Film screening of "We Were Here" by Director Fred Kuwornu, a Transnational Film Series

 "We Were Here, the Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe" (2024).

Acclaimed artist and filmmaker Fred Kuwornu is making an appearance at Rochester Institute of Technology to present his latest documentary, the film, which is under consideration for nomination for the 2026 Academy Awards, interweaves art history with social narratives, offering a fresh lens on European Renaissance and the complex tapestry of Black presence often overlooked in conventional historical accounts. "We Were Here" challenges the notion that all Blacks were slaves or servants. It reveals a diverse presence, including princes, ambassadors, merchants, and religious figures. In 2025, Kuwornu was awarded a Folger Shakespeare fellowship and the Dan David Prize.

The screening will be followed by a Q+A with Director Fred Kumornu. 

This interdisciplinary series centers transnational and intersectional perspectives and aligns closely with university-wide initiatives connected to Women’s History Month, disability studies, Black Europe and Postmigrant Europe, and global cultural engagement.

Please submit interpreting requests to myAccess.rit.edu.

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