Black Harvest Film Festival: Memory & Style: Sojourn & Candy Paint

About this event

November 14 | MEMORY & STYLE: SOJOURN & CANDY PAINT brings together two formally inventive works that explore identity, memory, and the ways Black life is archived through personal and collective expression. Allen-Golder Carpenter’s SOJOURN follows a protagonist who awakens without memory and embarks on a journey across worlds to recover the fragments of their identity. Paired with Nia Imani and Adeshola Makinde’s CANDY PAINT, an exuberant archival collage celebrating Black style, adornment, and creative expression, the program considers memory as something continually reconstructed through culture, community, and self-definition. Together, these films reveal the power of image-making to preserve history, honor lineage, and imagine new futures.

2026, dirs. Allen-Golder Carpenter, Nia Imani, Adeshola Makinde, USA, 92 min.

In English | Format: Digital

General Admission – $15.50

Group Rate – $11.50 (Groups can save $4 off per ticket – minimum of 15 guests required)

Celebrating its 32nd year in 2026, the Black Harvest Film Festival is Chicago’s annual showcase for Black film across the diaspora. Born from an urgent need to celebrate the Black experience, the Black Harvest Film Festival unites filmmakers and audiences to showcase the power of Black cinema. This annual festival highlights emerging and established talents and historical narratives, enriching the landscape of Black culture. The festival curates both short and feature length films, proudly presenting influential auteurs and emerging filmmakers of color side by side.

The film festival will be held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center November 6–15, 2026.

Festival passes and individual tickets are available for purchase.

Audiences additionally can choose from two Festival pass options:

Opening Night plus five screenings: $80 general public / $55 members

Six regular screenings: $60 general public / $36 members

From The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center