ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The March On! Festival is more than an event—it’s a movement, a platform, and a celebration of the stories that have shaped the ongoing fight for justice. Formerly known as the March on Washington Film Festival, this annual gathering harnesses the power of film, music, art, dance, literature, scholarship, and first person accounts to illuminate untold narratives and inspire a deeper understanding of civil rights history and its modern-day impact. We welcome you Mon, Sept 15 – Sun, Sept 21 to the 2025 March On! Festival.

Jonathan Capehart, journalist & political commentator.

Food from the 2024 Festival

Attendees from the 2024 Festival

Music from the 2024 Festival

FEATURED FILMS

Harvesting Justice
Director: Leslie Askew
In the United States, 53.6 million Americans lack access to food, with African American households being disproportionately affected, as 1 out of 5 households is impacted. Each episode delves into the stories of BIPOC individuals from around the country who are applying their unique plant-based approach to feeding their communities. "Harvesting Justice" showcases how they are truly making a difference by highlighting their methods and remarkable successes. The first episode takes us to Baltimore, Maryland, where food justice activist Brenda Sanders works tirelessly to educate and bring healthy, affordable food choices to low-income communities. She focuses on areas experiencing food apartheid, where the nearest supermarket can be up to ten miles away. Throughout the episode, we learn about how her upbringing inspired her to serve her community by promoting a plant-based diet.
The Inn Between
Directors & Producers: Ondi Timoner
At once emotionally devastating and deeply heartwarming, Ondi Timoner’s latest documentary follows the day to day lives of the residents at a hospice care center for the unhoused located in Salt Lake City. Crafted with immense compassion, The Inn Between forces us to identify with its subjects, exposing how close any of us really are to the rough living circumstances that thousands of Americans find themselves in.The Inn Between is the only end of life facility for the homeless in America, where miracles happen - as the once-unsheltered are treated with the humanity and community we all deserve.
A New Voice
Directors & Producers: Mike Davis & Debbie Davis
A New Voice is a firsthand look into the upward journey of citizens returning to communities after incarceration. The film sheds some light on the rarely seen success stories of people who have transitioned home from prison and their impact on their communities.
Wait Until Tomorrow
Directors & Producers: Osato Dixon
Filmed over two years and across eight cities—including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Houston, and Detroit—Wait Until Tomorrow intimately captures what it means to strive for economic mobility as a Black American today.
I Didn’t See You There
Directors & Producers: Reid Davenport
As a visibly disabled person, filmmaker Reid Davenport sets out to make a film about how he sees the world, from either his wheelchair or his two feet, without having to be seen himself. The unexpected arrival of a circus tent outside his apartment in Oakland, CA leads him to consider the history and legacy of P.T. Barnum’s Freak Show and its lingering presence in his daily life in the form of gawking, lack of access, and other forms of ableism. Informed by his position in space, lower to the ground, Davenport captures indelible images, often abstracted into shapes and patterns separate from their meaning. But the circus tent looms in the background, and is reverberated by tangible on-screen interruptions, from unsolicited offers of help to careless blocking of ramps. Personal and unflinching, I Didn’t See You There forces the viewer to confront the spectacle and
We Want the Funk!
Directors & Producers: Stanley Nelson and Nicole London
WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness. Featuring James Brown's dynamism, the extraterrestrial funk of George Clinton's Parliament Funkadelic, transformed girl group Labelle, and Fela Kuti's Afrobeat, the story also traces funk's influences on both new wave and hip-hop.
Igualada
Directors & Producers: Juan Mejía Botero
In Colombia, a nation marred by profound racial and socio-economic disparities, a Black woman from a rural background challenges the status quo by launching a presidential campaign. Reappropriating the term “igualada,” Francia Márquez, catapults a movement to the upper echelons of power, by refusing to “know her place.” Fifteen years in the making, this documentary peels back the curtain on how unprecedented change can happen
Me.
Directors & Producers: Lisa Cunningham
Through the eyes of everyday families and celebrity mothers like Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tabitha Brown, Me Period explores the beauty and complexity of how we navigate sensitive conversations about our bodies and our periods.
Signing Black in America
Directors & Producers: Danica Cullinan, Neal Hutcheson, Walt Wolfram
Signing Black in America is the first documentary about Black ASL: the unique dialect of American Sign Language (ASL) that developed within historically segregated African American Deaf communities.Black ASL today conveys an identity and sense of belonging that mirrors spoken language varieties of the African American hearing community. Different uses of space, hand use, directional movement, and facial expressions are ways that Black ASL distinguishes itself as a vibrant dialect of American Sign Language. The African American Deaf community is now embracing their unique variety as a symbol of solidarity and a vital part of their identity.
