Contact:

Margaret Anne Tockarshewsky, Executive Director, New Haven Museum

203-562-4183, ext. 20, matockarshewsky@newhavenmuseum.org

Julie Winkel, Media Specialist,                                                                                                             

203-815-0800, jwinkel@live.com          

Black Barbie CT Premiere at 

NHdocs Gala Opening at New Haven Museum 

New Haven, Conn. (September 25, 2023) –The Connecticut premiere of the new documentary, “Black Barbie: A Documentary,” will take place at the New Haven Museum during the gala opening of the 2023 New Haven Documentary Film Festival (NHdocs) on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at 6 p.m. Peabody-nominated “Black Barbie” Co-Producer Aaliyah Williams will attend. The event is co-sponsored by Best Video Film & Cultural Center. Tickets are available here. 

NHdocs Executive Director/Programmer Gorman Bechard notes “Black Barbie” is a great film that is timely, important, and tied into the biggest movie of the year. The documentary offers insight into how the first Black Barbie doll came to be. During the film, Director Lagueria Davis takes audiences on a journey with her aunt, Beulah Mae Mitchell, who suggested the doll during her 45-year stint at Mattel. The film follows the development of the doll to today, when representation for Black women is still severely lacking. 

Bechard says, “We started by screening only four films in our first year, and now we’re at over 100 for 2023.” He adds, “We’ve developed a world-class film festival to celebrate the love of filmmaking and film viewing.” Within its first decade the festival has developed a solid fan base. Organizers are expecting 3,000-4,000 attendees over 11 days.

New Haven Museum Director of Photo Archives Jason Bischoff-Wurstle notes “NHdocs is one of the best things going on in the city, and it’s an honor and privilege to welcome their opening-night audience to the New Haven Museum.”

In addition to the gala opening at New Haven Museum, NHdocs will offer a host of screenings and related events. The festival also includes a student competition, sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Film, Television & Digital media. The program has been expanded to included middle school, high school and college students. 

For the complete schedule of both live and online screenings, workshops, musical performances, and ticket information visit: www.NHdocs.org.

About the New Haven Museum

The New Haven Museum has been collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven since its inception as the New Haven Colony Historical Society in 1862. Located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue, the Museum brings more than 375 years of New Haven history to life through its collections, exhibitions, programs and outreach. As a Blue Star Museum, the New Haven Museum offers the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, free admission all year. For more information visit http://newhavenmuseum.org or @NewHavenMuseum or call 203-562-4183.