Genre: Drama

Fight the power with Spike Lee’s 1989 masterpiece Do the Right Thing, screening as part of our Concrete Dreams series!

Salvatore “Sal” Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito), becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria’s Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin’ Out believes a pizzeria in a Black neighborhood should showcase Black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin’ Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise on the hottest day of the summer.

Often listed as Spike Lee’s best as well as one of the greatest films of all time, Do the Right Thing resonates with a scorching sociopolitical fury that proves ever more relevant thirty years onward.

Concrete Dreams: Black Identity in the Urban Frame is a series that explores the profound relationship between Black Cinema and the cities that shape its narratives. Each film in the series not only tells a compelling story, but also positions the urban environment as a central character—its streets, culture, and communities influencing the lives, struggles, and triumphs of its inhabitants. By highlighting stories that intertwine identity, culture, and place, this series invites audiences to reflect on the dynamic interplay between people and the environments they call home, showcasing how these cities pulse through the heart of Black storytelling.

Celebrate Black History Month with our Concrete Dreams: Black Identity in the Urban Frame series, starting off with Barry Jenkins’ 2016 coming-of-age drama Moonlight.

The film chronicles the life of Chiron, a young Black man, through three transformative chapters: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Growing up in a rough Miami neighborhood, Chiron navigates the challenges of a drug-addicted mother (Naomie Harris), bullying, and his own burgeoning sense of self. Guided by the compassion of a local drug dealer, Juan (Mahershala Ali), and his partner Teresa (Janelle Monáe), Chiron begins to grapple with his sexuality and inner turmoil. As he matures, his journey becomes one of self-acceptance and vulnerability in the face of a world that demands toughness.

With its nuanced performances, stunning cinematography, and emotionally resonant storytelling, Moonlight won the Academy Award for Best Picture, cementing its place as a groundbreaking and profoundly human cinematic achievement.

Concrete Dreams: Black Identity in the Urban Frame is a series that explores the profound relationship between Black Cinema and the cities that shape its narratives. Each film in the series not only tells a compelling story, but also positions the urban environment as a central character—its streets, culture, and communities influencing the lives, struggles, and triumphs of its inhabitants. By highlighting stories that intertwine identity, culture, and place, this series invites audiences to reflect on the dynamic interplay between people and the environments they call home, showcasing how these cities pulse through the heart of Black storytelling.

Our Concrete Dreams series wraps up with The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Joe Talbot’s poignant 2019 drama.

The film follows Jimmie Fails (playing a semi-fictionalized version of himself) as he dreams of reclaiming his childhood home, a grand Victorian house in San Francisco, which his grandfather supposedly built. With the help of his best friend Montgomery Allen (Jonathan Majors), Jimmie embarks on a heartfelt quest to restore and reclaim the house amidst a city undergoing rapid change. As their journey unfolds, the film delves into the complexities of home, friendship, and the cultural dislocation faced by Black communities in a gentrifying city.

Praised for its lyrical storytelling, stunning cinematography, and heartfelt performances, the film won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance and solidified its place as a modern cinematic masterpiece.

Concrete Dreams: Black Identity in the Urban Frame is a series that explores the profound relationship between Black Cinema and the cities that shape its narratives. Each film in the series not only tells a compelling story, but also positions the urban environment as a central character—its streets, culture, and communities influencing the lives, struggles, and triumphs of its inhabitants. By highlighting stories that intertwine identity, culture, and place, this series invites audiences to reflect on the dynamic interplay between people and the environments they call home, showcasing how these cities pulse through the heart of Black storytelling.