DATES & TIMES:
April 3rd, 2026 at 6:00 PM
April 4th 2026 at 1:00 PM
PRESENTED BY:
The Morton Theatre Corporation
SPONSORED BY: Athens Downtown Development Authority, Union Fare, and R. Alan Cleveland, LLC.
GENERAL ADMISSION:
Friday, 4/3 - FREE! (ticket required for entry)
Two ticket options will be available:
Reception + Performance Ticket
Includes access to the opening reception and the Frames & Flows program.
Reception capacity is limited to the first 100 guests.
Performance-Only Ticket
Includes access to the Frames & Flows video showcase, performances, and panel discussion.
Saturday, 4/4 - $5 (advance), $7 (door)
DESCRIPTION:
The first annual Athens African American Film Festival, presented by the Morton Theatre Corporation, comes to the historic Morton Theatre in downtown Athens for a two-day celebration of Black storytelling through film, music, and conversation.
On Friday, April 3 at 6 p.m., the festival opens with a reception followed by Frames & Flows: Athens Hip-Hop Video Showcase, featuring locally produced hip-hop music videos from Athens artists Cassie Chantel, Ant Da Ripper, and Amun-Ra, followed by a panel discussion hosted by Andrew Shearer and a set from each artist. Please note: Mature themes and content.
On Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m., the festival presents a screening of Julie Dash’s landmark film Daughters of the Dust, a groundbreaking work of Black American cinema exploring the Gullah/Geechee community of the Sea Islands and the power of memory, migration, and culture. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion hosted by Freda Scott Giles, Ph.D., associate professor emerita at the University of Georgia, and featuring Valerie Babb, Ph.D., Andrew Mellon Professor of Humanities at Emory University, Jerry Rafiki Jenkins, Ph.D., assistant director for the Institute for African American Studies at the University of Georgia, and Shandra L. McDonald, associate professor, University of Georgia
The festival begins Friday evening at 6 PM with an opening reception before the program. Reception space is limited and available to the first 100 guests.
The Friday event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets for the Saturday event are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Donations are gladly accepted.
FOR SHOW DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT:
The Morton Theatre Corporation, board@mortontheatre.com, 706-613-3770
CONNECT:
Website: www.mortontheatre.com/morton-theatre-corporation
Facebook: MortonTheatreCorporation
Instagram: @mortontheatrecorp
