Voices of Culture
A non-competitive showcase of short films directed by persons of African descent. This section is by invitation only, with films submitted to but not accepted as finalists for the HBO Short Film Award automatically considered for inclusion. The following films represent the 2025 official selections in this category:
333
USA | 22 min
Mona is grappling with her past choice to have an abortion but upon learning women’s choices are taken away builds a bomb planning an attack on a local Supreme Court Justice motivated by the Roe v. Wade overturning.
Director: Naturi Naughton-Lewis | Writer: Naturi Naughton-Lewis, Korstiaan Vandiver | Producers: Two Lewis, Naturi Naughton-Lewis, Curshion Jones | Cast: Birgundi Baker, Naturi Naughton-Lewis, Vanessa Bell Calloway, John Clarence Stewart, Samuel Smith, Isley Key Brison
Demons
NIGERIA, UNITED KINGDOM | 21 min
A London cop returns to Lagos, risking everything to avenge his lover’s death, battling corruption and confronting his own demons in a heart-wrenching quest for justice.
Director: Emmanuel Imani | Writer: Emmanuel Imani | Producers: Emmanuel Imani, Byron McNally | Cast: Emmanuel Imani, Fela Lufadeju, Ronke Adekoluejo, Abayomi Aka, Chris Jarman
Don’t Hang Up
USA | 10 min
In rural Hayti, Missouri a pint-drinking churchgoer confronts her past when an unexpected call from her former student disrupts her Sunday routine. Together they navigate their harsh, shared history, igniting a journey of reconciliation and redemption to save a life.
Director: Diamond Batiste | Writer: Ron McCants | Producers: Ron McCants, Ramfis Myrthil, Alain Fleury, Diamond Batiste, L.T. Hines II | Cast: Paula Jai Parker, LT Hines II
Graduation Day
USA | 14 min | WORLD PREMIERE
“Graduation Day” is an edgy coming-of-age dramedy following high school senior Cheech as he navigates his identity, a love triangle with his best friend Sparkes, longtime crush Jayla, and the bittersweet chaos of growing up in NYC—all while rocking a red sparkly suit and surviving a party bus ride that takes his big day in some unexpected directions.
Director: Jordan Aaron Hall | Writer: Jordan Aaron Hall | Producers: Jordan Aaron Hall, Kevaughn Reid | Cast: Jordan Aaron Hall, Nathaniel Logan Mcintyre, Kaci Walfall, Narci Regina, KJ Aikens
BALACLAVA
SOUTH AFRICA | 8 min | WORLD PREMIERE
In a village overshadowed by an abusive priest father, Maya longs for freedom and expression.
Director: Kagiso Samuel Leburu | Writer: Kagiso Samuel Leburu | Producers: Mapitso Ralephata, Bonolo Bogopane | Cast: Lethabo Mekoa, Collen Modisa, Mannini Mokhuthu
elle/elle
USA | 19 min | WORLD PREMIERE
After hosting a disastrous dinner party, a long term couple fights for their marriage and identities triggered by Elle’s recent coming out as a trans woman to her gay husband, Fritz.
Director: Kelley Kali | Writer: Shonnie Jackson | Producers: Kelley Kali, Jenna Cavelle, Brittani Ward, la georgea | Cast: la georgea, Dan Bucatinsky, L’lerrét Jazelle
Sugar Dumplin
CANADA | 20 min
A young woman desires to reconnect with her estranged father who is struggling with dementia by creating food from his Caribbean childhood.
Director: Tristan Barrocks | Writer: Tristan Barrocks | Producers: Natanya Barrocks, Chantel Riley, Donisha Prendergast | Cast: Oliver Samuels, Chantel Riley, Nancy Kenny, Crystal C. Rose, Jacqueline Greer Graham
Zeke
USA | 20 min | WORLD PREMIERE
Zeke is a dark satire about a trusted barbershop owner who betrays a loyal client, forcing him to confront the culture of silence that pervades their Brooklyn community.
Director: Kerry Coddett | Writer: Kerry Coddett | Producers: Kerry Coddett, Krystal Payne, Yah-mari Cole | Cast: Hassan Johnson, Stephen Cofield, Sam Jay, Kerry Coddett
Duende
USA | 20 min | WORLD PREMIERE
Having haters is not a new thing, Genius has always been met with envy, just ask Mozart… or Tupac.
Directors: Kevin Kittle, Petey McGee | Writers: Petey McGee, Robert Patricio | Producers: Petey McGee, Lazarus Simmons, Maxim Jean, Robert Patricio, Walker Clermont | Cast: Petey McGee, Robert Patricio, Maxim Jean, Walker Clermont, Lazarus Simmons
Fufu and Soup
USA | 15 min | WORLD PREMIERE
Panicked by her lack of sexual experience, a woman schemes to lose her virginity on the night of her 29th birthday party.
Director: Marjan Mona Koffa | Writer: Marjan Mona Koffa | Producers: Oona Wuolijoki, Marjan Mona Koffa | Cast: Adriyan Rae, Patrick Cage II, Chaize Macklin, Kyra Weeks, Dan Cathcart
Many Thousands Lost
USA | 16 min | WORLD PREMIERE
After believing him to be at work, an inquisitive young girl must come to terms with losing her father once she learns he has been sentenced to death.
Director: Jehan Patterson | Writer: Jehan Patterson | Producers: Chirsten Vanderbilt-Ellis, Amirah Adem, Marlana Dunn | Cast: Celeste Clark, Sheldon Frett, Tristina Lee, Kris Sidberry
Ree’s Destiny
USA | 15 min | WORLD PREMIERE
On the day of her debut, Ree a 43-year-old aspiring rapper, is sabotaged by her defiant daughter Destiny.
