Founded in 2017, the Rhode Island Black Film Festival has become a vital platform for emerging filmmakers to share their stories and celebrate diverse voices in cinema. Through its Beyond the Lens Academy, created in partnership with Johnson & Wales University, the festival extends its mission into the classroom—introducing high school students to the art and craft of filmmaking. Participants learn videography, scriptwriting, and the fundamentals of visual storytelling while building confidence and critical thinking skills.

Despite limited resources, the festival’s reach and impact continue to grow, with student participation rising by 20% since 2022. When federal funding cuts threatened their ability to continue, the White Family Foundation responded quickly with an emergency grant, recognizing the festival’s importance in nurturing young talent and amplifying underrepresented perspectives in Rhode Island’s creative community.