The Breakthrough Health Film Festival at Tulane University is an inspiring showcase of storytelling through film that promotes health and wellness, aiming to spark conversations, foster understanding, and inspire action toward a healthier society for all. Films and post-screening conversations will shine a light on human stories from community builders, advocates, filmmakers, producers, and artists, to broaden our perspective on the challenges and triumphs shaping our understanding of health and well-being today. These voices offer fresh insights into the social and systemic issues impacting our communities.
Each day of the film festival will highlight a specific theme: 'Movement Makers,' 'The Power of Choice,' and 'The Power of Storytelling.' Films and shorts that resonate with these powerful themes will be showcased, creating a meaningful experience for all attendees.
Free to register! Get tickets here
DAY 1: Opening Day: Movement Makers | Sunday, April 6
Doors at 1:00 pm
Program 1:30 pm - 6:00 pm
The opening day sets the stage for three days of powerful storytelling that honors resilience, activism, and the unbreakable spirit of communities fighting for justice. The featured films showcase how movements—whether cultural, social, or political—emerge from lived experiences and collective determination. From reclaiming identity to confronting systemic injustice, these stories remind us that change is not just necessary—it is inevitable.
The day culminates in a Q&A with Dr. Thomas LaVeist, director of The Skin You're In, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s exploration of racial health disparities in America. Dr. LaVeist’s insights will illuminate the intersections of history, policy, and personal narratives that shape health outcomes today.
Shorts: Definition of Resilience: “Identity," This is New Orleans, Stories Within, Takeover
Feature: Pre-screening of The Skin You're In (Thomas LaVeist)
DAY 2: The Power of Choice | Monday, April 7
Doors at 4:00 pm
Program 4:45 - 9:00 pm
Day two shifts the focus to the power of individual and collective decision-making in the face of systemic constraints. The films invite audiences to consider the ways access, policy, and social norms shape health, identity, and justice—and how people push back against these structures to carve out their own paths.
The feature film, On the Divide, follows the complex realities of reproductive rights in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, presenting an unflinching look at the intersections of faith, choice, and survival. A Q&A with filmmakers will provide deeper insight into the challenges of capturing such deeply personal and politically charged narratives.
Shorts: Smells Like; Hidden Barriers | Health Care's invisible minority; Sol in the Garden
Feature: On the Divide (Q&A with filmmaker)
DAY 3: The Power of Storytelling | Tuesday, April 8
Doors at 4:00pm
Program 4:45 - 9:00 pm
The closing night highlights storytelling as a tool for transformation, healing, and social change. The selected films amplify voices that are often overlooked, offering deeply personal and visually stunning narratives that challenge perceptions and inspire action.
The evening’s feature film, Alive Inside, demonstrates the remarkable power of music in unlocking memory, identity, and connection for individuals with dementia. Director Michael Rossato-Bennett will join us for a Q&A, sharing his journey in making the film and discussing how storytelling can shift perspectives on aging, care, and human dignity.
Shorts: Ekbeh; Enclave: Mar, Marasmo, Maravilla; Imelda is not Alone
Feature: Alive Inside (Michael Rossato-Bennett)
Presented by the Tulane Health Equity Institute, Partners for Advancing Health Equity, and Tulane Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Co-sponsored by Tulane Digital Media Practices, Tulane University Libraries, The Roger Thayer Stone Center for Latin American Studies, and The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
Community Partner: NOVAC, Ashé Cultural Arts Center
