DBWFF 2026 BARBARAO TRIBUTE

The Dayton Black Women's Film Festival continues at THE NEON on Saturday, May 23. Following the workshop with the Dayton Metro Library, we invite you into a truly unforgettable cinematic experience rooted in this year’s theme, "Black women educating through film." Celebrate the 35th anniversary of A POWERFUL THANG alongside a special screening of Julie Dash’s THE DIARY OF AN AFRICAN NUN, brought together for a powerful tribute to Dayton’s own BarbaraO and legendary filmmaker Zeinabu Irene Davis, who will be joining us as a special guest. This is a rare opportunity to witness these films in conversation with one another, honoring legacy, place, and the deep roots of Black cinema right here in Ohio. Film Synopsis – A POWERFUL THANG A couple anticipates their first sexual experience together, where longing, curiosity, and vulnerability unfold throughout the course of a single day. As anticipation builds, it becomes its own language—an art form of desire, care, and intention. Centered on a single mother re-entering dating and a jazz musician, the film gently explores safe sex, emotional connection, and the sacredness of Black love and intimacy with tenderness and honesty. Film Synopsis – THE DIARY OF AN AFRICAN NUN Adapted from Alice Walker’s short story, this meditative and poetic film explores faith, inner conflict, and identity through the quiet but powerful inner world of a nun grappling with her sense of self and purpose. One Saturday in Afro-Ohio. Only at the Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival! Tickets are just $13.50 each - on sale starting April 6.PT2H2026-05-23DBWFF 2026 BARBARAO TRIBUTE"DBWFF 2026 BARBARAO TRIBUTE"

Showtimes

May 23, 12:00 pm

THE NEON