9th HALIFAX BLACK FILM FESTIVAL BACK IN PERSON AND ONLINE, TO MARK AFRICAN HERITAGE MONTH,
FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 4, 2025
#HBFF25 hosts INNOVATIVE, DIVERSE and BOLD PROGRAMMING, OPENING with Juan Mejia’s film Igualada
Full program, all access passes and individual tickets available now!
HalifaxBlackFilm.com
Halifax, February 17, 2025 – Celebrating African Heritage Month by amplifying Black voices and uplifting Black talent, the 9th annual Halifax Black Film Festival (#HBFF25) is back in-person and online from February 28 – March 4, 2025.
#HBFF25, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, presented by TD Bank Group (TD), in collaboration with Global News, will present 30 films from 14 countries virtually as well as in- person at Park Lane Cineplex along with special events at the Halifax Central Library.
“Join us in celebrating African Heritage Month through the 9th annual Halifax Black Film Festival which has been delivering Impact, amplifying Black voices and fostering inclusion of Black film professionals and artists in our industry! This is thanks to the massive support of TD Bank Group and Global News, our loyal sponsors and our growing audience! We look forward to showcasing HBFF’s extraordinary program and invite everyone to come celebrate the many premieres that illuminate African Heritage Month with stories of resilience, creativity, and triumph,” says Fabienne Colas, President and Founder of the Black Film Festivals in Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver.
"Through the TD Ready Commitment, we're proud to support the Fabienne Colas Foundation's Halifax Black Film Festival, which shines a light on the richness of Black culture and the incredible contributions of Black communities," says Peter Owusu, Business Development Manager, TD Bank Group. "Together, we're helping foster spaces that showcase Black talent, share stories that reflect Black lived experiences, and strengthen community connection."
“Global News is proud to be a partner with the Halifax Black Film Festival. We want to send a huge congratulations to the Festival for elevating the work of Black filmmakers and helping share vital stories. It has been a privilege to see the HBFF continue its important work and inspire so many people,” says Rhonda M. Brown – News Director & Station Manager, Global News Halifax and Global News NB.
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#HBFF25’s Opening Night film is Juan Mejia’s film Igualada.
In Colombia, a nation marred by profound racial and socio-economic disparities, a Black woman from a rural background challenges the status quo by launching a presidential campaign. Reappropriating the term “Igualada,” Francia Márquez, catapults a movement to the upper echelons of power, by refusing to “know her place.” Fifteen years in the making, this documentary peels back the curtain on how unprecedented change can happen. It will be screened on Friday, February 28, at 7 p.m. at Cineplex Park Lane.
Fabienne Colas Foundation’s BEING BLACK IN CANADA, presented by NETFLIX, in collaboration with the National Bank, and supported by Telefilm Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts and various local partners, will screen its 2024 program on Saturday, March 1, at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Cineplex Park Lane. The screening will be followed by a Q&A.
Young filmmakers, aged 18-30, from Halifax, Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, created short documentaries addressing the issues that impact Black communities across Canada. The following four Halifax filmmakers tell their raw and relevant stories about what it means to them to be Black and living in Halifax:
Relentless Hurdles, Resilient Hearts by Temitayo Sodunke Black In School by Habiba Diallo
Under Pressure by Andre Anderson
A few #HBFF25’s must-see films are The Weekend, Rouge, Igualada, Teah, I Wanted to Be a Ballerina, Suck it Up, and Sideline Story.
Returning this year is the HBFF Black Market, co-presented by the Halifax Regional Library. This industry series sees renowned local industry professionals share real-world experiences on today’s most critical industry and social issues in an exciting blend of thought-provoking and fun panel discussions.
The FREE in-person panels will occur on Saturday, March 1 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Halifax Central Library. Panels include:
BIPOC WOMEN IN THE NOVA SCOTIAN CINEMA: CHALLENGES, TRIUMPHS, AND THE ROAD AHEAD
PRESERVING BLACK NOVA SCOTIAN HISTORY THROUGH FILM SPOTLIGHT STORIES: FILM INDUSTRY Q&A SERIES – JUANITA PETERS
Online panel: FUTURE VISIONS: YOUNG BIPOC FILMMAKERS SHAPING THE NEXT GENERATION
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TICKETS & PASSES:
The #HBFF25 online All Access Pass is available for $45, and the In-Person All Access Pass is $39. Individual in-person tickets are $12 for regular film screenings, $20 for the Opening Night film, and $15 for the Closing Night film.
The 2025 Halifax Black Film Festival would like to thank its generous partners: TD Bank, Global News, Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, Telefilm Canada, Arts Nova Scotia, Halifax Public Libraries, and the Fabienne Colas Foundation. #HBFF25 also thanks its sister Black Film Festivals in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver.
Full program, all access passes, and individual tickets available at: HalifaxBlackFilm.com Get Social #HBFF25
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About the Halifax Black Film Festival
Created in 2017 by the Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF), the Halifax Black Film Festival (HBFF) is part of a solid affiliated Black Film Festivals’ Network in Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver. Independently incorporated, the Halifax Black Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the very best in cinematic work dealing with the varied experiences of black people from diverse communities. Its mandate is to provide an opportunity for filmmakers to shine the spotlight on authentic stories that reflect the realities of black experiences. To learn more, visit: HalifaxBlackFilm.com
About the Fabienne Colas Foundation
The Fabienne Colas Foundation is Canada’s largest Black cultural organization. Created in 2005, the FCF is a not-for-profit artistic organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in Cinema, Art, and Culture in Canada and abroad. Along with Zaza production, the Fabienne Colas Foundation is also the creator of Festwave Institute and 12 Festivals, including the highly successful Montreal Black Film Festival, the hugely popular Toronto Black Film Festival, the Halifax Black Film Festival as well as several other successful Festivals in Canada, the USA, Haiti and Brazil. These initiatives/festivals have showcased and supported over 5,000 artists and attracted over 2 million festivalgoers. The Foundation is also the creator of the FCF’s Being Black in Canada program, Canada’s largest incubator dedicated to Black Filmmakers.
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Media Contact:
Wendy Phillips, Phillips PR
wendy@pprl.ca
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