Who's Watching? with Zuri Obi

Who’s Watching? is a recurring series on For Immediate Release. We spend so much time wondering what film programmers are looking for — this is where I turn the camera around.

I met Zuri in New Orleans; we worked together on multiple projects, the latest being House of Tulip (streaming on TIME Magazine), where we spent almost a year together following our protagonists as cinematographer and producer.

The film that made me want to work in festivals was… Moonlight

If I could only program one genre for the rest of my life… it would be comedy!

The filmmaker I'd most want to have a drink with after their Q&A is… Bradford Young

Deep in selection season, the film that makes it all worth it is the one that… breaks filmmaking convention and defies expectations, while remaining authentic, raw and compelling.

The best audience reaction I've ever witnessed at a screening was… Aunties watching Horror.

What do filmmakers misunderstand most about how festival programming works? That rejection from a particular film festival isn’t necessarily a rejection of the film; it doesn’t reflect failure; sometimes a film simply isn’t a good fit and nothing more.

Is there a film you rejected that still haunts you? No, because for me a rejection doesn’t mean a film wasn’t good. I’m always excited to see a film, accepted or rejected, go on to find its audience. Every film deserves a home.

I knew I was in the right job when… I moderated my very first Q&A. It's now one of the best parts of the job: making meaningful connections and finding lifelong collaborations

Zuri Obi
Zuri is a Haitian-American artist, born and raised in the American South, with deep cultural roots in magical realism. As a Cinematographer, her lens has been graced by the likes of Soledad O’Brien, Solange, Lucky Daye and Lizzo. As a Producer, her projects have screened at notable film festivals, including Sundance, and won top awards at the New Orleans Film Festival, AFI, and BlackStar. Zuri is also a Film Programmer whose curatorial values are rooted in narrative justice.

Follow Zuri on Instagram @video.zoe or connect on LinkedIn

p.s. — I also make hats for film people. Shop at filmllc.co

If you want to go deeper on how to navigate the festival world — strategy, submissions, programming decisions, all of it — I’m writing a guide. Pre-order it here.