The LeFrak Theater at the American Museum of Natural History, which will host the 2025 Margaret Mead Film Festival from May 2 through May 4. Credit: D. Kim / ©AMNH
The longest-running festival of nonfiction film in the United States, the Margaret Mead Film Festival—named after renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead—is back at the American Museum of Natural History, running from Friday, May 2, to Sunday, May 4. Founded in 1976, the festival has long been a beacon for exploring the powerful medium of documentary filmmaking as a resource for building cross-cultural understanding, community, and resilience.
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Kicking off the festivities at 7 p.m. on Friday will be the New York premiere of Seeds, winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film focuses on Willie Head Jr. and Carlie Williams, two farmers from Georgia who steward some of the nation’s oldest Black-owned farms. As they fight to preserve their land’s legacy, they navigate a rapidly changing agricultural landscape. In 2024, the USDA pledged $2 billion in support for 40,000 Black farmers, but delays in funding continue. Shot in striking black-and-white, Seeds follows Head and Williams as they confront the bureaucratic challenges of Washington. The film highlights their resilience and expertise, offering a poignant exploration of Black agricultural heritage and the ongoing struggle for restorative justice. Director Brittany Shyne will be in attendance.
Another highlight of the weekend will take place on Saturday at 3 p.m. with the New York premiere of Our Land, Our Freedom. The film tells the story of the struggle against British imperialism in Kenya in 1952, during a pivotal moment when the Land and Freedom Army—also known as the Mau Mau—launched an uprising against British settlers. Decades later, the children and family of Mau Mau leader Dedan Kimathi continue to rely on their community as they search for his remains. Still honoring his legacy, Kimathi’s family questions the unequal land redistribution in Kenya while connecting with other descendants of Freedom Fighters to confront the enduring effects of colonialism. Directors Meena Nanji and Zippy Kimundu will also be in attendance.
Sunday at 4 p.m. will feature Viktor, marking its New York premiere while shedding light on the ongoing drama in Kharkiv, Ukraine, located just 40 miles south of the Russian border. The film offers a timely look at the conflict that has unfolded since 2022. For the past three years, the city has endured relentless warfare, besieged by its neighbors. Viktor, a local photographer with a deep admiration for samurais and a deep respect for his late father, a war veteran, feels a strong urge to join the Ukrainian forces. However, his hearing impairment prevents him from enlisting. As Viktor documents Kharkiv through the various phases of the invasion, the audience is immersed in the stark realities of war, experiencing its devastating tragedy through his unwavering perspective.
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“We’re so excited to welcome audiences to the 2025 Margaret Mead Film Festival, a celebration of storytelling that connects us across cultures, borders, and experiences. A longstanding Museum tradition, the Mead is a space for curiosity and conversation, a place to witness resilience, community, creativity, and the many ways we shape—and are shaped by—the world around us,” said Jacqueline Handy, Director of Public Programs at the American Museum of Natural History and Mead Festival Director. “We invite you to step beyond your comfort zone to listen, feel, and see yourself reflected in the stories presented on screen.”
For tickets and more information on events click here.
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