2025 Harlem International Film Festival Celebrates 20th Anniversary with films and trio of honorees
The 2025 Harlem International Film Festival (Hi) today announced the films and events for its
The 2025 Harlem International Film Festival (Hi) today announced the films and events for its
Harlem International Film Festival Program Director Nasri Zacharia said, “Our 19th edition was bolstered by our partnerships and support from the Columbia University Zuckerman Institute, Maysles Documentary Center, and the NYC Media and Entertainment office which allowed us to offer free screenings to the public and greater access for our filmmakers and their films. This year shined once more with our unique blend of global cinema and local films and each of our winning films truly exemplified that.”
Harlem International Film Festival’s Program Director, Nasri Zacharia, said. “We are celebrating over a century of Harlem Renaissance and Resilience with an amazing slate of films from the area. We are also glad to be back at the AMC Magic Johnson Theaters and Columbia University as well as Maysles Documentary Center, and this year we are thrilled to present the world premiere of the first two episodes of STARZ Run the World season 2, set in Harlem, to our lineup featuring several other world premieres, and wonderful work by our filmmakers here in Harlem, Upper Manhattan, and the Bronx. This year, music runs throughout our schedule with amazing documentaries, very special honorees, culminating in a big day of music films and a special live performance on Sunday, the 21st. This film festival has always emphasized the idea of being a festival with exciting and entertaining events inspired by the films we screen, and this year really underlines that idea.”
Harlem International Film Festival’s Program Director, Nasri Zacharia, said. “We are excited to once again have screenings at the New York Public Library and Columbia University, which both hold wonderful memories for this film festival. At the same time, we look forward to sharing so many wonderful films virtually to introduce our audiences throughout the state of New York to films from around the world. And, of course, we’ll continue our efforts to truly showcase the filmmakers and the setting of our beloved home neighborhoods of Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, which we call the HUB.”
Harlem International Film Festival Program Director Nasri Zacharia said, “We pride ourselves in the ability to find films that will introduce people throughout the state of New York and the film community at large to the unique blend of global cinema and local films that we have built a reputation celebrating for more than a decade and a half now. We take our position as part of Harlem and New York City’s film and arts community seriously, and we look forward to a full return to in-person/in-theater screenings and events in 2022, even as we continue to utilize the virtual space to give our films a wider platform throughout the rest of the state as well.”
Harlem International Film Festival Program Director Nasri Zacharia said, “Our 16th edition marked the return to in-person, in-theater screenings in New York City, and our hybrid approach allowed us to continue to invite audiences throughout the state of New York to the unique blend of global cinema and local films that we have built a reputation celebrating for a decade and a half now. Harlem emphatically is a center, magnet, and inspiration for the arts, and we embrace our role in that vital and vibrant legacy.
Harlem International Film Festival’s Program Director, Nasri Zacharia, said. “We are thrilled to return to the theater, have a red carpet welcome for our filmmakers, live audiences and Q&As, and experience the magic of film festival discovery in the company of one another the way we did prior to the pandemic. At the same time, we will also utilize the virtual presentations to not just introduce our audiences throughout the state of New York to films from around the world, but also to interact and connect with filmmakers from all over the globe. And, of course, we’ll continue our efforts to truly showcase the filmmakers and the setting of our beloved home neighborhoods of Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, which we call the HUB.”
Harlem International Film Festival Program Director Nasri Zacharia said, “We look forward to finding films for our 16th edition that will introduce people throughout the state of New York and the film community at large to the unique hybrid of global cinema and local films that we have built a reputation celebrating for more than a decade and a half now. We take our position as part of Harlem and New York City’s film and arts community seriously, and it will be invigorating to return to theaters and see those films on the big screen in 2021, even as we utilize the virtual space to present those films to film fans throughout the rest of the state as well.”
Harlem International Film Festival Program Director Nasri Zacharia said, “Our 15th edition introduced people throughout the state of New York to the unique hybrid of global cinema and local films that we have built a reputation celebrating for a decade and a half now. Harlem has long been a center, magnet, and inspiration for the arts, and while we look forward to returning to the theater next year, we enjoyed opening up all of our films, especially these award winners – virtually to the whole of New York state.”
Harlem International Film Festival’s Program Director, Nasri Zacharia, said. “Like many film festivals, we have made the decision to present our slate of essential cinema virtually this year, but that decision has only intensified our desire to cull great world cinema that might have been otherwise overlooked, and deserves a spotlight, as well as to continue our efforts to truly showcase the filmmakers and the setting of our beloved home neighborhoods of Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, which we call the HUB”.