As activists fight for justice throughout the United States, March On! Festival, the nation’s longest-running civil rights film festival, will take place throughout Washington, D.C. from Sept. 15-21, under the theme: “March On Health: The Right to Be Well.”
The festival, which launched in 2013, will feature film screenings, discussion panels, exhibits, and live performances throughout the week focusing on a wide range of social justice issues including: gendered health disparities, disability rights, and medical mistrust in BIPOC communities.
“At The March On! Festival, the Civil Rights movement stays alive through our actions and our artistry,” said Isisara Bey, artistic director of March On! “We’re fueling conversations, sparking action, and inspiring the next generation of activists around the world in the freedom-loving tradition of their forebearers, fighting for justice and human dignity together.”
Formerly known as The March on Washington Film Festival, the festival kicks off Monday, Sept. 15 with The Silent Word, a community, silent-reading experience, followed by The Annual Opening Night Awards Gala on Tuesday, Sept. 16 where Senator Cory Booker will be honored with the John Robert Lewis Lifetime Legacy Award, established to honor a lifetime of extraordinary achievement in advancing Civil Rights and social justice.
Kim Callinan, executive director of March On!, hopes to inspire attendees with the week-long events.
“In these unprecedented times, The March On! Festival draws on the legacy of the civil rights movement to educate and inspire,” she told The Informer. “Just as music, art, and community sustained the movement then, our festival feeds the souls of people who care about justice, giving them the strength and inspiration to press on.”
In addition to the awards gala, festivities include a Student and Emerging Filmmaker competition, a live performance of The Great Privation at Woolly Mammoth, interactive experiences and more.
The festival will close on Sunday, Sept. 21 with The Dark Tower Day Party, a Harlem Renaissance-inspired afternoon.
For more information and details about the festival, go to marchonfest.org.