The Burden of History and the Phenomenal Women of “Miss Juneteenth”
A complex, realistic, and loving mother-daughter relationship is at the heart of this story about Black pageants and the fight for a better future.

Old Ashir has a beautiful young daughter and a whole line of dzhigits who want to take her as their wife. But who will be her chosen one will be decided by the cunning Ashir.
A complex, realistic, and loving mother-daughter relationship is at the heart of this story about Black pageants and the fight for a better future.
One young woman with an unusual background tries to find and establish herself in the real world, which isn't exactly as festive as she hoped it would be.
'Playing with Fire' was clearly a film made for a kid or tween-ish audience. Keeping that in mind, I thought 'Playing with Fire' was alright, though it did portray some harmful stereotypes.
Coverage from the Austin Film Festival, highlighting some panels and films that emphasized the importance of diverse and inclusive storytelling.