2006

A small group of dedicated individuals formed The Blackhouse Foundation to support Black cinema.

2007

The Blackhouse Foundation launched as an official partner of the Sundance Institute at the iconic Sundance Film Festival hosting a series of panels, roundtable discussions, and networking events.

2008

The Blackhouse returned to the Sundance Film Festival again hosting workshops, the now legendary nightly cocktail hour, and a celebratory marquee party for founding donor, HBO™, in honor of their films The Black List, Sugar, and The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo.

2009

Without a physical venue during the Sundance Film Festival, The Blackhouse “went virtual” and digitally guided viewers through the experiences of filmmakers and attendees in Park City. The organization’s exclusive featured content included blogs, tweets, and interviews.

2010

The Blackhouse introduced its signature programming to the Tribeca Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival (LAFF), and Toronto International Film Festival.

At Sundance, The Blackhouse hosted a roundtable moderated by Elvis Mitchell engaging filmmakers and executives in a discussion about the state of independent film for Black women.

Later that year, The Blackhouse showcased its partnership with the LAFF by screening festival programmed films like “Night Catches Us,” starring Anthony Mackie and Kerry Washington.

2011

During Sundance, The Blackhouse hosted a conversation led by veteran film critic, Elvis Mitchell, with the legendary Harry Belafonte in the Sundance Filmmaker’s Lodge.

A few months later, The Blackhouse featured an exclusive conversation with Geoffrey Fletcher, screenwriter of Precious at the Tribeca Film Festival and honored participants of the Tribeca Film All Access Program.

During the Toronto International Film Festial (TIFF), The Blackhouse kicked off its first year at the largest North American Film Festival with a powerful panel entitled, “Social Issue Films: Getting Them Made & Seen.” Bill Duke, co-director of the Festival featured film Dark Girls moderated. Panelists included:

• Co-director of Dark Girls, D. Chansin Berry;
• Director of The Education of Auma Obama, Branken Okpako;
• Screenwriter of Machine Gun Preacher, Jason Keller; and
• Director of Color of the Ocean, Maggie Peren.

2012

During Sundance, The Blackhouse orchestrated a conversation led by Producer/Director Lisa Cortés with legendary rapper Ice-T about his career and directorial debut, “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap.”

During the Tribeca Film Festival that Spring, The Blackhouse provided a platform for NYU Associate Dean Sheril Antonio to moderate a dynamic roundtable discussion with famed veteran participants including:

• Producer, Debra Martin Chase;
• Director, Rick Famuyiwa;
• Director/producer, Laurens Grant;
• Director, Rashaad Ernesto Green; and
• Producer, Warrington Hudlin

In a first for the organization, The Blackhouse had the sole responsibility for Festival programming at the LAFF including hosting informative panels and discussions covering representation in the entertainment industry (including reps from CAA, ICM, WME, Generate and Ziffren Brittenham), and a one-on-one discussion with rising producer and now Blackhouse Board Member, Datari Turner.

2013

This year at Sundance, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences brought Will Packer to the Festival for the first time along with an Oscar trophy and a session on getting into the Academy. Ava DuVernay and Sal Masekela were honored at The Blackhouse’s Dinner with television host Bevy Smith.

During Tribeca, industry professionals engaged in a dynamic debate on race, authorship and authenticity in today’s filmmaking scene. Panelists included:

• Author, film critic and filmmaker, Nelson George;
• Indiewire’s Shadow & Act Chief Editor, Tambay Obenson;
• Producer and Brave Films President and CEO, Frida Torresblanco;
• Filmmaker, Terence Nance; and
• Tribeca Film Institute Executive Director Beth Janson, moderator.

For the first time, The Blackhouse hosted activations at the Montclair Film Festival including a panel discussion covering “What do the movies tell us about race in America?” In addition, three esteemed film critics – Pulitzer Prize-winner Wesley Morris (Grantland; Boston Globe), David Edelstein (New York magazine) and Scott Foundas (Variety) – discussed with Adoara Udoji (former host of The Takeaway on NPR) how they approach race when writing about film.

