Darol Olu Kae

2025-2026

Black Film Project Fellow

Darol Olu Kae is an award-winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His work has gained international acclaim, showcased at renowned venues like the Locarno, Sundance, and SXSW Film Festivals, as well as BAM, Film at Lincoln Center, MoMA, and The Geffen Contemporary at MoCA. Recognized by Filmmaker Magazine as one of their "25 New Faces of Independent Film" in 2022, Kae recently received a Creative Capital grant and is currently developing his debut feature film, Without a Song.

Fellowship Project

Message to the Messenger is a feature-length essay film that reinterprets jazz history through the social and spiritual forces that shaped its creation. It centers on legendary drummer Art Blakey's enigmatic 1948 trip to West Africa, where he reportedly abstained from drumming to "study religion and philosophy" and immerse himself in local culture. The film leverages the ambiguity surrounding Blakey's journey as a springboard to explore new perspectives on history, memory, mythology, and the intricate connections between Black Americans and Africans.