Black art in commercial media has taken several steps forward over the last decade. However, the nation has mostly celebrated the faces in front of the camera, and less so the artists behind it.
After reading this piece, I hope that changes. Here are four up-and-coming Black filmmakers from Meta’s SEEN program that are sure to push the art and the industry into new territory.
1. Audra Nicole Davison
The Hale Academy
2. Desirae Lee
We've Got The Summer
3. Kaelo Iyizoba
Nkemefuna
4. Tracey Renee'
Policing Joy
Jenean Glover, the Executive Director at Blackhouse, also had this to say about these talented artists.
"As we enter our 15th year anniversary at the Blackhouse Foundation, we are thrilled to announce the results of our latest installation of the SEEN fellowship program. With the support of Meta, we have scaled the 2021-2022 cohort to 100 filmmakers. This is not only a testament to the program's educational and professional resources, but to the impact that a financed production has made for each of our grant winners.
We collaborated with Meta to grant these filmmakers a monetary award to produce their short films. This is an exceptional portfolio-building opportunity that will ultimately open the doors for future projects. As professionals, creators who have this work to show are far more attractive to studios, executives, and hiring managers. This distinctive group of creators now has a head-start to opportunities that may not have been possible without real dollars behind the work. We look forward to the momentous impact on our fellows and their careers after having their work seen."
Are there any dope Black filmmakers you want to see in the spotlight? Shout them out in the comments below!
Make sure to head right here for more of BuzzFeed's Black History Month coverage.
