Cross-Cultural Center hosts film showcase highlighting Black talent

Chapman’s Cross-Cultural Center celebrated Black film students and alumni Feb. 18 by hosting the “Black Film Showcase.” Photo of “A visual portrait in poetry,” a visual poem by Chapman alumna Arianna Ngnomire. Photo courtesy of Ngnomire

There was an underrepresentation of Black film students at Chapman University, Ricky King noticed. It was time to do something about it. 

In celebration of Black History Month, King, a lead assistant at the Cross-Cultural Center (CCC), hosted a “Black Student Film Showcase” Feb. 18 to display the creativity of Chapman’s Black students and alumni.

“I haven’t seen something like this at Chapman, but it should exist,” King said. “It’s important to highlight Black filmmakers. I want attendees to experience seeing stories that they’ve never seen before and I hope the filmmakers make connections with other Black filmmakers who are going into or are already a part of the film industry.”

With approximately 20 attendees, the event featured five filmmakers who shared their art. Lauren Banks, a guest at the showcase and a senior animation and visual effects major, shared a short, animated film she made during her freshman year called “Epiephany,” which highlighted her love for baking shows, personal struggles of dealing with academic anxiety surrounding classroom performance and feeling the effects of imposter syndrome. 

She told The Panther she has loved animation since middle school and finds joy in telling stories through the medium. 

“I hope attendees of the showcase get the ability to see the Black student population at Chapman display their creativity through the films they’ve created,” Banks said prior to the event. “I wasn’t expecting to get much out of the event myself, but it was really nice to be able to talk to the other filmmakers about their experiences.” 

Arianna Ngnomire, a poet, activist, actor and Chapman alumna, shared a piece titled “A Visual Portrait in Poetry,” at the showcase. She told The Panther that the visual poem served as an exploration of the past 23 years of her life and a celebration of turning 24, encapsulating everything she has learned about herself and what she wishes to take into the future. It was through learning more about cinema that Ngnomire first found a love for narrative filmmaking.

“I wanted to pursue film because there wasn't enough history being taught about Black filmmakers,” Ngnomire said. “I wanted to be a Black filmmaker, Black actress and a Black director and producer who would make their mark in history.” 

She emphasized that her piece is targeted toward Black and queer people, who could see themselves through the visual poem in a medium where they’re commonly underrepresented. 

“I wanted them to understand that they have both the masculine and feminine energies pulsating through them,” Ngnomire said. “A lot of us (at the Black Film Showcase) made creations based on our race and identity, which is different from our white counterparts, and that’s profound. We are highlighting that we are present, we are here and we are creating.” 

In a message to future Black filmmakers who wish to make their marks in history, Ngnomire said to embrace what you like and never feel pressured to conform to what is being taught or what peers think is good or correct. Banks echoed Ngnomire’s sentiments, advising future filmmakers to always advocate for themselves and their ideas.

“Although you might be new to the process, what you bring to film and filmmaking is unique and yours and no one should ever tell you otherwise,” Banks said.