Zaire Love
The time to speak up is now, and the AIN’T Film Festival wants to show you how to get loud.
Founded and spearheaded by Zaire Love, AIN’T is a shining new beacon for Southern filmmakers and creatives with something to say. AIN’T, according to Love, “is resistance. It is also an affirmation.” Amidst the current political wave sweeping over Memphis and the South as a whole, Love emphasizes the importance of ain’t: “We need to remember our aint’s, what we ain’t going for, to remember we have power as individuals and as a collective. We don’t have to take what we’re given, we can take what we deserve.”
Why a film festival? Why AIN’T? “Resistance is also joy,” she explains. “Being yourself, having a good time, not being concerned about the judgement or consequences. … You’re just having a good time and that’s what AIN’T is for too. Let’s have a good time, let’s be joyful. The power is in our joy, in our hope, in us being who we are.”
The first installment of AIN’T’s three-day program kicks off tonight at the Malco Powerhouse Theater, and Love can’t wait to share the full schedule of events waiting for attendees. “I’m really excited,” Love says. “I’m really looking forward to people seeing the intentions behind the material.” AIN’T’s first night opens with a worldbuilding workshop with Eso and Grae Williams from 5ifth Floor Agency. On its heels follows a diverse selection of “Lite Bites” — film trailers, short films, or other videos that run for a minute or less — produced by budding filmmakers from across the South. The night will close out with segments from “Memphis Makers,” which include talks from Kam Darko, DJ YoBreezye, Talibah Safiya, and Zaire Love herself.
AIN’T is a homage to Memphis, the South, and the varied, colorful lives of the people living within it. Yet — most importantly — it’s also a wake-up call, casting a critical eye over the sociopolitical issues looming large over Memphis and the South — among them, according to Love, environmental racism, corporate overreach, economic injustice, and cultural erasure.
Film screenings will continue into Friday as more keynotes come to the table — literally. At the Artist Table, drinks and light appetizers will be served while attendees hear from filmmakers from the Prototype Film Residency and food justice advocates from Memphis.
Finally, in a love letter to Memphis, AIN’T offers a self-guided city tour curated by Love. Events at certain locations will be scattered throughout the city to encourage attendees to explore as much of Memphis as possible. Among these events are a postcard event at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, Black History Month trivia at the Four Way, a dance party, and a seating event at Overton Park.
This isn’t to say that Love has forgotten the print artists — far from it. “You a artist, ain’t it?” quips the submission call for the festival’s own AIN’T ZINE (short for magazine). Bringing together artwork from a range of mediums, styles, and artists, the zine maintains the festival’s theme of embodying fierce love for creativity, activism, and expression. Tucked between poetry and flowing illustrations are liberatory resources and discussions about music, art, and film.
“We believe that physical media plays a vital role in creating and sustaining culture,” the submission call states. “We’re seeking contributions that live as both art and accessible tools for inspiration, education, liberation, and genius.” Submission calls closed February 13th, but attendees can look forward to seeing the zine in its final bound form during the festival.
Undoubtedly, AIN’T is a homage to Memphis, the South, and the varied, colorful lives of the people living within it. Yet — most importantly — it’s also a wake-up call, casting a critical eye over the sociopolitical issues looming large over Memphis and the South — among them, according to Love, environmental racism, corporate overreach, economic injustice, and cultural erasure.
Now more than ever, AIN’T says, is the time for Memphis’ own to make their voice heard and speak up for the city they love and the communities they care for. Everyday people, non-artists, have thoughts and ideas about what should be happening, Love says, but they don’t always have the language or time to express those ideas. That’s where AIN’T comes in. “We should be leaders, catalysts, as well,” Love urges, referring to the artists participating in the festival, and use our skills to inspire others.
Tickets for the festival are sold out already, and Love is hopeful for a bright future for AIN’T. Initially, she wasn’t sure what kind of reaction she would receive when proposing the film festival, but she found herself pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response. Though it’s starting small now, she hopes it will grow into something bigger and more far-reaching, something that will attract more filmmakers and creatives to Memphis and amplify AINT’S impact far beyond the city.
“Memphis has a community of strong filmmakers,” Love emphasizes. “We need even more spaces to curate, to highlight, those places and spaces. Memphis isn’t just music; we got film and storytelling.” Above all, she is excited for AIN’T to create pathways, both for aspiring filmmakers in Memphis and the larger Southern region, to tell stories about the Black South.
Looking forward, Love sees strong potential in AIN’T’s role in activism. “I see [the festival] as a space where we make liberation and the movement Black,” she says. “Toni Cade Bambara says you have to make the revolution irresistible, and I just hope that people see the potential of storytelling and film as a pathway to civic engagement, to living the lives they have imagined.” Love pledges: “May we remember our ain’t so much that generations to come remember and continue to manifest a world they want to live in.”
