Help support Alumni Directors, LANAA & AVERY, towards meeting their 48-hour fundraising goal for their film, THE U.
About The Alumni Directors:
Born and raised in West Philadelphia, eighteen-year-old filmmaker LANAA DANTZLER uplifts the power and spirit of community in her work. Lanaa wrote, directed, and starred in her debut short film, Five Angry Black Girls (2023), a story about a group of teenage Black girls in detention coming together to learn the meaning of true freedom. Produced by Black Girls Film Camp, Five Angry Black Girls was a recipient of the Local Selection Award from the Philadelphia Youth Film Festival and the award for Best Costume Design at the 2023 Black Girls Film Camp Awards Showcase. The short was an official film selection at the iconic Essence Film Festival in 2024 and was streaming on Magic Johnson’s aspireTV Network Urban Indie Film Block.
Dantzler received the Best Alumni Coach Award for her participation in the production of the short film, As You Are (2024), along with a $500 creative investment. As You Are has screened in 26+ locations, including Harvard & MIT as well as receiving a Telly Award.
Her most recent film, At The End Of The World (2025) was accepted into the prestigious YoungArts competition. She is currently a semi-finalist in ADISA & The Kellogg Foundation's How We Heal Short Film Lab, which was announced on The Jennifer Hudson Show and Essence.
In an effort to give back to the organization that funded her first short film, Lanaa joined Black Girls Film Camp as their Inaugural Executive Director Fellow, receiving a $1000 honorarium. Lanaa is also an accomplished journalist, with several published works featured in Love Now Magazine, WURD Radio, Green Philly, & More. Lanaa Dantzler is a top ranked senior in her class at West Philadelphia High School.
AVERY KELLEY is an 18-year-old CEO, creator, writer, director, producer, and philanthropist, currently residing in Atlanta, GA. Avery wrote her first dramatic comedy, “Back Row”, at just eleven-years old. Going on to found her production company, Inspired Melanin Inc., established to create content, telling positive black stories, and representing the underrepresented. Ever since, she has continued on this mission, creating a variety of projects meeting this objective, such as: · Back Row – The Series – Pilot Episode; Teendom Talk Show, A Show for the Kids, the Teens and Everyone in Between, Soul Train, Soul Change, a short documentary; and “One Step at a Time”, a feature documentary highlighting dance in the African American community.
In 2023, as a part of the Black Girls Film Camp, Avery wrote and directed the project, “The All Aroundz”. This film has garnered international acclaim, being selected for 17 film festivals internationally, including Essence Film Festival, Diversity in Cannes, and the Black Film Festival Atlanta, making her the youngest filmmaker to ever be selected for the festival. Avery’s passion for creating led her in 2024 to create, produce, and direct her most recent 2025 project, Freudian, currently in post-production, set to hit the festival circuit in Spring ‘26.
Avery is also very active in her school community. Throughout high school, she has been an integral part of her school’s student government, serving as both class president and class representative, held the role Co-Captain of her school’s dance team, and President of the school’s Black Student Union. Avery was recently named a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholar, and is currently applying for film schools around the country, receiving acceptances to 9 universities to date, including institutions such as Savannah College of Art and Design, Howard University, Loyola Marymount University, and more. Avery Kelley is excited to continue her path as a filmmaker and creative on a collegiate level.
About The Film:
When a driven theater kid is kicked out of the school play, she decides to take matters into her own hands, creating a rival production of her own with an unlikely batch of outcast students.
At Black Girls Film Camp, we believe teen girls deserve the opportunity to see themselves not only on screen, but behind the camera as directors, storytellers, and creative leaders. Each year, our program brings together talented high school girls from across the country to develop, write, and direct their own original short films.
This year, nine extraordinary teen directors are preparing to bring their stories to life. But first, they have a challenge.
From Thursday, April 2 through Friday, April 3 at Midnight, our directors will participate in the 48-Hour Film Fundathon, racing against the clock to raise the funds to help produce their films. Every dollar raised during this two-day campaign will go directly toward the production needs for each director’s film, helping cover essential filmmaking costs such as:
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Production design and props
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Wardrobe and styling
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Set materials
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Hair and makeup
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On-set production supplies
On May 17 in Atlanta, GA, all nine films will be shot in a single day of production, an exciting experience that mirrors the fast-paced energy of real-world filmmaking. With professional mentors and crews supporting them, our teen directors will lead their sets and watch the stories they imagined become reality.
Your donation helps ensure that each director has the resources to fully realize her creative vision. When you give, you're not just funding a film, you’re investing in the future of the film industry.
Join us in supporting the 2026 BGFC Teen Directors during the 48-Hour Film Fundathon. Donate, share, and contribute to the success of these powerful stories!
