Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities opens June 5th, 2025

Azubuike African American Council for the Arts launches its third-annual Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities beginning Thursday, June 5, 2025. The festival is presenting unique film-watching experiences framed through the lens of African American and Black Diasporic voices. This year's festival features screening events, panel discussions, an "Open Competition" Showcase, and the "Reel Impact" category, highlighting films with a strong social message.

Founded by Gaye Shannon Burnett and her independent-filmmaker son Jonathan Burnett, Pulling Focus is committed to empowering Black filmmakers and showcasing stories made by and about people of African descent. Through cinema, we bridge gaps between communities, fostering an appreciation for Black culture and creating awareness of the Black experience. The festival has attracted filmmakers both locally and from around the globe, including submissions from the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Kenya, Japan, Jamaica, Italy, Iran, India, the country of Georgia, Ethiopia, Canada, Brazil, Belgium, Australia, and Angola.

Saturday evening features distinguished filmmaker David Fortune, named one of Variety’s 2025 Directors to Watch and recipient of the AT&T Untold Stories Award, which provided a $1 million grant to direct his debut feature, Color Book. In addition to these honors, Fortune is also a 2025 NAACP Image Awards nominee for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative.

Pulling Focus will conclude with an awards ceremony honoring the Festival's filmmakers, with this year's esteemed judges including: Jonathan Burnett; Maximina Juson; Charles Burnett; Daniel De Boulay; Stephen James Taylor; Patricia Hardaway; Safiya Songhai; and Chaz Hawkins. The films offer a profound glimpse into the diverse Black experience globally, fostering dialogue and connection within the Quad Cities community.

The 2025 Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities Schedule:

Thursday, June 5: Block #1 at Davenport's TMBC Lincoln Center (318 East Seventh Street) from 1 to 3:30 p.m.; Block #2 with Opening Reception and Q&A at Davenport's The Last Picture House (325 East Second Street) from 5:45 to 9 p.m.

Friday, June 6: Block #3 and #4 at Rock Island's STEAM on Wheels (2106 Fourth Avenue) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m.; Block #5 at TMBC Lincoln Center from 1 to 3 p.m.; Blocks #6 and #7 at Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center (1717 West 12th Street) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, June 7: Blocks #8 and #9 at Davenport's Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. anmd 2:40 to 4:40 p.m.; Block #9. 5 at TMBC Lincoln Center from noon to 2:30 p.m.; the Panel Discussion and filmmaker dialogue at the Figge from 1:10 to 2:30 p.m.; the David Fortune reception (5:30 p.m.), film (7 p.m.), and Q&A (8:50 p.m.) at the Last Picture House.

Sunday, June 8: Block #10 at the Figge from noon to 2:30 p.m.; Block #10.5 at the Last Picture House from noon to 2:30 p.m.; the Awards Ceremony at the Figge (2:30 to 4:45 p.m.).

Visit PullingFocusFilmFestival.com for screenings and event schedule.


Truth First Film Alliance, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports and encourages the production and exhibition of documentary films, and narrative films based on true stories, through public presentations and educational programs in the Quad Cities region. For more information, visit TruthFirstFilmAlliance.org.

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