Festivals, Fairs & Special Events
Black Harvest Film Festival: EVERYDAY PEOPLE November 8, 2026
November 7 & 8 | EVERYDAY PEOPLE considers community as a living practice, sustained through shared histories, spiritual traditions, cultural expression, political struggle, and everyday acts of care. Moving across neighborhoods, congregations, Saint Lucia, and traditions carried across the Black diaspora, these films explore the many ways Black people create and preserve belonging. From Black queer communities reclaiming faith and family traditions passed through food and oral history, to political organizing and the enduring communal language of stepping and strolling, the program reveals community as something continually made and remade through memory, resistance, celebration, and mutual responsibility. Together, these films celebrate the relationships, rituals, and collective practices that allow Black communities to sustain one another and imagine futures across generations and geography.
Sunday, November 8, 6:00 p.m. | Post-screening conversation with Chi Achebe and Troy Martin followed by Harvest House, a celebration in the Siskel Film Center Cafe, hosted by Black Film Club Collective.
2026, USA, Saint Lucia, 88 min.
In English, Amharic, and Kwéyòl with English subtitles | 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
