TRIBES create daring and entertaining documentary films that represent a diversity of subjects and communities. Our mission is to uncover unique stories from underrepresented subcultures and to entertain audiences through dazzling visuals and powerful, engaging narratives.
I BREATHE LIFE! The Story of Monica Daye & SUSO
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I BREATHE LIFE! The Story of Monica Daye & SUSO follows award-winning Durham poet, educator, and survivor-advocate Monica Daye as she transforms personal trauma into a movement for healing. Monica found her voice in Durham’s vibrant spoken word community, where Black poets and artists used poetry to confront difficult truths and give language to the realities surrounding them. For Monica, poetry became a way to reclaim her story and turn survival into purpose. Learn more. In Production. Coming 2027.
JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana
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Step right up for a thrilling ride through American entertainment history with JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana! Join director Leslie Cunningham as she unveils the untold stories of the legendary Harlem in Havana Revue, a groundbreaking traveling girl show that defied the odds and left an indelible mark on Black and Latin entertainment during the era of Jim Crow. Learn more.
WATCH: Finding Aumont Whitaker
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At age 22, Dina learned her real father was a postman from Compton, California. Her mother told her he was married and she shouldn’t interfere. She didn’t. More than two decades later, when Dina finds her sisters on Facebook, she sets out on journey to meet them. An emotional experimental short film by filmmaker Leslie Cunningham, Finding Aumont Whitaker is filled with sorrow, love and laughter. Revel in the power of family, the gift that keeps on giving.
M.I. A DIFFERENT KIND OF GIRL (2012)
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M.I., A Different Kind of Girl (2012), a documentary by Leslie Cunningham. M.I. follows Laine Brown, aka NATION TYRE, a groundbreaking male impersonator challenging gender norms and seeking acceptance within African American and LGBTQ+ communities. Featuring music by hip-hop duo KIN4LIFE, the film screened at LGBTQ+ film festivals nationally and internationally.
