BlackStar Foundation
BlackStar Foundation is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit arts organization that produces the annual BlackStar Film Festival and year-round programming celebrating films by Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers globally, supported primarily by major U.S. foundation grants, festival passes, and corporate sponsors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What BlackStar Foundation does
BlackStar Foundation, operating legally as BlackStar Projects Inc., is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 2011 that produces the annual BlackStar Film Festival and a portfolio of year-round cultural programming. The organization is dedicated to celebrating the visual and storytelling traditions of the global majority, showcasing films by Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers from more than 30 countries; the 2026 festival, its 15th edition, featured 91 films. Beyond the flagship festival, BlackStar operates the Seen journal of film and visual culture, the William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar, the Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab year-long fellowship, the Many Lumens podcast, the annual Luminary Gala benefit, and specialized programs such as John Coltrane En Motion.
The business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding structure. Earned revenue is generated through tiered festival passes (All Access $375, Virtual $175, Industry $500), film submission fees across early/regular/late deadlines, merchandise and journal sales via an online storefront, and corporate sponsorship/advertising partnerships. The dominant revenue stream, however, is institutional philanthropy: the organization is supported by a core set of major U.S. foundations including the Wallace Foundation, William Penn Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Open Society Foundations (the last at the Platinum sponsor level for 2026), supplemented by corporate sponsors such as Netflix and individual donations processed through GiveLively.
BlackStar serves three primary segments: filmmakers of African descent and filmmakers identifying as Black, Brown, or Indigenous (its primary beneficiaries and submission base); film festival attendees and cultural arts supporters who purchase passes and attend screenings; and film industry professionals (producers, distributors, sales agents, media) who access the festival through Industry Passes and curated networking events. The organization is led by founder Maori Karmael Holmes as Chief Executive & Artistic Officer, with Imran Siddiquee as Chief Communications Officer. In 2026, the organization completed a foundational identity rebrand in collaboration with agency Pacific to unify its visual identity across year-round programs, signaling investment in long-term brand cohesion and audience expansion.
BlackStar Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BlackStar Foundation
- Legal name
- BlackStar Projects Inc.
- Website
- https://blackstarprojects.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- BlackStar Foundation is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit arts organization that produces the annual BlackStar Film Festival and year-round programming celebrating films by Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers globally, supported primarily by major U.S. foundation grants, festival passes, and corporate sponsors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BlackStar Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Festival and Arts Programming
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)
Keywords
Where BlackStar Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BlackStar Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Festival Passes and Tickets: Revenue generated from selling All Access Passes ($375), Virtual Passes ($175), and Industry Passes ($500) for the annual BlackStar Film Festival, providing access to screenings and events.
- Film Submission Fees: Filmmakers pay entry fees to submit their work for consideration to the BlackStar Film Festival, with multiple deadline tiers (Early, Regular, Late).
- Donations and Contributions: BlackStar accepts one-time donations and likely recurring contributions from supporters to fund operations and programs.
- Merchandise and Publications: Sale of Seen journal issues and potentially other merchandise through the BlackStar shop.
- Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from advertising partnerships and sponsorship opportunities for the festival, targeting brands seeking visibility with the BlackStar audience.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | All Access Pass - Full festival access including in-person and virtual screenings |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Virtual Pass - Online access to all virtual screenings |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Industry Pass - Extended access for film industry professionals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
BlackStar Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BlackStar Foundation operates the annual BlackStar Film Festival, an in-person and virtual event in Philadelphia showcasing films by Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers from around the world, complemented by year-round programs including the Seen film journal, the William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar, the Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab fellowship, the Many Lumens podcast, and screening series. The organization also hosts the annual Luminary Gala benefit event.
Product overview
BlackStar Foundation operates a multi-faceted arts and film organization centered around the annual BlackStar Film Festival as its flagship event. The organization provides year-round programs including the Seen film journal, William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar, Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab fellowship, and the Many Lumens podcast. The festival offers tiered passes (All Access, Virtual, and Industry) and maintains a comprehensive Film Guide database. Additional programs include screening series, the annual Luminary Gala benefit, and community events throughout Philadelphia and online.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Seen: A journal of film and visual culture published by BlackStar Projects, with issues available for pre-order and purchase.
- William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar
- Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab
- Many Lumens
- Luminary Gala
Products and services
- BlackStar Film Festival
- Seen Journal
Companies that use BlackStar Foundation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BlackStar Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
BlackStar Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Visit PhillyminorTourism partner for the festival, providing promotional support and helping connect festival attendees with Philadelphia hospitality services.
