Competitive Selections
2025 Film Line Up & Finalists Announcement
DBFF is dedicated to preserving and celebrating Black culture with film at its heart and spotlights on other forms of storytelling, like spoken word, art, music, comedy, and dance. We also highlight social justice issues through films and panel discussions.
Each year we look for creatives from all around the world who want to share “our” stories; gathering submissions with no discrimination of new filmmakers or filmmakers with an established career in the industry to take part in a competitive film awards. Filmmakers of all races and ethnicities are welcome to submit when their work reflects the following guidelines: Written, directed, or produced by Black filmmakers; or Prominently feature Black actors; or Feature subject matter which relates to the Black community and/or Black experience.
The competitive program awards are provided in each category and have included Panavision camera packages, cash prizes, trophies, and certificates.
2025 Denton Black Film Festival Competitive Film Finalists
NARRATIVE FEATURES
Cocoa in the Dark – Ryan Hope Travis
I Wish I Could See Heaven – Zachary Cunningham
Mister Gates – Desmond “Dehz” Donahue
Perdido – Muhammad Bilal
Sierra’s Gold – Adze Ugah
Sodade – Sarah Grace
SHORT NARRATIVES
Abysmal – Destiny Macon
Adult Children of the American Revolution – Juliette Fairley
August & Ebony – Sunyin Zhang
Ballerina Boy – Marc Jure
Chocolate With Sprinkles – Huriyyah Muhammad
Darwin the Dreamer – Don Dixon
Envie de faire l’amour – UZEO
F3VER – Irishia Hubbard Romaine
Finding JaMia’s Spirit- Candace Patrick
Flush – Matt Gaynes
Getcho – Ashley Tyler
How’s Man Made – Edward L Varnie
If They Took Us Back – Holly Charles-Pearson
Light – Maurice Moore, Alex Rios
Love Sweet Sound – Neha Manoj Shah
LYZ – Darnell Brown
Making of a Classic – Stephen Robinson
Nwa (Black) – Hans Augustave
Opening Up – Paris Brown
Ownership – Yvonne Huff Lee
Pretty Boy – Kevin Coleman-Cohen
Superman Doesn’t Steal – Tamika Lamison
The Candy Lady – Monique Morton Derouselle
The Golden Boy – Elizabeth Peace
The Last Golden Hour – Cierra Johnson
Uncle Bryan – Ar’Darius Stewart
Ursula – Kwame Berry, Peter Samuel
Weave – Martyn Lee
We Need To Talk About Consent – Mezan Ayoka
WEB/ EPISODIC SERIES
Hogtown / Ainsi va Manu – Season 2 – Episode 201 – Josiane Blanc
Kickback Chronicles Episode 4 – Chris D Collins
The Last Philadelphia – John Carstarphen
ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEOS
Help – Tonya Holloway
I Praise the Dance – Raehann Bryce-Davis
Space for Sweeter – Tramaine Townsend
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
BASTARDS OF SOUL – Paul Levatino
Forbidden Sound – Meng Ren
“i don’t even know me yet” – Onyi Apakama
Our Movement Starts Here – John Rash, Melanie Dang Ho
Redemption Road – Yusef Bunchy Shakur, Scott McCartney
Three (Extra) Ordinary Women – Cionin Lorenzo, Pearlette J Ramos
SHORT DOCUMENTARYS
51st STATE – Hannah Rosenzweig
Black Voices from the Ivory Tower – Khalid White
Blueprint For My People – Carol Bash
CapNext: The Journey to Unlock CapEX in America – Rob Lee
Chaos On Commerce – Don Tortellini
City of Kings: Atlanta – William Feagins, Jr.
Climb Malawi – Mario Stanley
Footwork – Drake Benoir LeBlanc
How to Sue the Klan – John Beder
Komlan – Patricio J. Salinas & Richard Lakpassa
Ma ŋaye ka Masaala a se ka Wɔmɛti (From God To Man) – Lansana Mansaray
Resolution – Remon Johnson
Ring The Alarm – Victorious De Costa
COLLEGE SHORTS
A Prayer – Juan Andres Davalos
Earth to KB – Em Shapiro
Emascipation – Tré Hazelwood
Songbird – Jonathan Horton
The Feelings I Wear – Chidera Orazulike
There’s a Klansman in the Trunk! – Xavier Ingram
Thug – Jordan Taylor Brown
Tracy, Trina, Triniti – Kai Conner
Earth to KB – Em Shapiro
Emascipation – Tré Hazelwood
Songbird – Jonathan Horton
The Feelings I Wear – Chidera Orazulike
There’s a Klansman in the Trunk! – Xavier Ingram
Thug – Jordan Taylor Brown
Tracy, Trina, Triniti – Kai Conner
TEXAS SHORT SCREENPLAYS
Curl Jam - Tonya Denese Holloway
The Protector - Seckeita Lewis
The Test - Seckeita Lewis
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORT
Let My Love Be Heard – Reece Wright
Invitational Selections
NARRATIVE FEATURES:
Night Haul – Dexter Brains
OLD RIGHTEOUS BLUES – Muneera Sallies
The Spook Who Sat By the Door (4k Restoration) – Ivan Dixon
OLD RIGHTEOUS BLUES – Muneera Sallies
The Spook Who Sat By the Door (4k Restoration) – Ivan Dixon
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Still I Rise – Sheri Shuster
Champions of the Mic – Keith Nealy
Champions of the Mic – Keith Nealy
NARRATIVE SHORT:
Gods of the Universe: Rise of the Star Child – Cathy SitaRam
COLLEGE SHORT DOCUMENTARY:
Dear Kasen – Armando Lee Lutz
