Heartbreak, joy, pain, love: The audience stares at these emotions depicted in flickering images, reflecting on the rich expression of Black identities throughout history.

In celebration of Black History Month, the ACT Human Rights Film Festival collaborated with Colorado State University’s Black/African American Cultural Center to present a collection of short films that highlight the beauty of the diverse, resilient voices of Black artists, changemakers and activists.

On Feb. 24, the organizations came together on CSU’s campus for their fourth annual Short Films on Black Brilliance screening, meant to encourage individuals from different backgrounds to soften their hearts and minds and acknowledge underrepresented experiences. They presented five short films that discussed distinct themes and messages of Black brilliance.

John Miller IV is the newest director for CSU’s B/AACC and sees an immense power of storytelling in film. He said he is excited to step back into this partnership.

“If you have one definition of Blackness, you’re thinking too small. I hope people are able to not only see pictures for what they are but to actually see how they’re different from each other while also being about Black people, Black culture and Black bodies.” -John Miller IV, B/AACC director

In initial introductions, Miller IV emphasized that they would play the credits of every short film. They hoped to shine a brighter light on all of the individuals who contributed to telling these multi-dimensional and intersectional stories of Blackness.

“It allows people to be able to see five distinct windows into multiple kinds of Black life,” Miller IV said. “We get to see resilience in a lot of ways, but we also get to see joy. … We get to tell five completely different stories that embody Blackness in their own version.”

Beth Seymour is the managing director for the ACT Human Rights Film Festival and said this screening is a prominent event that collaboratively amplifies voices while uplifting identities and increasing accessibility to these rich cultural stories.

From stories about dance and hand games to rallying together as a community and finding family through trials, each story embodies the complexity and beauty of Blackness.

“Joy is a form of resistance, and there are a lot of joy moments (in the films),” Seymour said. “Cultivating moments of joy for all of us is an important way to sustain ourselves and sustain the conversation around Black History Month and Black brilliance.”

Miller IV found value in the variance of the films, from short animations about a father’s love when doing his daughter’s hair to a story about the arts and navigating more limited spaces. He sees how it encourages the audience to connect with the people in the stories in short yet impactful ways.

“If you have one definition of Blackness, you’re thinking too small,” Miller IV said. “I hope people are able to not only see pictures for what they are but to actually see how they’re different from each other while also being about Black people, Black culture and Black bodies.”

Anya Guttormson is currently a junior at CSU majoring in communications. Guttormson is the campus PR intern for the ACT Human Rights Film Festival, coordinating with student media outlets to get coverage for the festival. As a former dance major, she was excited to see that one of the films illustrated the flourishing presence of ballet in underrepresented Black communities.

Guttormson discussed the importance of an open event that promotes the celebration of Black excellence and history among diverse groups and individuals, facilitating open perspectives and conversations.

“Just having the space to show films and celebrate the joy but also the hardships that come with human rights is really special,” Guttormson said. “Being respectful and having these conversations and knowing that the only way to move forward is to challenge the status quo.”

Moments of connection manifested when everyone laughed at light-hearted scenes or grew emotional during more heartfelt scenes. Miller IV mentioned that when picking from the over 20 films ACT had shown over the years, they hoped the stories would embody the complexity of life.

“It was about not only picking the stories that we think are most impactful but also the stories that will give us a full spectrum of emotion and experience,” Miller IV said. “When we put them all together, you will hopefully cry in some of it, but you’ll also be proud.”

Seymour said she hopes that screening short films will be a true act of celebration for Black brilliance and the unique voices that flourish from multiple directions.

“There is true joy in gathering, laughing and watching films together,” Seymour said. “Bringing community together to celebrate Black History Month, to celebrate Black brilliance and to celebrate human rights is a really meaningful experience, and I am looking forward to celebrating these themes in the future.”

Reach Sananda Chandy at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.