ASSEMBLY documentary – A genre-bending journey into Black and queer futures that refuses to be boxed in

Part documentary, part multi-sensory performance, the film takes audiences behind the scenes of Rashaad Newsome’s groundbreaking installation at New York’s Park Avenue Armory, transforming a bastion of white military power into a vibrant celebration of queer joy, resistance, and possibility.

Blending music, dance, projections, sculpture, holograms, and African fractal patterns, Assembly channels the energy of the queer underground while delivering sharp political commentary. At its center is Being, the Digital Griot — a voguing, storytelling, non-binary AI informed by the writings of Black feminist thinkers. Through the film, Being underscores the urgency of decolonization and envisions a future where machines amplify diverse voices rather than silence them.

From breathtaking visuals to powerful tributes — including an homage to Black trans women and a journey to Ghana to commune with enslaved ancestors — Assembly is at once a vision of intergenerational resilience and a love letter to queer Black excellence.

“STUNNING.”
– New York Daily News

“AMBITIOUS.”
– IndieWire

“EMPOWERING…
“Assembly is a loud and proud assertion from a community that refuses to be dismissed anymore.”
– POV Magazine

“AI & art work together as agents of resistance.”
– Austin Chronicle

“A visually stunning and thought-provoking cinematic journey that reimagines art as a tool for resistance and community-building.”
– Black Girl Nerds