BLACK CINEMA NOW: Building Audiences, Elevating Creatives, and Shaping the Future

A forward-thinking series of conversations designed to amplify Black voices and explore the ever-evolving landscape of cinema. Audience design and development are at the heart of Black Cinema Now’s approach to integrating AI into Black filmmaking and exhibition. As artificial intelligence reshapes how audiences discover, engage with, and experience cinema, filmmakers and exhibitors must adapt—not by relinquishing cultural authenticity, but by using AI as a strategic tool to deepen audience connection.

This programme examines how AI-driven personalisation, data analytics, and predictive modelling can enhance audience engagement, helping Black filmmakers and exhibitors build sustainable communities around their work. From refining audience segmentation through AI-powered systems to crafting immersive, interactive screening experiences, Black Cinema Now provides frameworks for making technology serve the storytelling—not the other way around. Curated by the award-winning We Are Parable, Black Cinema Now features insights from UK industry experts, including discussions on AI-assisted script development, ethical representation in AI-generated content, and the evolving landscape of audience engagement in Black cinema. In addition, founders Teanne and Anthony Andrews will be in conversation with The British Blacklist founder Akua Gyamfi, sharing strategies for transforming screenings into cultural events, ensuring Black creatives thrive in an industry increasingly shaped by emerging technologies.

By placing AI within a framework of cultural sustainability and audience-building, Black Cinema Now empowers Black creatives to embrace innovation while safeguarding the integrity of their stories—turning AI into an asset rather than a limitation in shaping the future of Black cinema.