The Black, Bold & Brilliant (BBB) series focuses on authentic and nuanced representation through film critique and discussions led by Black Utahns.
Black, Bold & Brilliant is back with another season of films that will cinematically uplift, empower, and expand your horizons.
In honor of Black History Month, we have programmed The Body Politic, which follows Baltimore Mayor, Brandon Scott. Scott’s hopefulness runs counter to the poverty and violence which has wracked his community, but his dedication to overcome and uplift it remains unbroken. This film is presented in collaboration with POV, the award-winning independent non-fiction film series on PBS, and PBS Utah.
For Women’s History Month, we encourage you to learn more about a forgotten icon, Regina Jones. In Who in the Hell Is Regina Jones? you’ll be introduced to a literary powerhouse that chronicled Black culture with a publication that was more culturally relevant than Rolling Stone: SOUL.
In April, the season winds down via a family-friendly walk down memory lane with The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music, presented as part of the Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids.
RSVP now to learn more!
“Black, Bold & Brilliant is a safe space that allows us to explore, celebrate, and speak to our culture. This project allows us to lift up our joy and celebrate our stories through film.“
– community member
Meet the BBB Programming Team
Russell Roots, Program Manager
Russell is the Utah Film Center’s Director of Film Exhibition. They also previously served as Board Secretary for Amplify Utah, a non-profit journalistic incubator amplifying underrepresented voices in Utah. Russell has experience in music journalism and has also been a radio DJ. Their focus is on the intersections of marginalized groups in cinema, media literacy, and the rise of white nationalism in the United States.
Aja Washington, Host and Lead Programmer
Aja Washington is a Black feminist social worker who grew up in Southern California. She has been a community co-host on KRCL’s RadioACTive and works on various activism projects in Salt Lake City. Aja holds a degree in Television, Film, and Media Studies focused on using media as a tool to liberate, explore, and critique our society.
Risshan Leak, Co-Host and Associate Programmer
Risshan is a Husband, Father, Friend, and Activist. What started as an opportunity to buck the system, turned into a healthy obsession with helping those around him, whether it was a kind word, a helping hand, or as an ally in the face of injustice. Risshan’s passion has taken him to all parts of the world, and most recently, it allowed him to become a part of KRCL’s RadioACTive team. If anyone wants to get in some “good trouble”, you have a friend in him.
Upcoming Events
The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music
Aunt Cynthia, a music history buff, helps her niece Lauren learn about the music genres that were born and formed by African American history and culture.
Black, Bold & Brilliant, Tumbleweeds
Sat, April 26, 2025 at 1:00 pm
In Person | Viridian Event Center
Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2025
Black, Bold & Brilliant
Fri, June 13, 2025 at 7:30 pm
In Person | Tracy Aviary
Black, Bold & Brilliant screenings are presented with support by:
BBB, as part of our free film programming, is supported by the Lawrence T. and Janet T. Dee Foundation.
BBB screenings are also funding in part by:
