The Rhode Island Black Film Festival is thrilled to have Johnson & Wales University College of Arts & Sciences as a partner for the 2023 Film Festival. April 20 followed by a reception. Johnson & Wales University College of Arts and Science will host RIBFF Beyond the Lens Academy’s inaugural class in March. Hosted by the Media Lab. The screenings on Thursday, April 20 will take place in the Providence Campus’ Auditorium in Xavier Hall. A reception will follow. 

This 6th annual Festival welcomes The Wheeler School’s Gilder Center for the Arts as a host site for festival screenings. Situated on the Capital City’s east side on Angell Street, just a block from Thayer Street, the Gilded Center for the Arts  comprises two connected buildings, Wheeler Memorial Hall and the Gilder Center for the Arts, each with three levels of teaching and performance spaces. Thank you to Princess Bomba. Director of Diversity at The Wheeler School and Dr. Christopher Westgate, Professor and program co-director, Johnson & Wales University. The full schedule of films and their locations will be available on February 1. 

If your child ever thought about being the next Ava Duvernay or Spike Lee, the Film production program BEYOND THE LENS ACADEMY,  is accepting applications for their inaugural program for High School Juniors and Seniors. Students of African descent are encouraged to apply.  The Beyond the Lens Academy is in partnership with Johnson & Wales University College of Arts & Science Media Center.  To request an application email ann@ribff.org or go to this link to complete. The Rhode Island Black Film Festival created the Beyond the Lens Academy program was established to meet the growing need of video production personnel for the growing number of films productions in the Rhode Island and Southern New England. Program datesMarch 30-31. 2023 Location: Johnson & Wales University -College of Arts & Media. Students interested in submitting an application should go to this LINK.