Black Girls Film Camp Is Creating the Next Generation of Black Female Filmmakers
Written by: Jyell Street In a room filled with aspiring young filmmakers, emotional conversations, and powerful industry insight, one thing became very clear during Black Girls Film Camp’s Production Retreat Weekend in Atlanta: the future of film is already here, and it looks like young Black girls boldly stepping into their purpose. Black Girls Film…
Black News 
Written by: Jyell Street
In a room filled with aspiring young filmmakers, emotional conversations, and powerful industry insight, one thing became very clear during Black Girls Film Camp’s Production Retreat Weekend in Atlanta: the future of film is already here, and it looks like young Black girls boldly stepping into their purpose.
Black Girls Film Camp, a national nonprofit organization founded by Dr. Jimmeka Anderson who is dedicated to providing Black girls ages 13-18 with the tools, mentorship, and opportunities needed to pursue careers in film and television. Through the organization’s 16-week program, girls from across the country are selected to write and direct their own short films while working alongside professional editors, producers, cinematographers, and creative mentors.
Check out the event recap on SHEENTV
While speaking with Sheen Magazine, Dr. Jimmeka shared that the inspiration behind Black Girls Film Camp came from the research she was conducting while pursuing her PhD. “I was crazy enough to create this program while getting my PhD,” she said jokingly. “It came from the research I was doing looking at representation with Black girls in media.”
Dr. Jimmeka explained that only about 3% of directors in the industry are Black women; a statistic that directly impacts the stories and representation audiences see on screen. “That was a huge gap that I felt needed to be addressed,” she explained. “In academia, we do a lot of writing, but not a lot of doing to actually make the change. I wanted to create something and be a part of that change.”
Now, in its sixth year, the program has become a powerful pipeline for young Black creatives. Each year, 10 girls are selected from across the United States to participate in the cohort, where they receive hands-on experience creating films while being surrounded by industry professionals who help bring their visions to life.
For the last four years, Black Girls Film Camp hosted its production retreat in Los Angeles. However, this year marked the organization’s first retreat in Atlanta. “We’ve had a lot of support in Atlanta, so it was just time,” she shared. “Everybody keeps asking when we’re going to do something in Atlanta.”
This years retreat featured fireside chats and conversations with industry leaders, actresses, producers, and executives such as Terri J Vaughn, KJ Smith Black, Naturi Naughton, Debra Lee
