In 2001, Adrienne M. Anderson established the International Black Women’s Film Festival in the City and County of San Francisco, California. She established the festival as an educational and charitable nonprofit and it was originally fiscally-sponsored by the (now defunct) Blue Nile Lotuses, Incorporated, a San Francisco fraternal organization and charity.
The first festival was presented November 8 to November 24, 2002, in San Francisco, CA, at the Delancey Street screening room at 600 Embarcadero Street in San Francisco's South Beach area. The first festival was founded and organized by Adrienne M. Anderson and co-organized with entrepreneur Robin Bates who is the founder and CEO of Café de la Soul and La Jolie Noire Media, and co-founder of Black Paris Divas. George Lucas donated to the inaugural festival in 2002. The opening films of the inaugural festival were a short called FUNERAL AT THE SAMBA SCHOOL (Gurufim Na Mangueira) (2002) by director Dandara and the feature-length documentary NOBODY KNOWS MY NAME (1999) by filmmaker Rachel Raimist.
The International Black Women’s Film Festival screens media by and/or about Black women from around the world in non-stereotypical, non-pornographic roles. IBWFF combats negative stereotyping of Black women in film, television and media. To date, the festival has screened over 400 films from five continents, including films from the following countries: United States, Brazil, Canada, France, South Africa, United Kingdom, Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Namibia, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe. Accepted films genres are: Short films, documentaries, feature films, animation, and experimental films.
In 2009, the festival was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and in 2012 the San Francisco Examiner, Oakland Post and interview with radio host Wanda Saabir on Wanda's Picks.
The International Black Women's Film Festival includes Filmmaker Q&A sessions, special appearances, gala openings, and premiere screenings.
Meetup and screening of BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, opening night, July 2012“Flip the Script: How to Define & Control the Black Image Through Casting” – Western Addition Branch, Panelists: Velina Brown and Kathleen Antonia (San Francisco Public Library)“Can Hip-Hop be an Agent for Positive Change?” – San Francisco Main Library, Panelists: Sonia McDaniel, Tossie Long, Jason “Trackademics” Valerio, & Naru Kwina“Filtered Lens: Art as Film and the Black Image” - San Francisco Main Library, Panelists: Carolina Moraes-Liu & Shy Pacheco HamiltonTHE NEXT DAY, Filmmaker Q&A, Panelists: Al Robbins & DeAnna DawnTHE UNFORGIVING MINUTE, Filmmaker Q&A, Panelists: Octavia Spencer, Kelly Shipe-Vasconcelos & Devin BadgettSOLILOQUY, Panelists: Jacques Zanetti & Lillian BensonLOVE TAKES TIME, Panelists: Melvina & Jaylani RobertsJosh Penn, Producer (Beasts of the Southern Wild - USA, dir. Benh Zeitlin)Al Robbins, Actor & Director (The Next Day - USA, dir. Al Robbins)],Carolina Moraes Liu(Ebony Goddess: Queen of Ilê Aiyê & Festive Land - Brazil, dir. Carolina Moraes-Liu)Deanna Dawn, Actor (The Next Day - USA, dir. Al Robbins)Devin Badgett, Actor (The Unforgiving Minute - USA, dir. Octavia Spencer)Jacques Zanetti, Director (New York 45 & Soliloquy - USA, dir. Jacques Zanetti)Jaylani Roberts, Actor (Love Takes Time - USA, dir. Melvina)Jason “Trackademicks” Valerio, Musician, Rapper & Producer (Panelist: "Can Hip-Hop Serve as an Agent for Positive Change?")Kathleen Antonia, Actor & Director (Getting Played - USA, dir. Kathleen Antonia)Kelly Shipe Vasconcelos (The Unforgiving Minute - USA, dir. Octavia Spencer)Lillian Benson, Director & Editor (Soliloquy & All Our Sons - USA, dir. Lillian Benson)Melvina, Director (Love Takes Time - USA, dir. Melvina)Naru Kwina, Musician & Rapper (Panelist: "Can Hip-Hop Serve as an Agent for Positive Change?")Octavia Spencer, Actor & Director (The Unforgiving Minute - USA, dir. Octavia Spencer)Shy Pacheco Hamilton, Director (A Little Bit Colored a Little Bit White & Irony of a Negro Policeman - USA, dir. Shy Pacheco Hamilton)Sonia McDaniel, Educator (Panelist: "Can Hip-Hop Serve as an Agent for Positive Change?")Stacey Larkins, Director (In Search of Consonance - USA, dir. Stacey Larkins)Sylvia D. Hamilton, Director (Portia White: Think on Me - Canada, dir. Sylvia Hamilton)Tossie Long, Singer, Dancer & Actress (Panelist: "Can Hip-Hop Serve as an Agent for Positive Change?")Velina Brown, Actor (Milk - USA, dir. Gus Van Sant and Bee Season - USA, dirs. Scott McGehee, David Siegel )Venus de Milo Thomas(Did I Wake You? - USA, dir. Venus de Milo Thomas)An asterisk "*" denotes a premiere
