FILM

Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival

Oak Bluffs, MAAUGUST5-7 DAYSFOUNDED 2002

WHY IT'S HERE

Founded in 2002, cultural anchor of Martha's Vineyard Black professional community, past attendees include Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, and President Obama.

The Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival was founded by Floyd and Stephanie Rance in 2002 and has become one of the most important showcases of Black storytelling on screen. Held each August in Oak Bluffs, the historically Black summer enclave on Martha's Vineyard, the festival screens feature films, documentaries, and short films alongside panel discussions with filmmakers, actors, and industry executives. Past attendees and honorees have included Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and President Barack Obama. The festival is a cultural anchor of the Vineyard's Black professional summer community and a critical platform for Black filmmakers seeking distribution and recognition.