BlackFrame Presents (15)

Tuesday 11 Nov 2025 - 16:15
HOME - Cinema 2
Runtime: 90 mins (approx.)

BlackFrame are proud to present their first ever screening of animated shorts at MAF this year!

In an industry where Black representation is both rare and essential, BlackFrame promotes the visibility of artists with Afro-Caribbean heritage and provides a space that fosters collaboration, community & connection for Black animators.

We invite MAF-goers to enjoy this rich collection of films and the variety of stories told from the Black perspective. Handpicked by BlackFrame co-founders, Amy Ashton and Niya Taylor, the screening will be followed by a panel discussion with contributing filmmakers, Mary Martins and Nathan Addai.

In the spirit of collaboration & community, BlackFrame will be hosting one of their legendary networking events at the HOME Event Space after the screening - whether you're a Black professional, festival goer or local student in animation, everyone is welcome so join us for a drink and a chat!

BlackFrame is supported by award-winning studios and organisations who are aligned with diversifying the creative industries: The British Blacklist, Nexus, Jelly, Creative Circle, The Kusp, BLACQ Space.

This screening carries the following trigger warnings for content:

Nudity, blood, self-harm, drug abuse, blood, mental illness, classism.

Trigger warning content categories used are courtesy of the Film and TV Charity's advice: https://bit.ly/3VUsEF4

Films in this programme

A Little Taste of Joy

Dir. Jonathan Djob Nkondo //

A glimpse of a surreal spectacle.

Mother Tongue

Dir. Duncan Senkumba //

A loving portrait of Uganda, Duncan Senkumba’s Mother Tongue leads the viewer on an animated journey through city streets and wild landscapes to explore the fine balance between urban life and the natural world, from the bustle of Kampala’s markets to the rolling hills of the country’s national parks.

Hold Tight

Dir. Jessica Ashman //

‘Hold Tight’ explores the importance of Carnival across the UK and how its celebrations provide an important lifeline to heritage and identity for younger generations of the Black Caribbean diaspora in Britain. It is a journey into the feeling of belonging, through the rituals of Carnival attendance and the power of bass.

Ego Death

Dir. Jasmine Hewitt //

A boy experiences an ego death after taking too many drugs. Will he be able to overcome his flawed emotions and leave, or will his soul flitter aimlessly around in his psychedelically induced trip?

Sour Days

Dir. Faye Craig //

A young girl called Mirah is trying to have an ordinary day, but it seems like her brain has other plans. As she trapses through her crumbling city, her anxieties are only heightened when her inner struggles start to push her to the edge.

Say Yes

Dir. Jessica Ashman //

‘Say Yes’ is a music visual directed and animated by Jessica Ashman for the Jazz / Hip-Hop duo, Blue Lab Beats. Created in April 2018, it’s a fun and playful response to the feel of the club: the beat, the bass, the lights and the prospect of a romantIc connection.

The Itch

Dir. Jess Stephens //

When an abandoned painting comes to life to haunt its owner, can the two reconcile?. A story exploring identity.

Start with a Place

Dir. Gisela Mulindwa //

Using archival sound we are taken through a collaged snapshot of south London, discovering that years of gentrification have transformed the once familiar spaces beyond recognition.

Something More

Dir. Mary Martins //

Something More is a short experimental and animated documentary that explores the causes of youth knife crime in London by sharing various perspectives and stories from those connected to the issue. The documentary invites further conversations around the British criminal justice system and the current political and economic climate, identifying youth knife crime as a symptom of a wider societal problem.

Mental Roots

Dir. Nathan Addai //

Mental Roots places you in the shoes of a first-generation black Brit coming to terms with reaching his 'breaking point'. At a local youth meeting, he starts to wonder: what led to his emotional breakdown? Is he already beyond help? Coming from a context where many young people like him live as shells of themselves, are his true emotions worth trusting? Mental Roots offers a challenging proposition: maybe we should see vulnerability as part of the cure, rather than the disease.

Black Female Living

Dir. Nathan Addai //

Using real interview footage from the Mental Roots Podcast, Black Female Living is an animated documentary following two young black women's stories of childhood, adolescence and learning self-care. The film follows their journeys through unifying imagery, and shows how empathy between black men and women can lead to communal healing that goes deeper than we may realise. Black Female Living is also a spin-off sequel to the short film Mental Roots and is part of the Mental Roots short film anthology.

Dutty Juice

Dir. Caroline James //

Dutty Juice showcases Caroline's love of cartoons that have a satirical critique on advertisements with a tongue in cheek narrative. Dutty Juice aims to make a fun colourful ad that would make people laugh, be disgusted and yet still look appealing.

Aluminium Love

Dir. Caroline James //

Aluminium Love is a short story with a strong emphasis on the human impact of the environment and how our consumerism can have a detrimental effect. Caroline uses a playful narrative of two aluminium cans that meet in a fridge and instantly fall in love, Only recycling can continue their love story.

Departing

Dir. Mary Martins //

Departing explores the themes of migration, forced displacement and the removal of children. Intersecting a variety of personal testimonies expressed through music, interviews and poetry, these multi-layered responses reflect on the issues surrounding the complexities of both the historical and more recent UK immigration laws.

Niya Taylor

Niya Taylor is co-founder and creative director of BlackFrame, and an award-winning live action director gaining recognition for his music video work with artists such as JADE, Myles Smith and Rudimental. His debut BFI-funded short film, Beyond the Rush, was released to widespread acclaim. When Niya isn’t filming, he works as a director’s rep at Passion Pictures and Strange Beast.

Amy Ashton

Amy Ashton is the co-founder and director of BlackFrame, a newly launched initiative that amplifies Black talent in animation. She is also a freelance producer with 11+ years of industry experience and is on the leadership team at WIA UK.

Mary Martins

Mary Martins is a British-Nigerian independent animator and experimental filmmaker from London. She produces short animated documentaries, using the art of storytelling to amplify and explore the experiences of marginalised communities in the UK, Nigeria and Brazil. Her films have been screened on BBC4, London Piccadilly Lights, Berlin Limes, Seoul's COEX K-Pop Square and Melbourne's Fed Square, and at film festivals nationally and internationally.

Nathan Addai

Nathan Addai is an award-winning 2D animator, BA Animation lecturer and youth mentor. He has worked with and been awarded by various institutions, including the BBC, BFI, Royal Society of Arts and Ridley Scott Association. Nathan is the founder of Mental Roots, a creative mental wellness movement based on his BBC animation with the same name.