AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, the award-winning series by Black Public Media(BPM) and WORLD, debuts season 16 on Monday, April 1. The series, renowned for its powerful documentaries, rebrands as the public media home for both documentary and narrative films about the global Black experience. In addition to real-life stories about fights for criminal and environmental justice in America, this season shines the spotlight on Kenya, with two prize-winning narrative films on redemption and resilient joy. AfroPoP premieres on WORLD, the WORLD YouTube Channel, the Black Public Media YouTube channel and the PBS App. New episodes premiere weekly on WORLD through April 22 and PBS Plus will distribute the series to PBS affiliate public television stations across the country beginning April 1.
The series is executive produced by BPM Executive Director Leslie Fields-Cruz and WORLD (at GBH) Editor and Chief Chris Hastings. Denise A. Greene is series director/producer, Carol Bash is series associate producer and Ashton Pina is the series writer.
“Beginning this season, AfroPoP expands to also include narrative features, ensuring that filmmakers have multiple ways to capture the breadth of Black stories and issues,” said Fields-Cruz.
AfroPoP has presented 91 feature and short films spotlighting stories from across the African diaspora since its premiere in 2008. Noted directors include George Amponsah, Joel Zito Araújo, Violeta Ayala, Blitz Bazawule, Yaba Blay, Barron Claiborne, Rebecca Richman Cohen, Bobbito Garcia, Alain Gomis, Thomas Allen Harris, Eric Kabera, Terence Nance, Raoul Peck, Sam Pollard, Michèle Stephenson and Marco Williams.
“AfroPoP is more than just a series; it’s a vibrant tapestry that stitches together the voices of marginalized communities, offering a platform for stories that are too often overlooked. WORLD’s mission is to illuminate the many facets of the human experience through content that educates, informs and inspires,” said Hastings. “In partnership with Black Public Media, with AfroPoP, we continue to push experience through content that educates, informs and inspires,” said Hastings. “In partnership with Black Public Media, with AfroPoP, we continue to push boundaries, finding innovative ways to connect audiences with content that reflects their lives and experiences. Join us as we celebrate the voices, the stories and the impact of the African Diaspora on our world.”
Season 16 films include:
- Commuted by Nailah Jefferson, which follows Danielle Metz, as she is freed by decree of President Obama after spending half of her life behind bars. As she returns to her home in New Orleans, will she be able to find her footing and connect with her now adult children? Released during Second Chance Month, a national month celebrated each April to highlight ways to help the formerly incarcerated reenter society, Commuted is a copresentation of AfroPoP and America ReFramed. In 2019, Jefferson won $100,000 in production funding for the film from BPM’s PitchBLACK pitching contest.
- Supa Modo by Likarion Wainaina, the magical story of Jo, a terminally ill nine-year-old Kenyan girl, and the family and village who help her fulfill her fantasy of being a superhero. The film is AFROBUBBLEGUM, a genre of art that defies prevailing narratives about Africa and instead leans into the continent’s joy, vibrancy and hope.
- Kati Kati by Mbithi Masya, a supernatural trip to an in-between life and death place where a woman arrives and works to unravel the mystery of her existence and that of her fellow travelers. The Afrofuturistic film is from Kenya.
- Freedom Hill by Resita Cox, a portrait of Princeville, North Carolina — the first American town chartered by formerly enslaved Black people — as it fights to survive frequent “100-year” floods. Freedom Hill is a copresentation of AfroPoP + Local, USA.
AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange can also be viewed on WORLD’s YouTube channel and on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video app. The program is available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS Plus will release the season to additional public television stations across the country (check local listings).
To find out more about AfroPoP, visit https://worldchannel.org/show/afropop/ or https://blackpublicmedia.org/afropop/.
