Rada Studio

Our mission is to create compelling visual stories that provoke thought about our complex multicultural world.

10/09/2024

Join us for a free screening of PARSLEY on Friday, October 11, 2024, at 6:00 PM at City Tech Auditorium. Directed by , PARSLEY tells the harrowing story of the 1937 massacre in the Dominican Republic, where Haitians were targeted for ex*****on based on their ability to pronounce the word "perejil" (parsley).

After the film, join a discussion with Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat, activist Cynthia Carrion, and Rosa Iris Diendomi of Border of Lights. Rosa Iris, featured in our documentary STATELESS (directed by Michèle Stephenson), has been at the forefront of the fight for justice for Dominicans of Haitian descent, shedding light on the 2013 legislation that revoked their citizenship. Reservation required—secure your place at dominicanslovehaitians.com

10/09/2024

We invite you to a free screening of PARSLEY on Friday, October 11, 2024, at 6:00 PM at City Tech Auditorium. Directed by , PARSLEY tells the harrowing story of the 1937 massacre in the Dominican Republic, where Haitians were targeted for ex*****on based on their ability to pronounce the word "perejil" (parsley).

After the film, join a discussion with Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat, activist Cynthia Carrion, and Rosa Iris Diendomi of . Rosa Iris, featured in our documentary STATELESS (directed by ), has been at the forefront of the fight for justice for Dominicans of Haitian descent, shedding light on the 2013 legislation that revoked their citizenship. Reservation required—secure your place at dominicanslovehaitians.com

10/08/2024

Join us for a special screening of ELENA at the Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji Haitian Dominican Transnational Film Festival on Friday, October 11, from 1-3 PM at St. Francis College. Grounded in the theme of The Right to Have Rights, this festival serves as a crucial platform for discussing justice, human dignity, and the resilience of marginalized communities. With the Dominican government recently announcing the deportation of over 250,000 Haitians, including individuals in need of international protection, it is vital to amplify the silenced voices in this struggle.

ELENA (directed by ) is featured in the Friday Shorts Block, chronicling a woman’s fight against the Dominican Republic’s anti-Black laws that strip citizenship from those of Haitian descent. After the screening, join us for a discussion with Elena Lorac and Ana Maria Belique of .do. For the complete program, visit www.dominicanslovehaitians.com. We hope to see you there!

10/08/2024

Join us for a special free screening of ELENA at the Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji Haitian Dominican Transnational Film Festival on Friday, October 11, from 1-3 PM at St. Francis College. Grounded in the theme of The Right to Have Rights, this festival serves as a crucial platform for discussing justice, human dignity, and the resilience of marginalized communities. With the Dominican government recently announcing the deportation of over 250,000 Haitians, including individuals in need of international protection, it is vital to amplify the silenced voices in this struggle.

ELENA (directed by ) is featured in the Friday Shorts Block, chronicling a woman’s fight against the Dominican Republic’s anti-Black laws that strip citizenship from those of Haitian descent. After the screening, join us for a discussion with Elena Lorac and Ana Maria Belique of .do. For the complete program, visit www.dominicanslovehaitians.com. We hope to see you there!

04/02/2024

Michéle and I were honoured to present our work to this young audience. Thank you LA84 and ESPN!

12/22/2023

We are humbled to have : The Story of Hand Games also joining the 2024 Academy Shortlist for Best Short Documentary. Directors + wanted to celebrate the rich cultural traditions and resilience of these girls, showing the power of community, creativity, and storytelling. It's a happy surprise to have two of our films shortlisted at the !

Shoutout to the amazing , who executive produced this film and has been a huge supporter along with producer and the rest of the and team. Big kudos to Dr. Kyra Gaunt, Ph.D, for sharing her expertise and Coach Kyaisha Max-Macarthy with her fabulous double-dutch team. And congratulations to the talented production team—y'all are great! Thank you for being the heartbeat of this remarkable adventure!

