Honor the legacy of early film pioneer Oscar Micheaux and celebrate the Academy-Award winning career of Lawrence’s own Kevin Willmott in one engaging evening of film, music and special guests. We’ll begin the festivities with a film screening of the brand new documentary Oscar Micheaux: The Super Hero of Black Filmmaking that world-premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival and features interviews with Kevin Willmott, Amma Asante and Chuck D.

Oscar Micheaux wrote, directed and produced more than forty-four films, six novels and spent his latter years in Great Bend, Kansas. Join Kevin Willmott and film critic Lonita Cook for a conversation about Micheaux’s influence on cinema as a whole and Kevin’s career in particular. 

After a short intermission, we’ll return for a community tribute featuring clips from Willmott’s films from the early indie Ninth Street, the Sundance smash hit CSA, and his Oscar award-winning screenplays in collaboration with Spike Lee. Enjoy remarks by some of his closest collaborators, and get off your feet for a live music finale by acclaimed sonic duo, The Black Creatures. This is one special evening you won’t want to miss!