Festivals, Fairs & Special Events
Black Harvest Film Festival: FROM THE BLOCK November 13, 2026
November 13& 15 | SHORTS FROM THE BLOCK celebrates Chicago as both place and practice, a city continually shaped by its artists, organizers, institutions, and neighborhoods. Spanning documentary, narrative, and experimental forms, these films document acts of remembrance, creativity, resistance, healing, and everyday life while revealing the many ways Black Chicagoans preserve history and imagine new futures. Together, these works offer a portrait of the city authored from within, affirming Black Chicago as a living cultural ecosystem sustained by generations of artists, filmmakers, and community builders.
Friday, November 13, 5:30 p.m. | Followed by The Big Picture Party in the Siskel Film Center Cafe, hosted by the Black Harvest Community Council.
2025–2026, USA, 86 min. | In English and Sudanese Arabic 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
