The Micheaux Film Festival Is Making Entertainment Political With The Launch Of The G.O.A.Ts Vote Campaign

The 2020 election may very well be one of the most monumental moments in recent history, but its outcome may be threatened by voter suppression. As a result, there has been a rallying call for groups and industries to stand up and advocate for a fair democracy. 

Answering that call is the Micheaux Film Festival. The company, founded by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Noel Braham and Courtney L. Branch, aims to promote diversity in all facets of entertainment, both in front of and behind the camera. Ahead of Election Day, it also wants to promote the importance of casting a ballot—especially in underserved communities. The cofounders launched G.O.A.Ts Vote (Greatests of All Time Vote), a new voting initiative promoting voter education. 

The campaign’s first event is “What’s Voting Got to Do With It,” a virtual panel to raise awareness of voter suppression, educate voters and discuss the symbiotic relationship between entertainment and politics. The October 21 event is in partnership with Oprah’s OWN and its voting initiative OWN Your Vote, Deon and Roxanne Taylor’s Hidden Empire Film Group and their voting initiative Be Woke.Vote, and entertainment attorney Jaia Thomas’ Diverse Representation. It’s the latest example of Black Hollywood leading the political advocacy and social justice charge. Other entertainers stepping up to take political action are Lebron James with his More Than A Vote initiative, which has recruited more than 10,000 poll workers, and Sean “Diddy” Combs and Ice Cube, who recently launched Our Black Party and The Contract with Black America, respectively. 

Their tactics may be helping: An unprecedented 35 million voters have already cast their ballots. But the surge could also be in part caused by the ongoing pandemic. In the 2016 election, only 5.9 million Americans had voted early. 

The Micheaux Film Festival is making its way to the front lines of the movement—and isn’t satisfied with the progress. Despite an increase in early registrations from the last election, purging continues to be a problem. A recent Brennan Center study found that almost 16 million voters were purged from the rolls between 2014 and 2016, and that jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination had significantly higher purge rates.  

“Part of the reason we felt so compelled to create this initiative is because we understand that voter purging and voter suppression disproportionately affects Black and brown communities,” says Branch. “We want to use the festival’s platform to help educate and turn out the BIPOC community, both in national and local elections.”

The Micheaux Film Festival has also gotten political through art. In recent years, the festival has featured social commentary films including Marshall Tyler’s CAP, which explores legislation reform surrounding gun violence and was recently acquired by HBO. Other projects include Carlton Jordan’s web series, POZ ROZ, which won Best Web Series at the festival, and seeks to destigmatize HIV+ diagnoses by bringing a nuanced voice to the LGBTQ+ community. 

“In 2020, political and social action has become a torch of moral obligation rather than a civic duty,” says Braham. “And it’s a torch that the festival is prepared to carry moving forward.”