BronzeLens Encore Series at the Center for Innovation and the Arts
The Center for Innovation and the Arts invites the Spelman community and the public to the BronzeLens Encore Summer Screening Series. Join us every Thursday from July 16 through August 6 to experience compelling films, meaningful conversations and a celebration of diverse storytelling. Concessions will be available and doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $5-$10.
Each screening features a unique theme:
- July 16 - Afrofuturism | Rated PG-13
- July 23 - Family Night *(PG 13+) Usage of strong language and some adult themes (smoking and brief drug usage).
- July 30 - ARTS | Rated G
- Aug. 6 - All Shorts, All Night (themes: Identity and empowerment) | Rated PG 13
BLFF Films and Alternatives for 2026 Spelman Screenings
SCREENING #1 July 16 | Afrofuturism - Films rated PG-13
Clean Slate 2021 12:28 Director: Olubajo Sonubi
After a botched proposal, an apprehensive Jay agrees to try AI counseling in hopes of healing her faltering relationship. Use of SPX for flashbacks.
Keep the Change 2022 19:59 Director: Ed Banuel
Keep The Change offers a modern-day twist on systemic injustice and racial prejudice. As told through the fiery visions of Danielle, a clairvoyant business owner, whose future is shaped by a harrowing past.
If Heaven Had Heights 2023 6:42 Director: Dr. Fahamu Pecou
This short film accompanies an exhibit of paintings and drawings by the same title. These works are in conversation with ideas of hope and aspiration rarely considered on Black bodies. This series transposes the typically negative associations made of Black youthful dissidence into an examination of what is possible when we seek an alternative perspective. ."If Heaven Had Heights" invites us to imagine heaven of our own making.
IOTB: It’s Only the Beginning 2024 13:02 Director: Candace Haynes (Dance)
A hacker takes control of the Internet in the United States, forcing people to disconnect from their technology and reconnect with their reality. Post COVID-19, a company named Zyquin is the sole provider for Internet service in the U.S. A. Will life come to a screeching halt?
Always, Most of the Time 2025 39:00 Director: Victor Hogan
After a painful split from her boyfriend Nathan, Delilah finds herself reflecting upon everything that she did to contribute to the end of their relationship. But in the midst of that despair, she suddenly discovers that she can travel back to the past! This is her chance to go back and fix all of the things she did wrong in the relationship. But as she time-travels (and changes things), it becomes clear that what she really needs to pay attention to is herself. This is ultimately a story about one woman's self-actualization: learning to see herself beyond her relationships and traumas, and to truly work on her own healing.
Total Run Time: 1:32:11
OR CONNECT 2021 48:49 Director: Bobby Huntley
CONNECT| is a compelling supernatural socio-political drama with sci-fi elements about a young black male named Vincent who is struggling with his ability to communicate with the dead. It's a gift that he doesn't want. It keeps him up late at night and leaves him feeling alienated from most people. He feels pressured to keep this under wraps by his politician father, who is more concerned with keeping his political career intact. In a brief moment of vulnerability, Vincent tells his roommate Monroe of his gift in confidence. Soon, it is the talk of the community about Vincent’s ability to talk with the dead. His father goes into damage control to not let this deflect potential voters during the election season. It is not until an unruly death of yet another black teen in the community that Vincent feels called to use his gift to be of service to a distressed community with no hope. Will he obey his father's orders or help a grieving mother's last wish?
Total Run Time: 1:40:52
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SCREENING #2 July 23 | Family - Family Night *(PG 13+) Usage of strong language and some adult themes (smoking and brief drug usage).
Glitter Ain’t Gold (2022) 13:40 Director Christian Nolan Jones
A sixth grader takes a trip with his best friend to the flea market in order to buy his first fake chain. (Features Priah Ferguson)
Jordan 19:32 2022 19:32 Director: Ebony Blanding
When a tween mermaid enthusiast discovers an ailing water creature, she uses a magical wish to change the fate of their existence...and her own. JORDAN engages with the genres of fantasy and cli-fi (climate fiction) to shape a fairytale in which everyone has agency and representation.
Joyriders 2021 20:28 Director: Raymond Carr
Three kids from the inner city find an alien spaceship and take it on a joy ride through Atlanta and beyond. But when they come to the end of their journey, they must decide whether to help the world that never cared about them, or escape into the unknown.
