Black Life

Ongoing

Experience the vitality and range of cultural production in the African diaspora through this multidisciplinary event series.

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  • Saint Omer

  • Upcoming
    Films
  • Upcoming
    Events
  • Selected
    Objects
  • Past
    Films
  • Past
    Events

Past Events

  • Sunday, October 1, 1 PM

    NEW DATE TBA: Ashara Ekundayo: AfroPortals Project Space & Archive

    Join us for a special conversation led by interdisciplinary curator and organizer Ashara Ekundayo, along with collaborators from the AfroPortals Project Space & Archive. Ekundayo will facilitate a responsive inquiry process into the philosophical, spiritual, and structural design of Black public spaces, focusing on Deep East Oakland, where the AfroPortals project lives at Liberation Park.

    BAMPFA

    Announcement of re-scheduled event coming soon; Programmed by Black Life co-curator Ryanaustin Dennis.

  • Saturday July 15 at 11:30 AM, and Sunday July 16 at 11:30 AM

    Black Life: Zekarias Thompson: Possible Dialogues, Vol. 1

    Two programs of performances, discussions, activities, and improvisations, led by artist Zekarias Thompson

    BAMPFA
  • Thursday, February 23, 12 PM

    CANCELED: Hood Century

    Hood Century is one of the Internet’s first deep looks at the relationship between architecture, built space, and Black popular culture. The outfit is bringing its active survey practice to BAMPFA’s Black Life series this winter with a walking and talking tour.

    BAMPFA

Past Films

  • Black Life: Saint Omer

    • Sunday, June 25 4:30 PM
    Alice Diop
    France, 2022

    Alice Diop’s first venture into narrative after more than a decade of documentary filmmaking, Saint Omer follows a young novelist, Rama, who is observing the trial of Laurence Coly, a woman accused of murdering her fifteen-month-old child in northern France.

    Introduced by ruth gebreyesus

  • Black Life: Circling the Archive with Filmmaker Dwayne LeBlanc

    • Saturday, April 29 4 PM

    Filmmaker LeBlanc joins Black Life cocurator ruth gebreyesus in person to share his film and discuss influences on his approach to filmmaking. The program also features a 35mm restored print of Charles Burnett’s first film, Several Friends. 

    Dwayne Leblanc and ruth gebreyesus in Conversation

  • Black Life: An Evening with Paige Taul

    • Saturday, February 18 5 PM

    Black Life is thrilled to welcome Oakland-born filmmaker Paige Taul back to the East Bay for a screening and conversation about her films. Primarily shot on 16 and super 8mm film, her works “engage with and challenge assumptions of Black cultural expression and notions of belonging.”

    Paige Taul and ruth gebreyesus in Conversation