- FotoKemminorFilm and digital media services company providing post-production support and services to festival filmmakers.
- NetflixminorFestival sponsor supporting diverse storytelling and filmmaker visibility.
- Firelight MediaminorDocumentary organization supporting filmmakers of color, co-producing content with BlackStar.
- Hyperallergic MediaminorArt and culture media outlet providing media sponsorship and promotional support for the festival.
- Center for Asian American MediaminorFestival partner supporting diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers.
- Women Make MoviesminorDistributor supporting women filmmakers, partner in BlackStar's filmmaker ecosystem.
- International Documentary AssociationminorProfessional organization supporting documentary filmmakers, partner in festival programming.
- Filmlab PalestineminorCo-host of Palestine Cinema Days screening event at BlackStar.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BlackStar Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Outfest: Los Angeles-based LGBTQ+ film festival and year-round organization with a strong foundation-funding model and industry pass program. Demonstrates the identity-festival / year-round-program nonprofit structure BlackStar operates within.
- CAAMFest (Center for Asian American Media): San Francisco-based annual festival of Asian American and Pacific Islander cinema and culture. Functionally a sibling identity-focused film festival with comparable programming, sponsorship model, and year-round programming arm; already listed as a BlackStar partner.
- African Diaspora Film Festival: New York-based annual festival showcasing films by directors of African descent and from the African diaspora. Most directly comparable to BlackStar in mission, audience (filmmakers of color), and curation model, and competes for similar filmmakers and sponsors.
Broad incumbents
- SFFILM (San Francisco International Film Festival): Major regional film organization running the longest-running film festival in the U.S., with year-round programs and educational initiatives. Comparable as a nonprofit film festival/arts organization with foundation support, though at much larger scale and broader thematic focus.
- Sundance Film Festival (Sundance Institute): The preeminent U.S. independent film festival and year-round artist-support nonprofit with deep foundation backing. Comparable in combining an annual festival with filmmaker labs and year-round programs, but orders of magnitude larger in scope and budget.
- Film at Lincoln Center: Year-round nonprofit film organization presenting festivals (New York Film Festival) and curated screening series with foundation and corporate support. Comparable as a mission-driven, year-round curatorial nonprofit that runs festivals plus ongoing programming.
- Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): Major international film festival with industry programming (acquisitions, talent) and a year-round cultural org. Comparable as an industry-facing festival that attracts industry pass holders and global submissions, though much larger in scale and budget.
- Tribeca Film Festival: Large, brand-led annual festival with substantial corporate sponsorship and growing investment in diverse filmmaker programming. Comparable as a U.S.-hosted annual film festival with sponsor/partnership structures, though at far greater scale.
- SXSW Film & TV: Large multi-track festival (film, music, tech) with industry programming and sponsor integrations. Comparable as a sponsor-driven annual film festival with industry pass and acquisition activity, though broader in scope.
Emerging players
- New Orleans Film Festival: Mid-sized nonprofit film festival with an emerging year-round film society structure. Comparable as a foundation-supported regional festival building toward year-round programming, though with a different thematic focus than BlackStar's global-majority mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BlackStar Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceBlackStar Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BlackStar Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
BlackStar Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BlackStar Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BlackStar Foundation
What does BlackStar Foundation do?
BlackStar Foundation operates the annual BlackStar Film Festival, an in-person and virtual event in Philadelphia showcasing films by Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers from around the world, complemented by year-round programs including the Seen film journal, the William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar, the Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab fellowship, the Many Lumens podcast, and screening series. The organization also hosts the annual Luminary Gala benefit event.
Is BlackStar Foundation a public or private company?
BlackStar Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BlackStar Foundation founded?
BlackStar Foundation was founded in 2011.
Where is BlackStar Foundation based?
BlackStar Foundation is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does BlackStar Foundation make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Festival Passes and Tickets are the primary driver. The others are film Submission Fees, donations and Contributions, merchandise and Publications and advertising and Sponsorship.
Who are BlackStar Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Outfest, CAAMFest (Center for Asian American Media) and African Diaspora Film Festival. Broad incumbents are SFFILM (San Francisco International Film Festival), Sundance Film Festival (Sundance Institute), Film at Lincoln Center, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Tribeca Film Festival and SXSW Film & TV. New Orleans Film Festival is listed as an emerging player.
Does BlackStar Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for BlackStar Foundation.
What industry is BlackStar Foundation in?
BlackStar Foundation's product category is Film Festival and Arts Programming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAKAD, Film Festivals & Festival Organizers. Its NAICS code is 56192 and its SIC code is 7819.