In celebration of Black History Month, we are shining a light on up-and-coming Black filmmakers. We are especially excited to highlight the work of an independent filmmaker who shot a short film at our Arthur Kill campus facility on Staten Island.

Born and raised in Harlem, Lynn Dow directed the 2020 short film "Compassionate Release," which highlights the prison program that enables elderly and terminally ill inmates to obtain parole. Dow's uncle spent time at Arthur Kill, and she used to visit him there with her grandmother when she was younger. He was released early as part of the compassionate release program, a key event in her life that inspired her to make the film. We were happy to provide a filming location that held such personal meaning to her and her project. Dow recently completed her first feature film called "Bull Street," which premiered last week at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Many Black filmmakers are finding success this awards season, and Cord Jefferson is having a particularly remarkable run on the red carpet. Jefferson directed, wrote, and co-produced the satirical drama "American Fiction," which is nominated for five Oscars including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Quite the feat for a first-time filmmaker! "American Fiction" won the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award in the fall and made many critics associations year-end top 10 lists. We can't wait to see what he does next.

Another director finding recognition for their directorial feature film debut is A.V. Rockwell, born and raised in Queens. Her film "A Thousand and One," which she also wrote, won the prestigious Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Set in Harlem in the 1990s and 2000s, the film follows a single mother who kidnaps her son out of the foster care system to raise him herself. Rockwell recently won the Breakthrough Director Award at this year's Gotham Awards, and we expect to see her back on the awards circuit soon.

Rapper, record producer, and filmmaker Blitz Bazawule (also known as Blitz the Ambassador) is also having a very good year. The Ghanaian artist directed the recent musical adaptation of "The Color Purple," which has received critical acclaim and several major award nominations. The musical drama is his second feature film following 2018's well-received "The Burial of Kojo." He also co-directed the musical film "Black Is King" with Beyoncé and several other filmmakers. "Black Is King" is available to stream on Disney+.

Juel Taylor had a breakthrough year with his feature film directorial debut "They Cloned Tyrone," released on Netflix last summer. The sci-fi comedy was a hit for the streaming service and its most popular film for a period in late July and early August. In the film, John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris play three friends who uncover a secret government conspiracy following a series of strange events. The film, which Taylor co-wrote with Tony Rettenmaier, was also a hit with critics. Before directing "They Cloned Tyrone," Taylor was known for penning several screenplays, including "Creed II" co-written with Sylvester Stallone and "Space Jam: A New Legacy" co-written with a team of writers.

We hope you enjoy the work of these artists. Follow our blog to learn more about how Broadway Stages is celebrating Black History Month.