The Black Women Film Network will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Short Film Festival on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Silverspot Cinema at The Battery Atlanta, with doors opening at 5 p.m.

The Black Women Film Network (BWFN) is inviting film lovers to join the celebration on November 7 for the 20th anniversary of the BWFN Short Film Festival. The festival team, led by board member and Film Fest Director Mercendez Springer, has pulled together a lineup of standout short films, including a student film category sponsored by the Atlanta Chapter of The Links, Inc.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Doors open: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Silverspot Cinema at The Battery Atlanta, 960 Battery Ave SE, Ste 5000, Atlanta, GA 30339
Tickets: BWFNSHORTFILMFEST.eventbrite.com

Screening Schedule

5:00 p.m. — Doors open
5:30–6:30 p.m. — Student Film Showcase (5 student films)
6:30 p.m. — Student Awards
6:45 p.m. — 15-minute intermission

Finalist Film Selections

7:00 p.m. — Ree’s Destiny (Director: Steven Mosley)
On the day of her debut, Ree, a 43-year-old aspiring rapper, is sabotaged by her defiant daughter Destiny.

7:25 p.m. — JOHN (Director: Amirah Adem)
In this University of Southern California thesis film, Abigail, a Black female lawyer, faces microaggressions and outright discrimination in a mostly white, male corporate law office — where she is mistaken for a paralegal and her ideas are credited to others. Her frustration peaks when she disguises herself as a white man to move through the world with privilege, exposing the hidden racism inside her own workplace.

7:55 p.m. — The Heir (Director: Tia A. Smith)
A grieving granddaughter inherits her grandmother’s home in a gentrifying Washington, D.C. neighborhood, where family tensions and generational scars force her to choose between preserving tradition and redefining legacy.

8:20 p.m. — Chiamara & Poorvi (Directors: Elsie Arisa, Director Zane)
A Nigerian-American law graduate awaiting her bar results faces an ultimatum from her immigrant parents, while her best friend’s romantic proposal is upended when both families arrive pushing an arranged marriage. The women must choose between honoring their families’ sacrifices and claiming ownership of their own lives.

8:45 p.m. — Basement People (Director: Christine Swanson)
Seven-year-old Tina is left with her extended family after a traumatic event exposes the fault lines of a volatile household. She retreats to the basement, where she finds an unlikely sanctuary with her reclusive uncle Keith — and must decide where she truly belongs.

9:15 p.m. — What’chu Mixed With (Director: Maya Cameron-Gordon)
Set in early-2000s San Francisco, 14-year-old Alexis, a biracial girl, grapples with identity, popularity and her natural hair after her father relocates to Los Angeles. An older teen, Precious, takes her under her wing, and Alexis begins a journey toward confidence and embracing her heritage.

9:35 p.m. — Awards announced, followed by a networking mixer in the lobby.

The Black Women Film Network, established in 1997 and based in Atlanta, looks forward to welcoming audiences for an evening of real stories and powerful voices. Tickets are available at BWFNSHORTFILMFEST.eventbrite.com.