Let's continue this exciting ride, and we look forward to sharing more moments with you. : The Story of Hand Games, a + production, is available for streaming NOW on ESPN+

12/22/2023

We're ecstatic that : The Nikki Giovanni Project has joined the 2024 Academy Shortlist for Best Documentary Feature. Directors + , co-founders of Rada Studio, brought a bold and beautifully crafted approach that takes us on a galactic adventure with an iconic poet. Congratulations for having not only ONE but TWO films (Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games) shortlisted for Best Feature and Short Docs at the ! 🏆

Big shoutout to the powerhouse behind Black Love! 🌟 This documentary is an absolute game-changer. And let's talk about THE 's powerful voice stealing the show! Taraji executive produced this film with the great —y'all killed it! And big thanks to the amazing crew! Let's continue this exciting ride, and we look forward to sharing more moments with you.

Are you ready? : The Nikki Giovanni Project, a + production, an Original Documentary, will be available for streaming January 8 on

12/09/2023

World-renowned poet and radical dreamer.

The boundary pushing biographical documentary : The Nikki Giovanni Project, featuring the voice of Taraji P. Henson, premieres January 8 on Max.

12/06/2023

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project directed and produced by Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster has received a nomination at the 2024 Film Independent for Best Documentary. We are so happy for this and congratulations to the cast and crew!

11/18/2023

So… We are supposed to say, “We are so grateful.” We are! Then we are supposed to thank the community who made this possible. And we do. But we thank the ancestors too. This is a great honor that we accept on their behalf.

11/16/2023

Congratulations to the fantastic editing team on GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT for their editing award at DOC NYC Short List: Features!

11/02/2023

Rada Studio is proud to partner with Our Palestinian Voices program. In-person and online screenings happening throughout the month. Link in our bio.

In-Person Program:
In support of Film Lab Palestine’s Cinema Palestine Days, presented globally on November 2, 2023 at 8pm local time

Gaza Surf Club (2017), directed by Mickey Yamine and Philip Gnadt Brooklyn MayDay Space (176 St Nicholas Ave, Brooklyn, NY)

Virtual Program:
Current offerings with more films and curated programs to be added throughout the month of November
Closeness to the Land (2022), directed by Mona Gazala Fadia’s Tree (2021), directed by Sarah Beddington From Under the Rubble (2017), directed by Anne Tsouli Gaza Fights for Freedom (2019), directed by Abby Martin Gaza Surf Club (2017), directed by Mickey Yamine and Philip Gnadt Mariam (2020), directed by Dana Durr Something from the There (2020), directed by Rana Nazzal Hamadeh Under the Lemon Tree (2020), directed by Noor Fawzi Al-Asswad Wild Plants of Palestine (2018), directed by Alaa Abu Asad

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At AFMI we seek to continually change the narrative, share our stories, and foster understanding of our common humanity through art and storytelling. In this dire time, we want to share a selection of films that showcase the history, culture and people of Palestine.⁠
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Our hope is that this free program, entitled Palestinian Voices, can be a resource to provide insight into the current situation unfolding in Gaza and the people being affected.

10/30/2023

INDIE MEMPHIS - “this country’s best and most inclusive regional film festival.” ———Thank you for this awesome honor. Best Documentary! Wow

10/27/2023

Rada Studio is proud to present this important documentary short film.

Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games takes a historical look at the profound influence of black girls on popular culture and the musical aesthetics with...

10/16/2023

Dive deep into the untold narratives that shaped history. BLACK LIFE: UNTOLD STORIES premieres on CBC Gem Oct 18 and CBC TV Oct 25.

10/12/2023

We're happy to have two of our films presented at the Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji Transnational! Make sure to check out ELENA and STATELESS (both directed by Michèle Stephenson) tomorrow, October 13 at 10 AM in the Open Society Foundation.

Founded by Dominicans Love Haitians Movement, Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji Transnational Film Festival celebrates a transnational experience, one that extends beyond the borders of these two nations and encompasses the experiences of the Haitian and Dominican Diaspora globally.

By telling our stories, we humanize Black and Indigenous people. By telling our stories, we take a moment to bring the veil and walls down that would lock us away from our emotions and feelings, humanizing one another. Free, pre-registration is required to attend. Hope to see you there!

