NOIR FEST partnered with the Yale Africa Film Fest (YAFF) to bring Black Glory to New Haven in November 2019. NOIR FEST is a Yale-grown film-tech startup, and the Council of African Studies (CAS) and Yale Graduate and Professional Students (YAGPS) played an integral part in the formative experiences of the NOIR FEST Founder Lolade Siyonbola, since she co-founded the latter with friends who went on to become part of the core startup team.
Guests enjoy Digital Art Exhibit 
Yale Africa Film Festival Program, festuring ‘God is a Woman’ art piece by Rickii Ly
Black Glory: Once Upon a Future is an Afrofuturist exhibit featuring original works by digital artists at the forefront of an artistic movement which has been likened to Cubism. The collective images exude Black power, Black joy, Black strength, depth and beauty. Through experimental collages, bold colors, and the use of sharp shapes and contrasts, artists evoke the memory of ancient African civilizations and summon a future in which African innovation and glory are known ubiquitously. The exhibit curated works by Rickii Ly, Shakquan McAllister, Nat Girsberger, Brittany Harris, Camila Pinheiro, Kokab Zohoori-Dossa and Emmanuel Karangwa.
Guests mingle during reception 
Guests enjoy African food 
Guest smiles at reception
Guests were welcomed with a reception with African food and had the opportunity to mingle and enjoy the Digital Art Exhibit. Thereafter, Lolade Siyonbola provided an energetic intro to NOIR FEST an organization she has dreamed of for several years. NOIR FEST is all about celebration, community and conversation. And received an outstanding response from the public, from a standing-only room with nearly 100 people.
Engaged audience 
Lolade shares NOIR FEST vision 
Engaged audience
The second part of this exhilitaring event included screenings and Q&A of three rich films. To Be Free was presented first, a 12 min film by Adepero Oduye, a Nigerian-American actress, director, singer, and writer. Guests enjoyed a heartfelt conversation with Oduye from afar, since she was travelling while filming upcoming projects. Peau de Chagrin/Blue de Nuit was the second short of the evening, a 10 min film by Baloji is a visual artist in motion, a film and art director, a musician, poet, a man of images and ideas with roots in Congo and Belgium. The Q&A included comments on the choices for colors, one of the most striking traits of this piece. White Colour Black closed the evening, followed by a Q&A with Joseph a. Adesunloye is a British-Nigerian filmmaker with laughter, the tensions of homecoming and the deliberate decision to display explicit scenes in the film.
Joseph in Q&A 
Guest asks a question 
Baloji in Q&A
This was just the inaugural presentation of Black Glory. The Digital Art Exhibit along with the films will come to more locations in the United States and beyond. We are excited to bring this energy and dialogue to other places and connect to the diversity that constitutes the global black diaspora. Stay tuned for more details on where Black Glory is going next.
Guest asks a question 
Mojisola Sonoiki, event panelist
We look forward to seeing you there!