One overlooked history fact about Jacksonville is its reputation as the “Winter Film Capital of the World” in the 1900s. Before Hollywood, California existed, Jacksonville reigned as the film mecca of the world for over 30 silent film studios including Norman Studios, a local pioneer of Black cinema. Black voices matter. Black representation matters. Black stories matter. Black Films Matter. Richard Norman, a white filmmaker from Middleburg, recognized this and took a risk to open his film studio to produce films featuring predominantly Black actors and employing Black crew members for production.

Fun Fact: You can take a tour of the Norman Studios Museum  since it is the only surviving silent film studio in the area.

Black Films Matter, LLC is a local organization working to bring Black film experiences to the community one movie at a time. The idea originated as a film programming company, but co-founders, Troy Ford and Aaron Daye, decided they wanted to “focus on one dynamic screening at a time” instead of producing a film festival, Ford explains. 

The inaugural screening was in February 2018 with the showing of “Black Panther.” The duo describes their first event as a risk-taking moment because the support was more than what they expected.

“We started Black Film’s Matter with what was supposed to be a small private screening for Black Panther,” Daye says. “Wakanda Forever. But it immediately exploded into something way larger than we could imagine.”

Although the organization lost money after that event, taking that risk propelled them in a positive direction that would not have been possible if things had gone according to plan.

Black cinematic representation extends beyond on-screen contributions. Just as much as Black Films Matter is committed to providing a dynamic experience, it’s equally important for the organization to use their events to educate and connect social and business communities. 

“We create dynamic film experiences for people of color. Whether it’s a private screening or a drive-in movie, we want to bring it to a city near you.”

In November 2021, they hosted a screening of “King Richard,” the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams’ father. Each screening is associated with a film-centered theme, and this one was no different. 

“Every time we do a film, we want to embody the theme,” Ford explains. “The attire for [King Richard] is preppy tennis gear and we couldn’t do it the way we are doing it without Moving the Margins [a artist-in-residence program that redefines civic engagement] because we’re going to be on three different floors showcasing vendors on the bottom floor. The movie will be on the second floor and the after party on the roof.”

They’ve also screened other mainstream Black films such as “The Photograph,” “Queen & Slim,” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.” 

Currently, Black Films Matter partnered with Black Seed Media to produce “Dating in Duval,” a socially interactive web series curated around the dating scene in Jacksonville. 

Black Films Matter is continuously working to expand its network in hopes of eventually restoring the Dreamland Theater, which was destroyed in the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921 on Black Wall Street.

Follow them on Instagram for updates on the first season of “Dating in Duval” and keep up with their future programming @blackfilmsmatter.