2014

The programming for Sundance continued to expand with a diverse collection of panels covering timely and controversial topics discussed by some of the brightest minds in the industry. The activations included:

• A panel entitled “Tanning of America” featuring Steve Stout and Keith Clinkscales;
• Engagement with the creators and cast of “Dear White People” (Justin Simien, Director; Tessa Thompson, Actor; and “Imperial Dreams” (John Boyega, Actor; Anika Noni Rose, Actor);
• Legendary Black Women in Film panel featuring Nina Shaw, and Lena Waithe just prior to premiere of “Dear White People.

The organization’s first activation at AFI was momentous featuring Clips and Conversation turned premiere of “Selma” with post-film discussion featuring Ava DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo and Common.

2015

During the Sundance Film Festival, The Blackhouse programming included a:

• Launch Reception for the Charles King led multi-cultural production and financing company, MACRO;
• Panel in the iconic Sundance Filmmaker Lodge for BET Network’s limited series “Book of Negros” and
• Panel for Latino Reel featuring the talented, multi-hyphenate, Gina Rodriguez.

During the LAFF that year, The Blackhouse hosted a Conversation with Oscar award winning writer, John Ridley, moderated by Elvis Mitchell and a panel, entitled, “Prime Time: Adjusting the Color Spectrum on TV” Panel with:

• Wendy Calhoun (Black-ish);
• Andrea Lerner (Jane the Virgin);
• Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat);
• Our Lady J (Transparent); and
• Debra Birnbaum (Variety)

2016

At the Toronto International Film Festival, The Blackhouse led the YouTube Brunch & Panel, “Finding Success on YouTube,” featuring LaToya Forever, TPindell and Shameless Maya, who were named as the Top Canadian and US YouTube creators on best practices for launching and growing YouTube channels.

During the Tribeca Film Festival, The Blackhouse hosted the always star-studded ‘Dinner with Bevy’ featuring the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival Black Filmmakers and celebrated guests including actors, actresses and producers:

• Geoffrey Fletcher;
• Lynn Whitfield;
• Kendrick Sampson;
• Wardell Milan;
• Debra Martin Chase; Reinaldo Marcus Green;
• and Karyn Parsons.

2017

During IFP Film Week, The Blackhouse spearheaded a Producer’s Roundtable featuring film producers Lisa Cortes and Re’Shaun Frear.

During TIFF, the organization hosted a Conversation with Sam Pollard – Director, “Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me” and a Canadian Filmmaker Panel featuring Alison Duke, Jennifer Holness, Dean Bernard, and Ngardy Conteh George.

During AFI, the organization hosted a Conversation with one of the industry’s most sought after writer/director’s, Jordan Peele, in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

Other activations this year included an intimate, off-the-record conversation with the talented, multi-hypenate, Issa Rae, hosted by Elvis Mitchell and a panel discussion with visual storytellers of various mediums discussing how they use their art to bring light to social issues. Panelists included:

• Vanessa Ramos (Bordertown);
• Jay Ellis (The Game, Insecure);
• and Terence Nance (Swimming in Your Skin Again, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty)

2018

Growing the Blackhouse’s presence at TIFF, the organization hosted a dynamic panel entitled, “Driving Canadian Content Creation”, with four Black-Canadian MFA Film Students participating in the BET Networks-Blackhouse Fellows Program. In addition, the organization hosted a panel entitled, “Director’s Cut” featuring a problem-solving conversation with Black-Canadian content creators facilitated by The Blackhouse’s Board Chair, Brickson Diamond and WGA-East Manager, Outreach and Member Services, Jenna Bond.

For the first time ever, The Blackhouse had a presence at the legendary Cannes Film Festival hosting a celebratory brunch for Spike Lee in advance of the premiere of his Oscar nominated film, “BlacKkKlansman.”