10/07/2023

https://youtu.be/heBrabfuHEk?si=18ME146--6-xhsC9

We were excited to welcome Nikki Giovanni, Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson, and Tommy Oliver to discuss their film Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project...

10/07/2023

https://youtu.be/9pyBSvRIEIM?si=U4WsKePjYlIEXFJE

In her Deep Focus talk at NYFF61, acclaimed poet and activist Nikki Giovanni sits down with author Edwidge Danticat to discuss her life, work, and participat...

09/29/2023

https://youtu.be/F0xCXuMO7VI?si=lK916ierXrRktlEr

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize in the Sundance U.S. Documentary Competition, this beguiling documentary portrait follows poet and activist Nikki Giovanni as she approaches 80. The film explores Giovanni’s Afrofuturist-feminist philosophical outlook as well as her poignant relationship with her family, her political audacity, and her poetic eloquence, all knit together with a constant eye and ear for its subject’s own aesthetic verve. Looking back at a personal life and history cast in the long shadow of American racism, and forward to hopeful, possible futures, Giovanni acts as our guide and narrator, with refreshingly unorthodox filmmakers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson refraining from traditional chronologies or talking-head conventions. Going to Mars is fueled by constant intellectual engagement and radical imagination in the search for emotional and political fulfillment in a world of disenfranchisement. An HBO Documentary Films release.

Poet. Activist. Fighter. : The Nikki Giovanni Project, an HBO Original Documentary, travels through time and space to reveal the enduring influenc...

09/27/2023

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Congratulations to the winner of the "Best Documentary (feature)"🏆
"Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project" and directors Joe Brewster & Michèle Stephenson

Going to Mars is a feature documentary that takes us through the mindscape of legendary poet, Nikki Giovanni, as she reflects on her life and legacy. Nikki’s voice guides us across time and space, through dreams and remembrances, across decades of American history, as the film reimagines her most iconic work with visual lyricism fit for a poet. Present day finds Nikki in her late chapter of life, reckoning with health struggles and the inevitable march of time. However, in her art and dreams, Nikki ventures beyond her own lifetime, to Middle Passage and Mars, always keeping hold of possibility. She urges us to dream of a better future where equity and justice reign, and Black women lead, calling us to action with an unforgettable mantra: “We’re Going to Mars.”

09/24/2023

We are very excited to premiere Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project at the London Film Festival. Nikki Giovanni and the filmmakers Joe and Michele will be in attendance for two events October 11, and a in-depth discussion with Nikki and director Michele Stephenson on October 12th. Become a friend and post a poem to quality for tickets and access to a reception with Nikki Giovanni. HOPE WE SEE YOU AT THE THEATRE!!

08/29/2023

Giovanni Project’ Picked Up by HBO Documentary Films — Exclusive
The Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner can now enter the Oscar race.
BY ANNE THOMPSON

AUGUST 29, 2023 1:00 PM

Eight months after it won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” has been officially picked up by HBO Documentary Films, which is buying U.S. and Canada television and streaming rights. Backed by Confluential Films and Rada Studio and directed and produced by respected veterans Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson (“American Promise,” “Stateless”), producer Tommy Oliver (HBO’s “40 Years A Prisoner”), and executive producers Taraji P. Henson and Codie Elaine Oliver, the film will also screen in the Spotlight section of the upcoming 61st New York Film Festival.

08/25/2023

We were honoured to screen GOING TO MARS at NYFF61 BUT let’s not forget American Promise at NYFF51. Ten years ago and we were just as excited. We appreciated the standing ovation but the guacamole at the Sunday brunch was most memorable. And meeting the Maysles was a close second best memory.

07/13/2023

Harvard Medical Magazine supports the discussion of the healing properties of storytelling.

06/23/2023

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project is coming to Outfest!

We’re so excited we are giving away two tickets to our screening July 15th at 12pm in Los Angeles!

Here’s how to win the tickets:

1️⃣ Follow

2️⃣ Tag the person you want to go to the screening with in the comments below.

