Bringing together five films from recent Festival editions, Black Perspectives presents a shorts program exploring Black interiority, community, and memory. The program, part of the Black Perspectives at 30 series, features works from recent Festival editions, including Bailey’s Blues, Chronicle of a Summer Day, All the Love I Could Handle, About Time, and Not Dead (Morto NÃO).
Short Films Depict Diverse Portraits of Black Life
The shorts program offers distinct portraits of Black life, moving through themes of music, artistic practice, love, parenthood, and remembrance. Bailey’s Blues follows a Chicago-born blues musician interviewed by a French journalist, where racial resentment from the 1960s surfaces. Chronicle of a Summer Day documents John Caleb Pendleton’s Juneteenth floral installation, capturing a community gathering. All the Love I Could Handle, inspired by filmmaker Kathleen Collins, depicts a woman balancing her career and motherhood. About Time features ex-lovers Lamar and Sidney reconnecting in a tender reckoning. Not Dead, blending animation and live-action, presents an experimental meditation on W.E.B. Du Bois’s The Souls of Black Folk.
Festival Recognition
All five films were featured in recent editions of the Chicago International Film Festival. Bailey’s Blues, All the Love I Could Handle, and Not Dead premiered at the 61st Festival in 2025. Chronicle of a Summer Day was part of the 59th Festival in 2023, and About Time screened at the 60th Festival in 2024. The program highlights the breadth of Black cinema, showcasing stories from Chicago and beyond.
Accessibility Features Support the Film Series Presentation
The Black Perspectives at 30: Through the Lens series celebrates three decades of the program’s legacy, bringing together resonant Black stories. The Film Center is ADA accessible, with the presentation projected without open captions. The theater is equipped with a hearing loop. For accessibility requests, attendees can email [email protected].
