Houston Black Dance Festival, presented by Dance Afrikana, is a bi-annual cultural event held during Black August in Houston, Texas. The festival celebrates the richness, innovation, and global impact of African and African diasporic dance traditions through community workshops, artistic exchange, and film presentations.

Rooted in the spirit of Black August, the festival also honors cultural resistance, Black liberation, and the enduring power of Black creativity across the African Diaspora.

This year, Houston Black Dance Festival is proud to introduce its inaugural Black Dance on Film screening program, spotlighting dance-centered films created by Black filmmakers, choreographers, dancers, and visual storytellers from across the African Diaspora.

We are seeking short films (5–30 minutes) that creatively engage dance and movement as central elements of storytelling, cultural expression, memory, resistance, joy, experimentation, and embodied practice. We welcome a wide range of genres and styles, including:

Dance films
Experimental films
Documentary shorts
Narrative shorts
Music and dance visual projects
Interdisciplinary movement works

The film screenings will take place on Saturday, August 8, from 5:00–10:00 p.m. in Houston, Texas as part of Houston Black Dance Festival.

Eligibility
Films must be directed, choreographed, and/or created by Black artists, including African Americans, Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Latinx communities, and the broader African Diaspora.
Films must prominently feature dance or movement.
Runtime must be between 5 and 30 minutes.
All films must be submitted through FilmFreeway.

Houston Black Dance Festival aims to create an affirming platform for Black movement artists and filmmakers while fostering community, creativity, cultural preservation, and artistic dialogue through dance and cinema.

Awards & Prizes

Houston Black Dance Festival is a non-competitive screening opportunity. Selected films will be featured as part of a curated program celebrating Black dance, movement, and visual storytelling across the African Diaspora.

Rather than competition, the festival prioritizes artistic exchange, cultural preservation, community engagement, and the uplifting of Black filmmakers, choreographers, and movement artists. Selected filmmakers will receive official festival recognition as part of the festival’s inaugural Black Dance on Film program.

Rules & Terms

Eligibility
Films must prominently feature dance, movement, or embodied performance.
Films must be directed, choreographed, produced, and/or created by Black artists of the African Diaspora, including African Americans, Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Latinx communities, and related diasporic communities.
Films must have a runtime between 5 and 30 minutes.
All genres are welcome, including dance films, experimental works, documentary shorts, narrative shorts, and interdisciplinary movement-based projects.
Non-English language films must include English subtitles.
AI-generated films will not be accepted and should not be submitted.

Submission Requirements
All submissions must be submitted digitally through FilmFreeway.
Entrants may submit multiple films; each submission must include a separate entry fee.
Films must be completed works at the time of submission.
Works-in-progress will not be considered.
Submission fees are non-refundable.

Screening & Selection
Houston Black Dance Festival is a non-competitive, curated screening program.
Selected films will be screened as part of the festival’s inaugural Black dance on film program on Saturday, August 8 in Houston, Texas.
Filmmakers will be notified of official selections via FilmFreeway and/or email.
Festival programmers reserve the right to determine final programming and screening order.
Selected filmmakers are required to participate in a post-screening panel discussion and/or Q&A session during the festival. Participation may take place individually or as part of a group conversation.

Rights & Permissions
By submitting, the filmmaker confirms they hold the necessary rights and permissions for all music, imagery, choreography, performances, and other copyrighted materials included in the film.
The filmmaker grants Houston Black Dance Festival (Dance Afrikana) permission to screen the submitted work during the festival.
Selected films may have still images, trailers, titles, and excerpts (up to 1 minute) used for festival promotional purposes across print, digital, and social media platforms.

Technical Requirements
Selected films must be available in a high-quality digital screening format.
Additional screening specifications will be provided upon acceptance.

Code of Conduct
Houston Black Dance Festival is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and affirming environment for artists, audiences, and community members. The festival reserves the right to disqualify or remove work deemed harmful, discriminatory, exploitative, or inconsistent with the festival’s mission and values.

Additional Information
Premiere status is not required.
The festival does not provide screening fees, travel accommodations, or lodging for selected filmmakers at this time.
Submission does not guarantee acceptance.