Black Soil Film Festival

Black Soil Film Festival is back. Founded in 2003 as Europe’s first hip-hop film festival, it has expanded its focus to encompass the broader reach of black culture. It is a celebration of the African diaspora, which is at the heart of the emerging black European arts movement NOW! The festival offers an immersive experience, with insightful talks, thought-provoking short films, inspiring feature film productions and remarkable musical performances.

Highlights this year include It Was All a Dream, a visual memoir by American director Dream Hampton about the birth of the global hip-hop revolution in America in the 1990s, and the Dutch premieres of Iqualda, Walter Rodney; What they don't want you to know and Going to Mars; The Nikki Giovanni Project, about the life of the poet and political activist of the same name and Jury Winner at the Sundance Film Festival.

Together with BlackArchives and AllThingsAfrica, Black Soil presents a double bill with short documentaries In Search of Borboletas and O REGRESSO DE AMÍLCAR CABRAL on the closing day of the exhibition Casa di Cabral, curated by Tania.christinaa in the Hiphophuis. Before the film program, there is a short exhibition tour by the curator and an introduction by filmmaker Bouba Dola. Afterwards, there is a cinematic music concert in LantarenVenster by MC, musician and theater maker Gery Mendes called 'A tale of Kriolo times' a unique performance driven by music, storytelling, movement and film based on the creation of In Search of Borboletas.

During the festival in LantarenVenster we present the mixed reality game Anouschka, in which visitors help a Javanese-Surinamese teenager discover her roots via their smartphone. Through mini-games they learn more about her family history and the diverse culture in the Netherlands. This project by Tamara Shogaolu was nominated for a Golden Calf in 2024. Also Plantation Memories with animations by Ruben Cabenda (SUR). Cabenda powerfully captures the contemporary influence of colonialism in his intense and thought-provoking animations (made possible by CDS Collective/Alice Yard/IDFADoclab/Filmfonds and Catherijneconvent).