*A Conversation with Mrs. Carter (USA) – Documentary, Short, dir. Lillian Anderson*A Funeral at the Samba School (Brazil) – Short, dir. Dandara*A Touch of Tutelage (USA) – Short, dir. Thea St. Omer*Bessie’s Blues (USA) – Short*Calypso Rose: Lioness of the Jungle (Trinidad/France/USA) – Documentary, Feature, dir. Pascale Obolo*Can’t Let Go (USA) – Short*Cruzeiro (Brazil) – Documentary, Feature, dir. Patricia Maresch*Daughter of Fortune (USA) - Short, dir. Dawn Kamoche*Dreams of a Life (U.K./Ireland) - Feature, dir. Carol Morley*Duka’s Dilemma (Ethiopia) – Documentary, Feature, dir. Jean Lydall and Kaira Strecker*Echo at 11 Oak Drive (USA) - Feature, dir. Crystle Waters*Houna & Manny (USA) – Short, dir. Jared Katsiane*In Search of Consonance (USA) – Comedy, Feature, Stacey Larkins*Jackie (USA) – Short,*Kuvuka Daraja (Crossing the Bridge) (Tanzania/USA) – Short, dir. Violet Senderai*Love Takes Time (USA) – Feature, dir. Melvina*Mind Wars (USA) – Short*Of Mary (U.K.) – Short, dir. Adrian Lester*Portia White: Think on Me (Canada) – Feature, Documentary, dir. Sylvia Hamilton*Preying on the Hunter (USA) – Feature, dir. Andrea J. Smith*Skeleton (USA) – Short, dir. Kortney Ryan*The Hands (USA) – Short, dir. Charise Studesville*The Happiest Day (USA) – Short, Horror, dir. Kimberly Holt*The Meeting (Greenland) – Feature, Documentary, dir. Ruth Montgomery*The Next Day (USA) – Feature, dir. Al Robbins*Women Surviving the System (USA) – ShortA Single Rose (USA) – ShortA Testament of Karma (USA) – Short, Horror, dir. Alessandra PinkstonBirth of Bardo (USA) – Short, Experimental, dir. Adia MilletBlack Orpheus (Brazil) – Feature, dir. Marcel CamusBlue Covers (USA) – Short, dir. Indira AllegraCall for Back-Up (USA) – Short, Comedy, dir. Tiffany BlackCarmin’s Choice (USA) – Short, dir. Monice MitchellChrysalis (USA) – ShortClaudia Makes a Difference (USA) – ShortCritter Island (USA) – Short, AnimationDef Dance Jam (USA) – Short, Documentary, dir. Sy J. AbuduDestiny (Canada) – ShortDid I Wake You? (USA) – ShortEbony Goddess: Queen of Ile Aiye (Brazil) – Feature, Documentary, dir. Carolina Moraes-LiuFirst Cut (USA) – ShortGanja & Hess (USA) - Feature, dir. Bill GunnGet Down (USA) – ShortGood Hair (USA) – ShortHair Daze (USA) – ShortHair Stories (USA) – ShortHalf of a Yellow Sun (Nigeria/U.K.) - FeatureHarriet Returns (USA) – ShortHoliday (USA) – ShortHollywood Shuffle (USA) – Short, dir. Robert TownsendIlluminations, Vol. 2 (USA) – ShortIn Our Heads About Our Hair (USA) – Feature, DocumentaryIn Search of Consonance (USA) – Feature, dir. Stacey LarkinsIrony of a Negro Policeman AKA Roll Call (USA) – Short, ExperimentalJacob’s Sound (USA) – Short, dir. Shy Pacheco HamiltonKarmen Gei (Senegal) – Feature, Musical, dir. Joseph Gai RamakaKissed by the Devil (USA) – ShortKnock, Knock; Who’s There? (USA) – ShortLipology (USA) – ShortMama Africa (Burkina Faso, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe) – ShortsMan Made (USA) – ShortMaple (Canada) – ShortMemoirs of a Black Latina (USA) – Feature, Experimental, dir. Crystal S. RomanMother & Daughter (USA) – ShortMy Escape with BIKO the Balloon Deity (USA) – Short, dir. Devin CainNappy (USA) – ShortNew York 45 (USA) – Feature, Documentary, Experimental, dir. Jacques ZanettiNobody Knows My Name (USA) – Feature, Documentary, dir. Rachel RaimistPortrait of a Film Extra (United Kingdom) – ShortPromised Land (South Africa) – Feature, Documentary, dir. Yoruba RichenQuase Todo Dia/Almost Everyday (Brazil) – ShortRain (USA) – ShortRavishing Raspberry (USA) – Short, AnimationRebel in the Soul (USA) – ShortRendez-vous (Canada) – ShortRize (USA) – DocumentarySay My Name (USA) – Feature, DocumentarySecrets (USA) – ShortSevered Souls (USA) – ShortSilence (USA) – ShortSkin Quilt Project (USA) – Feature, DocumentarySoliloquy (USA/France) – FeatureSpecial Day (USA) – ShortStomping on the Devil’s Head (Dominican Republic/USA) – Feature, DocumentaryStrike! (USA) – ShortSushi (USA) – ShortTears of a Swamp Fox (USA) – ShortThe Actual Importance (of Being Somewhat Earnest) (USA) – ShortThe Becoming Box (USA) – ShortThe Letter (USA) – ShortThe Unforgiving Minute (USA) – ShortThe Vineyard (USA) – ShortThe Wiz (USA) – Feature, MusicalTraces (Canada) – ShortTwo Bodies (USA) – ShortVivian (USA) – ShortWhen Spirits Dance Mambo (Puerto Rico/USA) – Short, Documentary, dir. Dr. Marta Moreno VegaWhite Sugar in a Black Pot (USA) – Short