Black Cinema Series
Seeds
Screening and Discussion
Monday, August 17, 2026 | 7:00pm
Little Theatre 1 (240 East Ave.)
Doors open at 6:30pm
Standard ticket prices
Tickets available online in advance, at our box office during open hours, or at the door (if tickets remain).
Accessibility at this Screening
• Open Captions
• Hearing Amplification (accessibility device or hearing loop)
• ASL Interpretation (introduction and presentation)
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.
Interweaving the stories of three Black generational farmers to create a collective and intimate portrait of farming today, Seeds is a moving and powerful exploration of their lives, joys and struggles as well as the fragility of legacy and owning land.
With remarkable intimacy, the film documents their everyday lives – cotton harvesting, chasing cows, dealing with broken machinery and financial precarities. But the sobering reality underscores the urgency of their story. Black farmers owned 16 million acres of land in 1910 but today, that number has dwindled to a fraction.
Through these inter-generational stories, we see the cycles of inequity and embedded racism that persist to this present day, and the signs of hope and renewal with younger generations of farmers. Seeds emphasizes how human beings are innately tied to our foundational roots, roots which carry our ancestral memories – somber, bitter, and sweet.
Not Rated | 2 hr 3 mins | Documentary | 2025
USA | English
DCP | Filmmakers
Meet the Panelists
Pamela Reese Smith
Author, History Detective & Founder of Inner City Agriculture. Pamela Reese Smith’s commitment to land stewardship and historical preservation is deeply rooted in family history. In 1870, her great-great-grandfather, Samuel Bulow, purchased 50 acres in Promised Land, South Carolina, establishing a Southern agricultural legacy that fuels her multi-faceted work today.
A history detective with over 40 years of investigative research experience into Reconstruction-era history, Pamela is the author of Francis Lewis Cardozo, an Unsung Hero of Reconstruction. As the founder of Inner City Agriculture in Rochester, New York, she has spent decades empowering residents in underserved neighborhoods to transform non-traditional urban spaces—including vacant lots, porches, and pavement—into productive, edible gardens.
A former six-year member of the New York State Garden Task Force, Pamela bridges ancestral history with modern food sovereignty. She continues to expand her impact across digital platforms, sharing practical urban growing techniques, historical case files, and food justice advocacy with a global online audience under the TikTok: handle @Greenthumb and on Facebook.
Sister Marsha L. Allen, Minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, MBA
Responsible for the formation of a 580 Collaborative Partner joint effort and the movement from a Collaboration to a Cooperative to Empower 53, 0 00 Youth and their Families living be low the federal poverty level to work in unity to address the issues of poverty in their Families, Neighborhoods and Communities through 7 Economic Development programs be ginning with Organic Farming in the City of Rochester, NY. Responsible for Oversight and Management of the expansion of Organic Farms, Mobile Farmer’s Markets, Proper Nutrition Programs and Mobile Telemedicine to provide Services for Youth at Risk and their Families, Orphanages, Medical Clinics and Schools in 10 Nations and The Caribbean Islands. Surround Care Needs were addressed in Haiti in Collaboration with the Haitian people at a “Grass Roots” Level. The Peace- 1 ,000 Clinical Trial studied the impact of the integrated Global Wellness Programs on 1,000 Haitians. The Clinical Trial Population was drawn from Youth at Risk and their Families, Orphanages, Medical Clinics and Schools in all 10 Departments in Haiti.
Marshayla Young | East Rochester – Class of 2028
Marshayla Young is an accomplished and motivated sophomore at East Rochester High School. Known for her academic excellence, Marshayla consistently earns a spot on the High Honor Roll and is a recipient of the prestigious 2026 Urban Suburban Exceptional Scholar Award. She brings strong communication, collaboration, and time-management skills to her role as a moderator, along with a dependable and positive attitude. Marshayla is a quick learner who is passionate about teamwork, making her an excellent guide for engaging and thoughtful post-screening discussions.
Ethan Batiste | Penfield High School – Class of 2028
Ethan Batiste is an aspiring journalist and creative writer currently attending Penfield High School. Driven by a passion for storytelling and communication, Ethan actively explores his creative interests as a member of his school’s Creative Writing Club and through computer animation. He brings valuable, hands-on live production and audience engagement experience to his role as a moderator, having served as a multimedia and sound assistant, as well as a youth usher, for the New Progressive Cathedral Church of God in Christ. Outside of his academic and volunteer pursuits, Ethan is an accomplished strategist and martial artist who holds a Junior Black Belt in Jujitsu and participates in his school’s Chess Club.
About the series
Black Cinema Series
The Little Theatre’s Black Cinema Series, presented in partnership with the Rochester Association of Black Journalists (RABJ), screens both scripted and non-fiction films about the Black experience. With an emphasis on contemporary independent films, the series highlights Black perspectives and filmmakers, with screenings and panel discussions with community experts and filmmakers. More details about the Black Cinema Series Browse all films in this series
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