Black Reels Project
Filmmaking Workshop

The Black Reels Project was a twofold initiative that consisted of both a filmmaking workshop and a film festival designed for Black, African, and Afro-diasporic artists. Kameron Locke was the organizer, Project Leader, and Co-Curator of the Black Reels Project. He initiated this project as a founding member of the arts-activism collective Black Art Action Berlin (BAAB) and was supported in this project by the BAAB network. Branwen Okpako and Jide Tom Akinleminu joined the filmmaking workshop as instructors and directors and guided the participants to create two short films in five days. Hildi joined as the film cutter for each film.

12 participants were selected from throughout Germany and ranged in skill and experience. The workshop was designed for mutual sharing and mentorship. The objective of the short films was to reflect themes rarely shown in Germany's film industry, namely: films about and from Black, queer, and migrant perspectives. In two groups, the participants developed their screenplays and filmed in various locations throughout Berlin. In a short time, they produced an essay documentary, Oil on Water, about home and identity, and a sci-fi film, Falling into the Light, about ancestral communication. This filmmaking workshop showed the magical possibilities of what happens when Black artists come together to create together.

The Black Reels Project was supported in funding by Fonds Soziokultur e.V. NEUSTART KULTUR, Medienboard Berlin-Bradenburg GmbH, and Interflugs. Each One Teach One (EOTO) e.V. was the Kooperationspartner for the Black Reels Project.