An Extraordinary Life
Directors & Producers: Lisa Arrindell & Terri Montrel
Alonzo and Adrienne have breakfast and receive some wonderful news... or is it? Morning turns to night as the couple struggles to find language amidst a storm of emotions. When family is the highest value, dreams fight to stay alive.
Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution
Directors: Charles Burnett & Daniel Loewenthal
Producers: Dr. Barbara Berney, Roberta Friedman and Daniel Loewenthal
Narrated by Danny Glover, POWER TO HEAL tells a poignant chapter in the historic struggle to secure equal and adequate access to healthcare for all Americans. Central to the story is the tale of how a new national program, Medicare, was used to mount a dramatic, coordinated effort that desegregated thousands of hospitals across the country practically overnight.
Before Medicare, disparities in access to hospital care were dramatic. Less than half the nation's hospitals served black and white patients equally, and in the South, 1/3 of hospitals would not admit African-Americans even for emergencies.
Using the carrot of Medicare dollars, the federal government virtually ended the practice of racially segregating patients, doctors, medical staffs, blood supplies and linens. Co-directed by renowned filmmaker Charles Burnett and co-produced by distinguished public health scholar Dr. Barbara Berney, POWER TO HEAL illustrates how
Crip Camp
Directors & Producers: Nicole Newnham and Jim LeBrecht
Down the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed in a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement. CRIP CAMP is an untold story co-directed by Emmy® Award winner Nicole Newnham and film mixer and former camper Jim LeBrecht.
An Unsettling Force
Director & Producer: Dara Kell
An Unsettling Force is a stirring portrait of ordinary people rising to meet extraordinary times. At the heart of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival are pastors, veterans, mothers, and community leaders who believe America can be better — and who are willing to put their bodies on the line to make it so. This documentary reveals the quiet courage and the radical hope that animate today’s most visionary social justice movement. Echoing the unfinished work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 campaign, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis have reignited a moral movement for our times — one that unites people across race, geography, and political affiliation to demand living wages, voting rights, healthcare, and dignity for all. Filmed over three years of marches, sit-ins, and strategy sessions, An Unsettling Force captures both the fire
The Man Who Mends Women
Director & Producer: Thierry Michel
This powerful portrait follows Dr. Denis Mukwege, the internationally renowned Congolese gynecologist awarded the 2014 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against sexual violence. Over sixteen years, he has treated more than 40,000 survivors of sexual abuse. In a country devastated by conflict, sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war. To provide medical, psychological, and emotional care, Dr. Mukwege founded the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu in 1999. Beyond medicine, he is a tireless human rights advocate, speaking out against political indifference and raising global awareness of the atrocities committed against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His work has come at great personal risk. In 2012, armed men attacked his home, killing his guard. Since then, Dr. Mukwege has lived under UN protection within the hospital grounds. Despite constant threats, he continues his
Birthing Justice
Director & Producer: Monique N. Matthews
Giving birth is a battleground for too many Black women and their babies. Going behind the statistics, “Birthing Justice” places Black women at the center of the fight to fix a broken system for all women in this country. It focuses on the progress being made by those on the frontline of this fight and highlights solutions that can be replicated in communities across the country.
The M Factor
Directors & Producers: Jacoba Atlas, Denise Pines, Tamsen Fadal, and Joanne LaMarca Mathisen
The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause” is the first US documentary exploring the hidden impact of menopause on women's lives. With 55 million women in the United States currently experiencing menopause, this life stage is often surrounded by silence and misinformation, exacerbating the broader crisis in women’s health. Menopause symptoms can derail careers, disrupt relationships, and cause unnecessary suffering. This film presents evidence-based solutions to challenge the negativity associated with menopause and empowers women to take control of their health. Women of all walks of life open up about the physical and mental anguish they live with every day. Doctors and policymakers speak out on the changes that need to be made, especially in the workplace where roughly 44% of women are over the age of 45. While some women experience mild symptoms, many face issues