Director: Steven Mosley | Writer: Steven Mosley | Producers: Steven Mosley, Jenna Mahmoud Bosco, Sherry Thompson, Adam Taylor, Jay Thames | Cast: Jessica “Jess Mahogany” Mitchell, Cia Jaye
Hatchlings
USA | 15 min | WORLD PREMIERE
A resentful teenager is forced to babysit her turtle-obsessed half-brother; meanwhile, he dives into a vivid fantasy world where he is a sea turtle and she is a tortoise.
Director: Jahmil Eady | Writer: Jahmil Eady | Producer: Tara Austin | Cast: Demi Singleton, Christian Robinson, Dominic Stephens, and Angela Lewis
Moving Mountains
USA | 21 min
A young, Black man from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tre’lan seeks a new life and travels to a remote island of Hawaii, where he finds peace for the first time, through connection to nature, and finds meaning, through a newfound love of the ocean and big wave surfing.
Director: Jessa Williams | EP: Jessa Williams, Peter Goetz, Backroads Pictures | Producer: Tre’lan Michael | Cast: Tre’lan Michael
Rehash
USA | 17 min | WORLD PREMIERE
A coder beta tests a groundbreaking program after a breakup.
Director: Kevin Giles | Writer: Kevin Giles | Producer: Samiyah Wardlaw | Cast: Niguel Quinn, Mister Fitzgerald, Nia Nichole, Emily Dale White
The Inconvenience Store
USA | 13 min | WORLD PREMIERE
When five unlikely strangers get stuck in a gas station during an alien invasion, they must put their differences aside and work together to survive.
Director: Ifeanyi Ezieme | Writer: Nzinga Kadalie Kemp | Producers: Fabiola Rodriguez | Cast: Hidekun Hah, Artrece Johnson, Allison Ohara, Joey Herman, Christian Ramirez Loya
Blown Chances
USA | 11 min | WORLD PREMIERE
A young woman tries to get a letter of recommendation from her job at the corner store, she is given one chance to prove herself but things get out of hand leading to an explosive intrusion.
Director: India Bey | Writer: India Bey | Producers: Samiyah Wardlaw, Camille Chambers, Briuana Draper, India Bey | Cast: Jean Marie Landham, Deon Rodd
HARLEM FRAGMENTS
USA | 17 min
An Afro-futurist scrapbook storytelling of a Harlem Black family’s beautiful destruction during the 2008 recession. Based on true events.
Director: Cameron Tyler Carr | Writers: Cameron Tyler Carr, Danielle Therese Dougé, Wes Andre Goodrich | Producers: Harlem Renaissance Productions, Keep or Destroy Productions, Black Man Films LLC, Trujulo Productions, Flor De Oro Tejada, Salma Qarnain, Fanshen Cox | Cast: Kyle Keyes, Stella Coviello, Roderick Lawrence, Clarissa Thibeaux, Christina Clements-Thompson, Jaleeca Yancy
Nothin’ Good & 12th Street
USA | 15 min | WORLD PREMIERE
Over the course of one night, two teenagers, two crooks, and one hitman all try to get their hands on a bag of stolen cash.
Director: Tone Foster | Writer: Tone Foster | Producers: Yonel Cohen Tone Foster | Cast: T.K. Richardson, Christian Carter, Thomas Avona, Jerimiyah Dunbar, Tjader France, Oscar Jordan, Jon Doss
Sadness of Men
USA | 11 min | WORLD PREMIERE
When a rancher learns he’s going to be a father, he must confront the trauma of his abusive past to break the cycle and build a future rooted in love and truth.
Director: Eli Moss | Writer: Eli Moss | Producers: Otis Moss III, Kelly Pope, Judson Brown | Cast: Joshua Griffin, Daion Hubbard, Jade Bryant, Farris Langley, Luke Steward
The Black Bart of Taco King #17
USA | 12 min | WORLD PREMIERE
A suave larcenist searches for a new partner at a dive bar and finds the perfect Bonnie to his Clyde. He takes her to dinner to put her to the test, yet she has all the answers… and more.
Director: Rickey Larke | Writer: Rickey Larke | Producers: Lorelle Lynch, Lo Howard, Lyandre Pierre, Julian Park, Charles Taylor Goubeaud | Cast: Jasmine Mathews, Christopher Dietrick & Derrick A. King
all the love i could handle
USA | 14 min
all the love i could handle is a re-imagining of the filmmaker’s mother’s young diary, unraveling the raw complexities of Black motherhood, artistic ambition, and the enduring sacrifices women have to make as mothers and artists. Based on the true family story of pioneer filmmaker Kathleen Collins (Losing Ground, 1982).
Director: Ruby Rose Collins | Writer: Ruby Rose Collins | Producer: Ruby Rose Collins | Cast: Breanna Williams, Yasir LaFond
Always, Most Of The Time
USA | 40 min | WORLD PREMIERE
A remorseful woman discovers a magical stone that allows her to travel back in time, giving her the chance to mend her broken relationship and confront the personal traumas that have plagued her life.
Director: Victor V. Hogan II | Writer: R. Alan Brooks | Producers: Michael Quigley, Kyle Vaughn, Victor V. Hogan II, Benton Aladin, R. Alan Brooks, Patti Kim Gill | Cast: Brittany S. Hall, Patrick Walker