Azubuike African American Council for the Arts is launching the inaugural year of Pulling Focus Film Festival, an annual celebration of local film and culture that focuses on enriching the lives of Quad Cities residents by presenting unique film-watching experiences framed through the lens of African American and Black Diasporic voices. After several years of holding the Urban Exposure Independent Film Project Summer Film Program, which teaches filmmaking to underrepresented and at-risk young people in our community, Azubuike has identified the need for a regional film festival that celebrates and promotes Black filmmakers. In response, we have established the Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities. The Festival will be held annually during the Juneteenth federal holiday to commemorate and celebrate, in our region, the struggles and triumphs of the Black Diaspora.