THE APEX TIMES
Haile Gerima to Bring 10-Hour Documentary ‘Black Lions – Roman Wolves’ to U.S. Audiences at BlackStar Film Festival
The veteran filmmaker’s five-part, all-at-once feature will have its first U.S. public screening after earlier showings at the Berlin Film Festival.
Veteran filmmaker Haile Gerima will bring his latest documentary feature, Black Lions – Roman Wolves, to the United States for what organizers are describing as the film’s first public U.S. screening next week. The announcement comes as the 10-hour, five-part work completes a run of showings earlier this year in connection with the Berlin Film Festival, where it reportedly drew “lively” presentations.
Deadline reported that Black Lions – Roman Wolves will be screened in its entirety across several days at the BlackStar Film Festival. The format is designed for full, uninterrupted viewing of the complete documentary presentation, with Gerima’s team programming the full length rather than releasing shorter segments as separate installments.
Gerima is also scheduled to discuss the work during its U.S. run, according to the report. Deadline characterized the engagement as the filmmaker “dissecting” the documentary feature, suggesting a structured dialogue or commentary component alongside the screenings rather than a standard premiere-only event.
In addition to the U.S. rollout of Black Lions – Roman Wolves, Gerima previewed his next project, which he described as focused on America’s Black Maroons. Deadline said the new effort was teased during conversations connected to the documentary’s current cycle, indicating that the artist intends to continue building his filmography around themes tied to Black resistance, survival, and community histories.
The U.S. screening comes after what the report described as a series of active showings at Berlin Film Festival events in February. While the outlet did not provide a full accounting of each Berlin date or venue in the material provided, it did link that European period to the film’s continued momentum before the BlackStar Film Festival appearance.
For festival attendees, the announced multi-day, full-length presentation is likely to shape ticketing and scheduling decisions, because a 10-hour documentary requires planning for audience time and logistics. Organizers are positioning the screening as an event-style experience that allows viewers to engage with the documentary as a single, complete work rather than a set of brief selections.
The next phase of Gerima’s work will now hinge on how the BlackStar screening lands with U.S. audiences and what additional details are released about Black Maroons project development. For now, Deadline’s reporting makes clear that the immediate public focus is the filmmaker’s return to U.S. theaters and festivals with the first full public presentation of Black Lions – Roman Wolves in this market.
Why It Matters
- Multi-day full-length documentary screenings affect festival operations and audience planning, since viewers must allot extended uninterrupted time.
- A U.S. debut can broaden distribution and visibility for filmmakers whose projects are primarily presented through festival circuits.
- Gerima’s continued focus on Black historical and cultural themes is reinforced by the stated move from Black Lions – Roman Wolves to a new Black Maroons project.
- Festival programming that includes filmmaker discussion alongside screenings can influence how audiences understand and contextualize documentary work.
- The announced U.S. rollout sets the timing for when additional details about Gerima’s next project may reach the public.
Key Facts
- Haile Gerima will take the documentary feature Black Lions – Roman Wolves to the United States for its first public U.S. screening next week.
- The film is described as a five-part, 10-hour documentary feature.
- Deadline reported that the film previously screened in connection with the Berlin Film Festival in February and that the showings included lively moments.
- The Black Lions – Roman Wolves screenings at the BlackStar Film Festival will present the work in its entirety across several days.
- Gerima is expected to discuss the documentary during its U.S. run, described as him dissecting the feature.
- Deadline reported that Gerima teased a next project about America’s Black Maroons.