The 23rd annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) returns August 1-9, 2025, with a stacked slate of special appearances, screenings, and panel discussions that spotlight the culture, craft, and community at the heart of Black storytelling.
Held at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center and the Vineyard Lounge in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, this year’s festival will feature A-list appearances from Courtney B. Vance, Debbie Allen, Dwyane Wade, and Issa Rae, among others, as part of its renowned Color of Conversation series.
Notable Events + Appearances
- Aug. 1 kicks off with the sports documentary Unraveling George, directed by Mike Tollin and narrated by Marlon Wayans. The film chronicles Hall of Fame basketball coach George Raveling’s career. A Color of Conversation discussion will follow.
- That evening, The Dutchman, a thriller starring André Holland, Aldis Hodge, Zazie Beetz, Kate Mara, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, will screen, followed by a discussion with director Andre Gaines and cast.
- Clips from Spike Lee’s latest film Highest 2 Lowest will close out the night, with Lee and Ilfenesh Hadera present for a post-screening conversation.
- Aug. 3 brings Netflix’s series Forever, from Mara Brock Akil, featuring a Vineyard-set episode titled “The Vineyard.”
- Aug. 5, Courtney B. Vance will lead the Black Storytellers Panel alongside Keith David and Lynnette Ramirez of Bassett Vance Productions. Sponsored by FX, the event dives into storytelling, collaboration, and cultural resonance.
- Aug. 6, Dwyane Wade headlines the third annual Men’s C-Suite Luncheon, “The Bonds of Brotherhood,” where he’ll also debut a new fragrance in partnership with Intuition by Aramis.
- The same day, the centerpiece event is the premiere of STARZ’s docuseries Magic City: An American Fantasy, exploring the legacy of Atlanta’s iconic strip club. EP Cole Brown and director Charles Todd will speak after the screening.
- Aug. 9, Debbie Allen is honored with a nostalgic tribute to A Different World, followed by a live Color of Conversation discussion.
- Issa Rae closes the festival with a sneak peek at Part 2 of the docuseries Seen & Heard, followed by a discussion with director Giselle Bailey, Phil Bertelson, and Montrel McKay of Hoorae Media.
Other featured guests include:
- Jennifer Hudson, who will participate in a conversation about her career and hit talk show.
- Tracee Ellis Ross, presenting her Roku travel series Traveling Solo.
- Joy Reid, headlining the Women C-Suite Luncheon.
- Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and Rev. Al Sharpton in a one-on-one conversation.
Additional Screenings + Official Selections
- The Gilded Age (HBO Max)
- Old Gray Mare (Tyler Perry Studios)
- The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix, with Brown Girls Doc Mafia)
- Wait Until Tomorrow (Documentary on Black economic progress)
- Sinners (Ryan Coogler’s box office hit)
Official Short Film Selections Include:
- The Cut (dir. Jeremy Brockman): A dramatic short starring Antoine Jackson and Demonte Thompson, exploring themes of masculinity and identity.
- Fufu and Soup (dir. Marjan Mona Koffa): A comedic drama about a woman attempting to lose her virginity on her 29th birthday.
- Whiteface (dir. Julian Alexander): World premiere. A bold narrative tackling identity and performance.
- The Last Dance (dir. Hayden McLean): A 17-minute UK short capturing the final moments of a Caribbean-owned London bar facing closure.
- Claudius “C.B.” Claiborne Documentary: World premiere exploring the story of Duke University’s first Black basketball player.
- Perdido (dir. Muhammad Bilal): A timely story of an African American man forced to confront past trauma through therapy.
- Way Back Home (dir. Chad B. Hamilton): Siblings debate the legacy of their late grandmother’s home amid neighborhood gentrification.
- BeforeHand (dir. Alphonso McAuley): A whimsical story of a thrifty shopper encountering the unexpected in a secondhand store.
- Good Home Training: A film that centers on tradition, food, and generational storytelling in the kitchen.
- The Incredible Sensational Fiancée of Sèyí Àjàyí (dir. Abbesi Akhamie): A brilliant woman in a fictional city plots revenge against her two-timing fiancé.
Festival Sponsors include ESPN 30 for 30 (returning as presenting sponsor), Xfinity, New York Magazine’s The Cut (official media partner), Google, L’Oréal Group, The Walt Disney Company, FX, McKinsey & Company, and more.
MVAAFF continues to be an Oscar-qualifying festival in the short film category and a crucial space for spotlighting rising and established Black creatives. Additional events and screenings are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. For the full schedule and tickets, visit the MVAAFF website.