer space.

Maternity by Maria Warith-Wade
When a second-time mother gets an unexpected complication post-partum, she must fight to save her life in the fractured American healthcare system. 

RESPEK by Kamari Bright
An animated dissection of the detriments of respectability politics from an African-American perspective.

This Doesn’t Last Forever by Gabriella Wiltz
Upon reluctantly moving back into her childhood home with her parents, Aziza struggles to the love and connection being home has to offer.