In mid-September, the March On! Festival, the longest-running civil rights film festival, returned to Washington, DC, for six days of programming focused on social justice, health equity and more.
March On! acknowledges health as a civil rights issue and examines how history has shaped medical mistrust, limited access to care and contributed to mental health disparities and inequitable care that persist today.
This year’s theme, “The Right to Be Well,” explored how storytelling can shed light on health disparities and inspire change. Through film, music, art and conversation, the festival highlighted often-overlooked stories, including disability justice, gendered health experiences and medical ethics.
View this post on Instagram
The weeklong festival featured bold, galvanizing storytelling, live performances and honest discussions with artists, activists and scholars via film screenings and powerful panels.
In-person and digital panels and workshops educated attendees about health disparities impacting Black Americans, such as maternal mortality, high blood pressure and heart disease.
View this post on Instagram
Films featured topics including systemic racism and medical health, music, legal justice and teaching African American history in classrooms.
View this post on Instagram
The event kicked off with its Annual Awards Night Gala honoring visionary civil rights leaders. Senator Cory Booker (D–N.J.) received the Lifetime Legacy Award for his commitment to equity and justice.
The March On! Award went to Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith, cofounders of the MacArthur Award–winning Firelight Media, a nonprofit providing mentorship, funding and artistic development opportunities to emerging documentary filmmakers of color.
View this post on Instagram
To view the full list of filmmaker competitions included at the festival, go here. For a series of videos from the event, go here.
Comments
Comments