HONOREES

In 2025, we will kick off the festival on Tuesday, September 16th, with our Annual Awards Night Gala where we honor visionary leaders in the fight for civil rights. We are pleased to share this year’s award recipients:

JOHN ROBERT LEWIS LIFETIME LEGACY AWARD

The Lifetime Legacy Award was established to honor a lifetime of extraordinary achievement in advancing civil rights and social justice. Awarded to Congressman John Lewis himself and renamed the John Lewis Lifetime Legacy Award in his honor after his passing, this prestigious award recognizes leaders whose unwavering commitment to equity and justice reflects the core principles that guided Congressman Lewis— courage, resilience, and transformative action.

Senator Cory Booker

Cory Booker is a U.S. Senator representing New Jersey, serving since 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the first African-American U.S. Senator from New Jersey. Before his Senate career, he was the mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013. He also served on the Newark Municipal Council for the Central Ward from 1998 to 2002.

MARCH ON! AWARD

The March On! Awards were established to recognize leaders and organizations whose commitment to advancing civil rights and social justice is unparalleled. Honorees exemplify the spirit of activism, advocacy, and creative expression that drives meaningful change. Through their work—whether in the arts, public service, or community leadership—recipients of the March On!™ The lifetime achievement award has only been bestowed upon one other individual.

Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith and Firelight Media

Stanley Nelson is today’s leading documentarian of the African American experience. Awards received include a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, five Primetime Emmy Awards, lifetime achievement awards from the Emmys and IDA, and the National Medal in the Humanities from President Obama.

Marcia Smith is the former President of Firelight Media. Under her leadership, Firelight Media was honored with a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. She has written several films alongside Stanley Nelson including: Freedom Riders, Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama, Jonestown, and The Murder of Emmett Till.

In 2000, Mr. Nelson and his wife, Marcia Smith, co-founded Firelight Media, a non-profit organization that provides mentorship, funding, and artistic development opportunities to emerging documentary filmmakers of color.

VIVIAN MALONE COURAGE AWARD

The March On! Awards were established to recognize leaders and organizations whose commitment to advancing civil rights and social justice is unparalleled. Honorees exemplify the spirit of activism, advocacy, and creative expression that drives meaningful change. Through their work—whether in the arts, public service, or community leadership—recipients of the March On!™ The lifetime achievement award has only been bestowed upon one other individual.

Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith and Firelight Media

Stanley Nelson is today’s leading documentarian of the African American experience. Awards received include a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, five Primetime Emmy Awards, lifetime achievement awards from the Emmys and IDA, and the National Medal in the Humanities from President Obama.

Marcia Smith is the former President of Firelight Media. Under her leadership, Firelight Media was honored with a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. She has written several films alongside Stanley Nelson including: Freedom Riders, Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama, Jonestown, and The Murder of Emmett Till.

In 2000, Mr. Nelson and his wife, Marcia Smith, co-founded Firelight Media, a non-profit organization that provides mentorship, funding, and artistic development opportunities to emerging documentary filmmakers of color.

IN THE PRESS

In The Press

March On! Fest Highlights | Dark Tower Day Party

Step inside the Dark Tower Day Party – A Harlem Renaissance at March On! Fest, where culture, music, and history
In The Press

March On! Awards Ceremony

Experience the highlights from the March On! Awards Ceremony, featuring the John Robert Lewis Lifetime Legacy Award — honoring trailblazers
In The Press

‘March On!’ Festival Reimagines Public Health in Black America

The March On! Festival blends art and activism to confront health inequities, uniting filmmakers, health leaders, and advocates to spotlight
March On!
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