IT'S DOROTHY Doc Among Titles at 2025 Edition of Micheaux Film Festival

The Micheaux Film Festival has revealed initial programming for its seventh edition, taking place October 23–26, 2025 at The Culver Theatre in Culver City and surrounding venues. Opening Night will feature the World Premiere of the episodic selection “Remember” and the Los Angeles Premiere of the feature documentary “It’s Dorothy,” with the festival set to close with the West Coast Premiere of “She Dances.”

“This year’s opening and closing projects remind us that stories carry memory, identity, and resilience. Our focus is on voices that challenge us, heal us, and help us see the world differently. Culver City has a deep connection to The Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland, and bringing It’s Dorothy to the community here is a reminder how we carry legacies forward and find meaning in them today. Remember and She Dances both echo that truth, showing us that whether through friendship or family, the struggles we face can become pathways to growth, healing, and discovering a deeper sense of who we are as individuals and as part of communities,” said Noel Braham, Co-Founder of the Micheaux Film Festival.

“Remember” (World Premiere) opens the festival’s episodic program. The series follows a forgetful millennial and his four best friends as they navigate queer love, rocky careers, and the ups and downs of friendship until his forgetfulness proves more serious than anyone imagined. Directed by Tari Wariebi (“We Were Meant To,” Sundance) and written and produced by Bernard David Jones, the cast includes Bernard David Jones (“ABC’s The Mayor,” “Netflix’s Uncorked”), Hosea Chanchez (“Paramount+’s The Game”), Griffin Matthews (“HBO’s The Flight Attendant,” “Netflix’s You”), Devere Rogers (“ABC’s Abbott Elementary”), and Brandon Gill (“NBC’s Chicago P.D.”). Runtime: 33 minutes.

The Opening Night feature “It’s Dorothy” (Los Angeles Premiere) explores 125 years of Dorothy Gale’s cultural legacy, tracing how the character became a beacon for marginalized voices. Director and editor Jeffrey McHale (“You Don’t Nomi”) blends new performances, cultural commentary, music, and a vibrant remix of archival and cinematic art to center the perspectives of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ voices, celebrating Dorothy as an enduring symbol of hope and home.

The film is produced by Ariana Garfinkel (“You Don’t Nomi,” “On These Grounds,”)  Zel McCarthy (“You Don’t Nomi”), and Suzanne Zionts (“You Don’t Nomi”), with Kevin S. Bright (“Friends,” “On These Grounds”) serving as executive producer and Eve M. Cohen as director of photography. Featured participants include Grammy Award–winning recording artist Ashanti (as Dorothy, The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz), Danielle Hope (BBC’s “Over the Rainbow”), Nichelle Lewis (“The Wiz,” Broadway), Fairuza Balk (“Return to Oz”), Shanice Shantay (“The Wiz Live!”), Lena Waithe, John Waters, Margaret Cho, Amber Ruffin, Roxane Gay, and Gregory Maguire. Runtime: 97 minutes.

Closing Night will feature “She Dances” (West Coast Premiere). Against the backdrop of the Young Miss Southeast Regional Dance Finals, a father and daughter on the road to her final competition confront a fractured bond and a shared tragedy, finding a path toward healing and self-discovery. Directed by Rick Gomez and written by Gomez and Steve Zahn, the film is produced by Rick Gomez, Steve Zahn, Jenny Gomez, Mandi Reno, Jenifer Westphal, Coby Toland, and Jason Reed. The cast includes Steve Zahn, Ethan Hawke, Sonequa Martin-Green, Mackenzie Ziegler, Audrey Zahn, and Rosemarie DeWitt. Runtime: 93 minutes.

About the Micheaux Film Festival

Founded in Los Angeles, the Micheaux Film Festival is a premier multicultural platform that champions underrepresented storytellers and connects emerging talent with studios, streamers, press, and audiences. Through screenings, red-carpet premieres, panels, mentorship, and workforce programs, Micheaux builds pathways for discovery and industry access across film, television, and digital media.