Black Filmmakers Lack Spaces To Showcase Their Work. These Industry Vets Want To Change That.
HuffPost
Tristan Mack Wilds and Greg Cally share what inspired their upcoming short film showcase and how ditching the “middleman” helped them uplift Black creatives.
In a year that’s felt like the hands of time are slowly ticking backward — with the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion political climate reversing corporate promises in a post-George Floyd world and Hollywood backtracking on diversity programs to appease Donald Trump’s second presidential term — it’s comforting to know some safe spaces for these communities have still found the means to exist without scrutiny.
That’s partly what makes the inception of Surrounded By Stories, a one-night-only showcase dedicated to spotlighting unreleased works from overlooked Black voices in film, so moving.
Set for June 21 at New York City’s historic SVA Theatre (the same theater used by the Tribeca Film Festival), the intimate event aims to celebrate Black storytelling by offering creatives a place to debut their short films, engage in real-talk panel discussions and rub elbows with industry figures like “Power” star Naturi Naughton, “The Wire” alum Chad Coleman, “The Real Housewives of New York City” star Racquel Chevremont and many others.
What makes the inaugural showcase even more compelling are the dynamic hosts behind it: Grammy-nominated artist and actor Tristan Mack Wilds and award-winning filmmaker Greg Cally, two industry veterans pouring their years of talent and expertise into an initiative that deliberately challenges the anti-DEI agenda plaguing parts of the entertainment industry.
Going against the Hollywood grain to build a space that doesn’t revolve around industry politics, awards or exclusivity is no easy feat. Doing it with the sole purpose of giving marginalized artists more access and tools and funding it from their own pockets? That’s just rare.
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