“The Birth of a Planet,” a 30-minute documentary film about post-Civil War era “Richmond Planet” newspaper editor John Mitchell, will launch the three-day, 7th Annual Afrikana Independent Film Festival at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. The event is free and open to the public.

The film premiered in June at the Richmond International Film Festival.

Produced by Tilt Creative + Production in Richmond, the film tells the story of Mr. Mitchell, born a slave, who, as an educator-turned-activist and editor, used the newspaper to promote civil rights, racial justice and pride. He became a major force in the anti-lynching movement by reporting the brutal murders and other atrocities committed against African-Americans during the early Jim Crow era.

A panel discussion after the screening will include the film’s director, Sly Tucker; Richmond Free Press photo- journalist Regina Boone; and a direct descendant of Mr. Mitchell, John Mitchell, Jr. Gary Flowers of “The Gary Flowers Show” will moderate.

Other events include film submissions from 23 countries, live performances, panel discussions, meet-and-greets, and workshops at several art spaces in Richmond, such as The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, The Valentine museum and Elegba Folklore Society. This year’s festival themes include mental health, Black history, relationships, motherhood, the criminal justice system and more. A virtual schedule will be available on the festival’s website Sept. 8: afrikanafilmfestival.org/2022-schedule.

The festival is organized by Afrikana, established by Enjoli Moon in 2014 to elevate Black culture through “high-quality, well-crafted stories.” Ms. Moon is the assistant curator of film and public programs at the Institute for Contemporary Art and co-creator of The JXN Project.

For more information about the festival, visit: https://www.afrikanafilmfestival.org.