Private Project

Culture Connects Us

Culture Connects Us is an animated arthouse documentary exploring cultural identity, belonging, and community regeneration through storytelling, movement, and intergenerational dialogue. Centered on diaspora experience and culture-based healing, the film examines how creative expression fosters resilience, connection, and social transformation across communities.
Blending visual arts with documentary storytelling, the film invites audiences to consider new paradigms for collective well-being, cultural continuity, and inclusive futures.
Suitable for secondary, post-secondary, and community audiences, supporting discussion in social justice, cultural studies, women’s studies, performing arts, and community development.
Directed and produced by Jalila Bell, with executive producers Village-Connect, Kwame Osageyefo / Gaylon Logan, and featuring collaborations with producers Wanda K. Whitaker, Kaylah Marin, and Walt Aldane.

  • Jalila Bell
    Director
    Foreign Lovers Film
  • Gaylon "Kwame Osageyefo" Logan
    Producer
  • Kaylah Marin
    Producer
  • Wanda K Whitaker
    Producer
  • Jalila Bell
    Producer
    Foreign Lovers Film, Worthy of Survival
  • Aldane Walters
    Producer
  • Marc Samuels
    Producer
  • Kaylah Marin
    Editor
  • Piper Dellums
    Key Cast
    "Self"
    Strive
  • Camila Chavez
    Key Cast
    "Self"
    Dolores
  • Daljit Soni
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary, Experimental, Feature
  • Runtime:
    59 minutes 17 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 22, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Iphone and Webcam.
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1080p
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Power24 International Film Festival
    Durban
    South Africa
    August 28, 2025
    African Continent
    Jury Award - Sector Stories
  • AIMFF - Athens International Monthly Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    Honorable Mention
  • Florence Film Awards
    Florence
    Italy
    Official Selection
  • London Movie Awards - Silver Award - Feature Documentary
    London
    United Kingdom
    Silver Award - Feature Documentary
  • New York Movie Awards - Silver Award - Feature Documentary

    Silver Award - Feature Documentary
  • Beyond Border International Film Festival

    India
    Honorable Mention
  • National Independent Film Association - NIFA Awards
    Appleton
    United States
    Quarter-Finalist
  • FilmHaus International Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    Semi-Finalist
  • RED Movie Awards
    Reims
    France
    Official Selection
  • Ekurhuleni International Film Festival-EIFF 24
    Germiston-Gauteng
    South Africa
    Official Selection
  • Erie International Film Festival
    Erie, PA
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Florence International Film Festival
    Florence
    Italy
    Official Selection
  • Doc Only Festival
    Copenhagen
    Denmark
    Nominee
Director Biography - Jalila Bell

Jalila A. Bell, Esq., is a visionary Director and Producer with a rich background in dance, choreography, visual arts, and the law. She merges her expertise in storytelling and team management to bring compelling cultural narratives to life. As a driving force behind Culture Connects Us, Jalila explores how cultural expression unites communities, bridging the power of movement and film.

Her extensive dance career, spanning jazz, modern, house, and contemporary styles, informs her unique approach to filmmaking. With a deep sensitivity to cues, rhythm, space, and emotion, she’s helmed the crafting of a film that transcends language, and evokes deep cultural reflections. In addition to her work with KAJE LLC as Managing Producer and Talent Coordinator, Jalila collaborates with community organizations like Village-Connect, Inc., advocating for community engagement and cultural preservation. Her legal and artistic careers often intersect, with past works like the Belly of the Beast collection exposing and challenging social norms around identity and culture.

Jalila’s dedication to storytelling through multiple mediums continues to expand, with future projects focusing on art, identity, and social justice. With Culture Connects Us as a testament to her talents, Jalila is committed to fostering cultural dialogue and creating lasting impact.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

As the Director of Culture Connects Us, my vision was to create an arthouse film that celebrates the beauty and diversity of cultural expression, emphasizes its transformative power, and introduces the cultural work of Village-Connect. Culture is a living, breathing force that connects us all, whether through art, music, dance, or shared traditions. In a time where division often dominates the narrative, I wanted to shine a light on the moments of unity and collaboration that happen when people open their hearts to one another's stories. This film is a testament to the strength we find in our cultural roots and the community we build when we honor and uplift them together.