By Adrienne Kenton, BlackStar Film Festival Panoramic View of Pittsburgh Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com

Today is the deadline for film and screenplay submissions for the 3^rd annual BlackStar Film Festival. The producing committee now goes into high gear as we continue to review works in order to curate what promises to be an exciting festival.

Drawing audiences is key to the BlackStar vision and mission. On May 10, our team traveled to Pittsburgh, the City of Bridges, for a day of screenings, panel discussions, readings and other special events showcasing the works of BlackStar alumni at the renowned Kelly-Strayhorn Theater. The event was a celebration of the diverse stories of the black diaspora.

Pittsburgh has a rich history of being a bridge between the African American past and its boundless future especially in the arts. During the Great Migration Southern blacks moved to Pittsburgh to flee the oppression and terrorism, leading to a rich tradition of jazz and blues. The great jazz composer and pianist Billy Strayhorn began his musical career here. The National Negro Opera Company, founded 1941, was the first all-African American opera company in the United States. And it was in Pittsburgh that the great playwright August Wilson transitioned from being a poet to being a griot for the 20th century African American experience with his Pittsburgh Cycle.

Black history is American history. Black stories are American stories. Black identity is not small, narrow or one size fits all. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are two cities whose histories are inextricably linked to the contributions and legacy of the black diaspora.

From July 31-August 3, International House in Philadelphia – along with Institute of Contemporary Art and World Café Live – will be the epicenter of cinematic storytelling that depicts the expansiveness of black identity. Come see the magic and power of the best independent filmmakers working today.