Imagine Film Festival 2026: Black Zombie (NL Premiere)

🎥 🇭🇹 Join us on 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭 at 𝟭𝟲.𝟯𝟬 or 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟱 at 𝟭𝟰.𝟯𝟱 in 𝗟𝗔𝗕𝟭𝟭𝟭 𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺 for the 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗭𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗲 as part of the 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲! With, on the Sunday, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 by 𝗘𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀, a film scholar specializing in Caribbean film history, followed by a 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗤+𝗔 with 𝗙𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀, a Haitian-born, Amsterdam-based visual artist whose work explores spirituality, ancestral knowledge, colonial history and Haitian Vodou. 🙏🏿🖤✊🏿

𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝘅 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘅 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰: 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗭𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗲 (𝗡𝗟 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗲)
Date: Sunday, November 1 and Thursday, November 5, 2026
Time: 16.30 (Sunday) and 14.35 (Thursday)
Venue: LAB111
Address: Arie Biemondstraat 111, Amsterdam 🇳🇱
Title: 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗭𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗲
Director: Maya Annik Bedward
Country: Haiti and United StatesYear: 2026
Length: 90′
Extra: With 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 by 𝗘𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀, a film scholar specializing in Caribbean film history, followed by a 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗤+𝗔 with 𝗙𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀, a Haitian-born, Amsterdam-based visual artist whose work explores spirituality, ancestral knowledge, colonial history and Haitian Vodou
More info & tickets: www.imaginefilmfestival.nl/programma/black-zombie/

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗭𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗲
Long before zombies became flesh-eating monsters in Hollywood horror films, they were deeply rooted in Haitian history, spirituality, and the traumatic legacy of slavery. In Haitian Vodou traditions, the zombie symbolized the ultimate loss of freedom and autonomy, reflecting the experiences of enslaved Africans under colonial rule. In Black Zombie, filmmaker Maya Annik Bedward uncovers the forgotten African-Caribbean origins of one of popular culture’s most iconic monsters. Through archival footage, film clips, and interviews with Haitian Vodou practitioners, historians, cultural scholars, and horror filmmakers, the documentary traces the zombie’s transformation from a symbol of enslavement and resistance into a terrifying figure of Western popular imagination. Along the way, it examines how Hollywood appropriated and distorted Haitian spiritual traditions, reinforcing colonial stereotypes and demonizing Black cultural practices. Both a fascinating exploration of horror cinema and a powerful examination of colonialism, racism, and cultural appropriation, Black Zombie challenges audiences to reconsider what they think they know about zombies while reclaiming the rich history and spiritual traditions from which they emerged.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹
Founded in 1984, the Imagine Film Festival is the largest and longest-running festival dedicated to fantastic cinema in the Netherlands. Held annually in Amsterdam, the festival celebrates the imaginative worlds of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and other unconventional genres, showcasing an eclectic selection of international feature films, shorts, cult classics, and experimental works. Under the motto Weird Is Wonderful, Imagine explores the power of fantastic cinema to challenge conventions, question reality, and reflect on contemporary social, cultural, and technological developments. Beyond film screenings, the festival presents thematic programmes, filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, masterclasses, and immersive experiences, bringing together filmmakers, scholars, and audiences from around the world. With its distinctive combination of genre entertainment, artistic innovation, and critical reflection, Imagine has established itself as a leading platform for fantastic cinema in the Netherlands and beyond.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆
Caribbean Creativity is a Kingston- and Amsterdam-based cultural non-profit organization committed to the production, programming and promotion of Caribbean and Caribbean-themed cinema. Over the years, Caribbean Creativity has hosted more than 350 screenings in film theatres and at film festivals, including numerous premieres. In 2020, they launched YardVibes, a streaming platform featuring content from independent Caribbean and African filmmakers. YardVibes currently offers more than 100 titles, including feature films, web series, documentaries, and short films, with new content added monthly. This year, they devoted most of their time and energy to the making of Beach Inna Bondage. For more information, visit www.caribbeancreativity.nl.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰
Africadelic is an Amsterdam-based non-profit organization and platform committed to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands and beyond. The annual Africadelic Festival is an ode to the African continent and its worldwide diaspora, celebrating the cultural richness and profound influence of Afrodescendants, people of African descent, on global culture and society. Taking place from May 20-27, 2026, this year’s edition once again featured a vibrant week of events. Beyond the annual festival, Africadelic presents many events throughout the year, including this screening of Black Zombie. For more information, visit www.africadelic.com.