Black Cinema Week Returns With Cultural Classic Flicks Featuring BYOB Nights, Pre-Show Events, and Cosplay Themes
Film Society East will be hosting this year’s Black Cinema Week from February 20–26, 2026, spotlighting powerful portraits of the Black American experience through the lens of acclaimed actors turned directors. Hosted at Film Society East (125 S. 2nd Street), the weeklong celebration pairs iconic films with pre-show activations, community partners, and BYOB screenings designed to spark conversation, connection, and celebration.
This year’s programming highlights filmmakers who have helped shape Black cinema on and off screen, with selections spanning horror, comedy, drama, and historical epics. Guests are encouraged to arrive early for many screenings to enjoy interactive pre-show experiences and partner-led activities. Tickets are available at filmadelphia.org.
Opening Night: Ganja & Hess
February 20 | 7:00 PM
Black Cinema Week kicks off with Bill Gunn’s cult classic Ganja & Hess, presented in partnership with the Philadelphia Film Society and Be Reel Black Cinema Club. This 21+ BYOB screening invites audiences to come early for interactive pre-show fun before diving into the film’s haunting exploration of love, addiction, and identity.
I’m Gonna Git You Sucka
February 23 | 7:00 PM | BYOB | 21+
Keenen Ivory Wayans’ sharp Blaxploitation satire gets the BYOB treatment as he directs and stars as a returning war hero assembling a ragtag crew to take down a notorious crime lord. Expect big laughs and a lively crowd.
Harlem Nights
February 21 | 6:00 PM | BYOB | 21+
Partnering with Greedy In the City, this multi-generational screening invites guests to bring parents or adult children for a stylish night out. Wine and beer are welcome, and guests are encouraged to dress in their best 1930s-inspired attire for photo ops and movie-themed fun before the screening.
Hoodlum
February 21 | 8:30 PM
Directed by Bill Duke, Hoodlum stars Laurence Fishburne as Harlem legend Bumpy Johnson in a gripping Prohibition-era story of crime, ambition, and survival.
Posse
February 22 | 1:00 PM & February 26 | 4:00 PM
Mario Van Peebles directs and stars in this revisionist Western, reclaiming the genre as Black American soldiers pursue justice across a dangerous frontier.
Fences
February 22 | 1:00 PM & February 25 | 4:00 PM
In collaboration with Harriet’s Bookshop and the Free Library of Philadelphia, audiences are invited to explore the intersection of writing, acting, and filmmaking through Denzel Washington’s adaptation of August Wilson’s Fences.
One Night in Miami…
February 22 | 4:15 PM
Before the screening, mingle with NExT Philadelphia during a special pre-show activity ahead of Regina King’s acclaimed directorial debut, which imagines a powerful meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke.
With its mix of legendary films, community partnerships, and immersive experiences, Black Cinema Week offers a meaningful and celebratory look at Black storytelling across generations. Screenings take place throughout the week at Film Society East, February 20–26, 2026. Tickets and full details are available through the Philadelphia Film Society.