IntelliGent 2024 28:08 Director: Kinnick Sky
"IntelliGent" is a captivating series centered around Regent, an eight-year-old autistic fourth grader with a remarkable intellect and an unquenchable passion for science. The adventure begins on the first day of school in a classroom brimming with anticipation. Regent, along with his brilliant classmates Bailey and Chloe, is placed in this advanced class due to their stellar test scores and exceptional reading comprehension. As the plot thickens, Regent faces a critical turning point when Ketric Thomas, a popular kid and notorious bully, extends an invitation to join the "popular society." Although the allure of a higher social status is tempting, Regent's best friend Bailey remains wary of Ketric's true intentions.
Can Regent outsmart the bully's scheme before it's too late, or is he destined to endure a year of relentless humiliation and chaos?
Total Run Time: 1:21:48
Electric Pioneers 2023 23:48 Director: Lansing Phillips ALTERNATE
Exploring the growing popularity, challenges and changing perceptions of PEV (personal electric vehicles) through a diverse group of riders in Atlanta.
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SCREENING #3 July 30 | (Arts) Films rated G
They Call Me Sue 6:22 2025 Director: Natrice Miller
They Call Me Sue” is a beautiful portrait of what happens when you turn the camera on to the storytelling. The short film gracefully tells the story of Susan Ross, a local Atlanta photographer, who for more than 50 years, has seemingly been everywhere, chronicling the city’s political and cultural growth. From the Civil Rights Movement, to Maynard Jackson, to the Black Arts, to simply shooting the women in her morning walks, Sue, as she is also called, and as this film shows, is a true griot.
Zora Head: The Life and Scholarship of Valerie Boyd 20:27 Director: Clinton Fluker
This film is an exploration of the life and scholarship of Valerie Boyd. Valerie Boyd was a writer and scholar whose work in biography, journalism, and education have left a lasting mark in the literary community.
Our Voices. Our Lives 10:08 2024 Director: William Feagins Jr.
In this episode, Theres talks about working as a production coordinator in the fashion industry, preferring to use natural fibers in fabrication, being touched, moved, and inspired by her work, dealing with self-doubt, the importance of telling our own stories, and more!
The Dancer: The Beautiful & Tragic Life of Gerard Alexander (2024) 35:00
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution presents the compelling short documentary "The Dancer," about Gerard Alexander, a professional modern and ballet dancer who ended up homeless in Atlanta. Directors: Ryon and Tyson Horne
Song of the South 2023 20:00 Director: Joe Howell
Early hip hop history from the POV of promoter Ian Burke.
TRT: 1:21:48
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SCREENING #4 August 6 | All Shorts/All Night (theme-Identity; empowerment)
Films rated PG-13
Yasodura 2025 14:59 Director: Shondra McDonald
Recently arrived in the States, Yasodhara and her newborn son are abandoned by her husband. Yasodhara gets unexpected support from her African-American neighbor, Lynn. With small acts of kindness, Lynn gives Yasodhara hope and an opportunity to see herself differently.
BlacKorea 2018 25:00 Director: Christine Swanson
A Korean wife escapes an abusive husband. She leaves their children with his mother.(Best Actress) Set in Chicago, listed as a Georgia production.
Pretty Enough 2022 7:22 Director: Kayla BLACKPEN Bennett
A young woman faces her insecurities as she struggles to decide whether to go on a date. She is literally talking to and answering herself in a mirror. Very fascinating technically.
An Open Letter to My Skin 2021 2:51 Director: Kaleb D. Mitchell
A short film on how colorism affected my childhood and the journey to loving myself. Interesting effects
Thomasville 2025 13:07 Director: Alex Woodruff
A heart-wrenching psychodrama exploring the complex nature of Black legacy in Atlanta. Trapped in a rainswept car, a young man and his ailing father confront their fractured history before it's too late.
Caged Bird 2024 16:36 Director: Marcus Kyle
A 15yo black boy continues to push the limits of his adolescent rebellion. When he's finally caught in the act by external forces, the powder keg within his family bursts. He must now take witness to the ripple he's created and ultimately choose to save or sacrifice those he holds most dear.
Don’t Wipe Your Tears 2024 15:50 Dominick Cormier
Don't Wipe Your Tears tells the story of an unexpected moment of clarity created from a turbulent conversation between a young couple with dreams of parenthood. After playful dialogue about their unborn child's name begins to unravel, both are forcefully reminded of their own childhood traumas.
Total Run Time 1:35:45
Alternate:
Col-ored Tags 2024 26:14 Director: Malik Ali
Tobias, a young adult shaped by his influential surroundings, attempts to cope with the constant pressure of public perception. He adopts a lifestyle that's beyond his means, both financially and mentally, in a bid to fit in. As he grapples with the recent loss of his mother, Tobias embarks on a personal journey to maintain his sanity and moral values. 'Colored Tags' is a heartfelt exploration of a young man's struggle to find his place in a demanding world while dealing with grief.