The UnShushed! Film Festival is coming to Washington, DC on October 13th, 2024 for its inaugural year. In this episode, I talk with its founder, filmmaker Tanya Upshur. The UnShushed! Film Festival is a "festival for fantasy, horror noire, Southern Gothic and Afrofuturism films by Black women and emerging filmmakers creating genre films with Black women protagonists." Tanya brings so much energy to the conversation, talking about how she got started in film; her work as a filmmaker and the projects she's working on now; how to get more Black films and artists both in front and behind cameras; the role UnShushed! Film Festival will play in highlighting people that are typically not seen; what it's like being a District filmmaker and her wish for the community. Instead of talking about doing "something", Tanya is bringing art into the world, through her personal work and the unique UnShushed! Film Festival. Tanya's Indie Film Highlight: HELL-BOUND TRAIN (1930) (https://www.loc.gov/item/2021604059/) dir. by Eloyce Gist and James Gist Letterboxd (https://boxd.it/bsF8) Links: Watch Birth! Place (https://www.kweli.tv/watch/kweli/birth-place) Attend UnShushed! Film Festival (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unshushed-film-festival-tickets-914556090887) Submit to UnShushed! Film Festival (https://filmfreeway.com/UnShushedFilmFestival-1) Support the Podcast Through Membership (https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9ddc691d-2273-47d5-a1b9-5a4acb0670f5/exclusive-content) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content