About the Hayti Film Festival
The Hayti Heritage Film Festival (formerly the Black Diaspora Film Festival) now in its 16th year is held each February presented by the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. located in Durham, North Carolina. One of the longest continuously running festivals in the country, the Hayti Heritage Film Festival is an integral part of the programs and traditions at the Hayti Heritage Center. The Festival’s mission is to celebrate African American cinema and the African cultural Diaspora, by highlighting established and emerging filmmakers; and films showcasing the contributions and uniqueness of the Black artistic traditions in film. Our film selections embody the richness of Black culture while recognizing universal themes and the similarities that exists among all cultures. The festival was established in 1993 as a collaboration screening of a small collection of films on the African American experience that included the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of North Carolina at Charlotte and St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. with funding from the North Carolina Humanities Council and North Carolina Arts Council.
Yearly the Hayti Heritage Film Festival (HHFF) showcases the diverse works of and about people of African descent. HHFF expanded into new territory in 2009 with adding competition categories, stepping up efforts to recognize up and coming filmmakers by adding competitive award, a short film challenge, all day student workshops, celebrity panel discussions and much more.
North Carolina has often been dubbed as the “Hollywood East” with enormous contributions to the film industry. Recent features like Universal’s Leatherheads, Warner Bros’. Richard Gere/Diane Lane romance Nights in Rodanthe, Fox Searchlight’s The Secret Life of Bees and most recently Jeb Stuart’s Blood Done Sign My Name have all found a wealth of resources in the Tar Heel State.
The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. (SJHF) founded in 1975, is an African American cultural and educational institution deeply rooted in the historic Hayti community of Durham, North Carolina. SJHF is dedicated to advancing cultural understanding through diverse programs that examine the experiences of Americans of African descent – locally, nationally and globally. The Foundation is committed to preserving, restoring and developing the Hayti Heritage Center, the former St. Joseph’s AME Church, a National Historic Landmark, as a cultural and economic anchor to the greater Durham community. For more information view our website at www.hayti.org.
