Festivals, Fairs & Special Events
Black Harvest Film Festival: TO KNOW HER IS TO LOVE HER November 11, 2026
November 7 & 11 | TO KNOW HER IS TO LOVE HER centers the interior lives of Black women and femmes through stories of motherhood, healing, identity, illness, memory, embodiment, and self-definition. Across documentary, narrative, and experimental forms, these films reject singular portrayals in favor of complexity, vulnerability, pleasure, ritual, and joy. Together, they offer an expansive portrait of Black femme experience rooted in resilience, care, transformation, and the radical work of defining oneself.
2025–2026, USA, Switzerland, Senegal, UK, Nigeria, 87 min. | In English and Wolof 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