Entries close July 10th.

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Telephone

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http://www.radafilm.com/

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Stay tuned for an announcement tomorrow. Just tune in! Thanks for your support!

Come to our @urbanworldff screening of Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games this saturday at 4:45 pm. And learn about the deeper meaning of the games we play. Honored to be part of this block of tremendous shorts. You are in for a treat. You will come out of the experience a different person #powerofstory !

What a great honor. We love the Morelia Film Festival located awesome cinema in a stunning town.

Share your love by voting in the Audience Choice Prize Award! Link in bio. Our team is honored to join the prestigious @docnycfest Shortlist and the @cinema.eye.honors in two categories (The Unforgettable Honorees and the Audience Choice Prize Long List). It is heartening to be part of a wonderful group of films that engage, enrage, inspire, entertain and create intimate connections with their audiences. Make sure to tell your friends! Go to cinemaeyehonors.com/audience-choice-voting/ #radastudio #goingtomars #nikkigiovanni #documentary #audienceaward #nyc

We at Rada Studio are excited to share the series trailer for BLACK LIFE: Untold Stories. It was an honor to contribute to and be part of this seminal work that lays a stake on the ground centering the crucial role of Black Canada in the history of Black Atlantic resistance to oppression. Episode 2 Revolution Remix, directed by our very own Michèle Stephenson, explores the Civil Rights and Black Power movement in Canada via two era-defining events. The episode looks at the evolution of the movement from fighting indignities in public spaces and the gains in human rights legislation, to a coming out party for the Black Power movement that sought to instill self-determination in every facet of the Black Canadian experience as expressions of Black solidarity across the hemisphere shaped a movement that defied borders. Black Life: Untold Stories is an eight-part documentary series that reframes complex histories of Black experiences in Canada, dispelling commonly accepted myths and celebrating the many contributions of Black Canadians who helped shape the country. The series affirmatively places Black Canada within the Black Atlantic Experience. #BlackLifeCBC

Impactful Q & A with poet Nikki Giovanni as she speaks to alien life form and AI. London premiere of Going to Mars was a beautiful success. Thank you @londonfilmfestival

We met awesome women and men in the press room at The BFI London FF. So with a clear appreciation of the work they do, we decided to turn the tables on the press. WE INTERVIEWED THEM BEFORE THEY INTERVIEWED US. Great memories. ENJOY

Hi! We're directors Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster from Rada Studio. This week our film GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT is premiering at BFI London Film Festival. We had a great screening yesterday, and we have two big events coming up: our free conversation with Nikki Giovanni today at 15:00 pm and our last London screening this Sunday Oct. 15 at 20:30. We founded Rada Studio with the mission to create compelling visual stories that provoke critical thought and disrupt the status quo in nonfiction spaces and our world. We draw in and center the Black diasporic experience, not only in the telling of deeply personal stories, created by, for, and about BIPOC communities, but in how they are conveyed on-screen to global audiences. Join us as we show you a glimpse into our world! #london #goingtomars #poetry #nikkigiovanni #indiefilms #galaxies

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About Us

Back in 2006, the Rada Film Group began as a partnership between husband and wife team Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson with a mission: To create compelling visual stories that provoke thought about the complex multicultural world we exist in.

This commitment was made before the creation of the company. “Our work is an expression of our own personal mission to use visual storytelling to better understand our experiences as people of color navigating American society.” Trying to balance family life with their artistic passions during the intervening years leading up to the creation of the Rada Film Group, Michèle and Joe produced narrative films, documentaries and new media that challenge and inspire audiences across the world to think critically about their own place and roles in society.

Our approach to visual storytelling is intimate while simultaneously giving voice to larger issues that directly affect communities of color. “In our work we try very hard to avoid clichés about our communities and attempt to scratch beneath the surface to where answers are not always easy,” says Brewster. “We use the art form to explore our ambivalence about issues and question our own and our subjects’ points of comfort. It is in those grey areas that art is created and where change can be affected for us as individuals as well as for the constantly shifting communities we reside in.”