The story of a single day. Thank you to our screening partner: <a href="https://www.collectiveclimb.org/" target="_blank">Collective Climb</a>.

On the day of a decisive court hearing and an important wedding performance, a quiet wedding musician finds his private life exposed to public scrutiny. Accused of exploiting his marriage, he moves between courtroom, city streets and stage, carrying the weight of judgment, loyalty and unspoken guilt. Forced to make a restrained but irreversible decision, the film observes a man whose inner truth remains elusive, caught between devotion, dignity and loss.

Whispers of a Burning Scent

On the day of a crucial court hearing, a wedding musician faces his crumbling marriage, his stepchildren’s judgment and his own guilt.

Two friends accidentally break into their favorite deli after they find it closed without notice. Feeling abandoned, bemused and bewildered, they attempt to recreate the home they once found in Wholesome. This thrilling journey follows them through trial, through error, through confusion and through clarity. They realize that life really can be wholesome, if you just zoom in tight enough.

Wholesome

After accidentally breaking into their favorite deli when it closes without notice, two friends attempt to recreate the home they once found there.

Akita the drag queen hasn’t left her apartment in days. Her inboxes overflow with messages of praise, concern and ... death threats? She soon lets in a film crew and recounts to a reporter about how far-right extremists stormed her Drag Story Hour in 2022. Inspired by writer and lead actor Kyle Casey Chu’s viral true story.

Hateful speech; Flashing lights: 02:09-02:10, Brief flash when protagonist detonates stun gun

After What Happened at the Library

Akita the drag queen hasn’t left her apartment in days. Her inboxes overflow with messages of praise, concern and ... death threats? She soon lets in a film crew and recounts to a reporter about how far-right extremists stormed her Drag Story Hour in 2022. Inspired by writer and lead actor Kyle Casey Chu’s viral true story.

How to Hide It follows Zahra Ahmed, a 26-year-old British Sudanese woman working the night shift at a rundown East London off-license with her colleague Danny, an aging aspiring DJ. Despite her strict Muslim faith forbidding gambling, Zahra impulsively buys a lottery ticket after recalling an embarrassing encounter with Khaled, a man from her past whose arranged marriage to her was called off.&nbsp; To their shock, Zahra’s ticket wins the £184 million EuroMillions jackpot. While Danny celebrates wildly, Zahra panics about the religious implications and how to explain her sudden wealth to her traditional family. As Zahra navigates the complex challenge of claiming her prize while maintaining her elaborate cover story to her parents, she must confront the tension between her desires for a better life and her deeply held beliefs. This film explores themes of faith versus temptation, family expectations, cultural identity and the age-old question of whether good fortune can ever truly be separated from consequence.

How to Hide It

A moment of weakness after a humiliating breakup leads a young Muslim woman to play a forbidden lottery ticket. Her chance at escape becomes a spiritual crisis. While her coworker dreams of riches, she’s certain Allah is watching and waiting.

Press & Industry: Noctidial Shorts

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BlackStar Film Festival is an annual celebration of the visual and storytelling traditions of the global majority, showcasing films by Black, Brown, and Indigenous people from around the world. Celebrate our 15th anniversary with us. Events will take place in person in Philadelphia and films will stream online around the world from August 6-9, 2026.

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BlackStar Film Festival an annual celebration of the visual and storytelling traditions of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities globally. 

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