Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities -- June 5 through 8.
Thursday, June 5, through Sunday, June 8
Various Area Locales
Launched in 2023 by the Azubuike African American Council for the Arts and taking place in various area locales June 5 through 8, the third-annual Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities has been designed as a celebration of local film and culture that focuses on enriching the lives of Quad Cities residents, presenting unique film-watching experiences framed through the lens of African American and Black Diasporic voices.
Founded by Gaye Shannon Burnett and her independent-filmmaker son Jonathan Burnett, Pulling Focus is committed to empowering Black filmmakers and showcasing stories made by and about people of African descent. Through cinema, we bridge gaps between communities, fostering an appreciation for Black culture and creating awareness of the Black experience. The festival has attracted filmmakers both locally and from around the globe, including submissions from the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Kenya, Japan, Jamaica, Italy, Iran, India, the country of Georgia, Ethiopia, Canada, Brazil, Belgium, Australia, and Angola.
This year's festival features screening events, panel discussions, an "Open Competition" Showcase, and the "Reel Impact" category, highlighting films with a strong social message. Pulling Focus will conclude with an awards ceremony honoring the Festival's filmmakers, with this years esteemed judges including: Jonathan Burnett; Maximina Juson; Charles Burnett; Daniel De Boulay; Stephen James Taylor; Patricia Hardaway; Safiya Songhai; and Chaz Hawkins. The films offer a profound glimpse into the diverse Black experience globally, fostering dialogue and connection within the Quad Cities community.
Saturday evening features distinguished filmmaker David Fortune, named one of Variety’s 2025 Directors to Watch and recipient of the AT&T Untold Stories Award, which provided a $1 million grant to direct his debut feature, Color Book. In addition to these honors, Fortune is also a 2025 NAACP Image Awards nominee for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative.
The schedule for the 2025 Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities is as follows:
Thursday, June 5: Block #1 at Davenport's TMBC Lincoln Center (318 East Seventh Street) from 1 to 3:30 p.m.; Block #2 with Opening Reception and Q&A at Davenport's The Last Picture House (325 East Second Street) from 5:45 to 9 p.m.
Friday, June 6: Block #3 and #4 at Rock Island's STEAM on Wheels (2106 Fourth Avenue) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m.; Block #5 at TMBC Lincoln Center from 1 to 3 p.m.; Blocks #6 and #7 at Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center (1717 West 12th Street) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 7: Blocks #8 and #9 at Davenport's Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. anmd 2:40 to 4:40 p.m.; Block #9. 5 at TMBC Lincoln Center from noon to 2:30 p.m.; the Panel Discussion and filmmaker dialogue at the Figge from 1:10 to 2:30 p.m.; the David Fortune reception (5:30 p.m.), film (7 p.m.), and Q&A (8:50 p.m.) at the Last Picture House.
Sunday, June 8: Block #10 at the Figge from noon to 2:30 p.m.; Block #10.5 at the Last Picture House from noon to 2:30 p.m.; the Awards Ceremony at the Figge (2:30 to 4:45 p.m.).
For more information and the full lineup of screenings and events, visit PullingFocusFilmFestival.com.
