Saturday, July 25, 2026
ARRAY Creative Campus
Ride the tide and roll through the streets with a duo of documentaries from the lens of surfers and skateboarders of color. Exploring the persistance of play, these stories on screen remind us that space is something we can inherit or adopt, protect and pass on. From pavement to shoreline, we claim and center these spaces as our birthright. The back-to-back screenings will be followed by a conversation with the filmmakers.
FEATURED FILMS:
MOVING MOUNTAINS
Directed by Jessa Williams of INTERSXTN
After narrowly escaping prison, a Black youth from Tulsa moves to a Hawaiian island and embarks on a journey of self-discovery through big wave surfing and a newfound community.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
Jessa Williams is an award-winning director, producer, and creative entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. Her directorial debut, MOVING MOUNTAINS is a short film about her partner Tre’lan Michael, one of the few Black big wave surfers in the world. Celebrated for its emotional depth and cinematic strength, MOVING MOUNTAINS received top honors at the Tribeca x UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival, selected personally by LeBron James, Naomi Osaka, and Joel Embiid.
THE MOTHER TO MY STYLE
Directed by Cleon Arrey
After narrowly escaping prison, a Black youth from Tulsa moves to a Hawaiian island and embarks on a journey of self-discovery through big wave surfing and a newfound community.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
Cleon Arrey is a Cinematographer / Director, based in Los Angeles. With an extensive background in visual aesthetic and philosophy, his work aims to re-contextualize and challenge the conventions of traditional narrative storytelling. Cleon’s directorial work has screened at festivals across the map including BlackStar, No Budge, New Orleans Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Arizona Underground Film Festival, Afrikana Film Festival, and institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art LA, ART + PRACTICE, Black Image Center; and many more. He is also co-owner/co-founder of Neighbors Skate Shop a retail/community space located in the heart of the Crenshaw/West Adams districts in South Central Los Angeles.
ARRAY @ PLAY is a summer storytelling series where gameplay is harnessed as a tool for strategy, connection and community-building, sparking belonging, engagement and joy. Hosted on ARRAY’s Creative Campus.
Our July program brings together an interactive world-building game followed by a short film showcase to explore how we claim space, forge new pathways and shape the communities we call home. Through collaborative gameplay, we’ll gather, imagine and create visions for a new world together. The accompanying films ground these themes in lived experience, from one person’s pursuit of surfing as an act of healing, to an intimate portrait of a vibrant inner-city neighborhood through the eyes of everyday residents. This convening invites us to consider the act of play as a transformative practice, revealing community as something we create and sustain together.
Separate RSVP required for the gameplay session HERE.
