In 2022, interdisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome created his most groundbreaking and visionary exhibition yet with Assembly, a multimedia extravaganza of sculpture, dance, collage, spoken word, artificial intelligence, and participatory workshops exploring Black and Queer cultures. Co-directed by Newsome and Johnny Symons, this vibrant documentary explores the inner workings of Newsome’s imagination as he took Assembly from a simple idea to a profound collaboration with dozens of other artists, creating an immersive space of empowerment.
Drawing on his lived experience as a queer Black man, Newsome’s work transcends assumptions of race, sexuality, technology, and abstract art as he guides audiences to think about the future: But one innovative avenue of exploration is building Being: The Digital Griot, a non-binary AI trained on bell hooks and revolutionary thinkers. Through its transformation of New York’s Park Avenue Armory, Assembly showcases a one-of-a-kind event built around decolonization, storytelling, and resistance.
Media Partner
USA
2025
English
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Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Carrie Lozano
Producer
Rashaad Newsome, Johnny Symons
Cinematography
Rashaad Newsome, Keenan Newman, Johnny Symons
Editor
Ash Verwiel
Original Music
M Jamison, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Rashaad Newsome, Cristobal Tapia de Veer
Rashaad Newsome
Rashaad Newsome is an award-winning filmmaker, multidisciplinary artist, and innovator whose projects defy conventional boundaries. Blending film, performance, technology, and community organizing, his visionary works craft immersive experiences that challenge outdated narratives and create new spaces for Black, queer, and trans stories to thrive. Newsome’s short films have screened in arts institutions, at film festivals, and on PBS, and recent awards for his work include the 2022 Newfest Emerging Black LGBTQ+ Filmmaker Award, the 2022 Prix Ars Electronica Golden Nica Award for Computer Animation, and the 2025 Creative Capital Award.
Filmography: Build or Destroy (2021)
Photo by Jeff Vespa
Johnny Symons
Johnny Symons is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker who has directed and produced multiple award-winning LGBTQ-themed feature documentaries. His work has screened at more than 200 international film festivals and received support from funders such as Sundance, Tribeca, ITVS, Catapult, HBO, Frameline, and the California Council for the Humanities. He is a former fellow in the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and a longstanding member of New Day Films. Currently, he is a professor and MFA coordinator at the School of Cinema at San Francisco State University.
Filmography: Daddy and Papa (2002); Beyond Conception (2006); Ask Not (2008); Out Run (2016)
Photo by Luz Gallardo
Portraits
See more films in this series
La Salsa Vive
An exuberant celebration of salsa that traces the genre's evolution from New York City in the 1960s and 70s to Cali, Colombia — the salsa capital of the world. Carvajal’s documentary highlights the rich legacy of this musical form and the joy it inspires.
Assembly
This vibrant documentary explores interdisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome’s visionary 2022 exhibition Assembly, a multimedia extravaganza of artists collaborating to create an immersive, empowering space exploring the joy of Black and Queer culture.
I Want It All. Hildegard Knef
A glamorous icon full of poise and style, Hildegard Knef was one of the 20th century’s true film stars. This documentary reveals the multi-faceted layers beneath her larger-than-life persona, exploring her rise to fame while piercing the masks she hid behind.
Caravaggio
In the latest from Exhibition on Screen, co-directors David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky shed light on not only on Caravaggio’s paintings, but his life, often kept half-hidden in the same chiaroscuro tones he shaded his masterpieces with.
Sun Ra: Do the Impossible
Whether he was a man, a musician, or an emissary from Saturn (as he claimed), Sun Ra was one of the unique visionaries of the 20th century. Christine Turner’s documentary explores the legacy of this iconoclastic who turned his life into a work of art.
John Candy: I Like Me
A Canadian icon who defined a generation of comedy, John Candy’s presence still looms large in the hearts of fans decades after his tragic death. This documentary is a hilarious, heartwarming celebration of Candy’s generous spirit and singular talent.
The Art of Adventure
The unbelievable adventure story of how painter Robert Bateman and ecologist Bristol Foster drove a Land Rover from Africa to Australia in 1957, developing a love of nature to last a lifetime. An inspirational love letter to the adventure of life itself.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
Half Moon: Kinan Azmeh
Syrian musician Kinan Azmeh questions how art and music can adequately confront the tragedy of war in this introspective documentary. A profound and celebratory meditation on art’s ability to build solidarity, community, and hope in the world.
The Essence of Eva
Tragically dying years before she’d rise to global fame, Eva Cassidy was an uncompromising artist whose transcendent voice still resonates. With never-before-heard recordings and footage, this intimate portrait captures the person behind the legend.
particle dance
A poetic tribute to the artistic innovations of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. particle dance captures the humility and beauty of Kuma’s balancing act between tradition and experimentation, as he seeks to reconnect humans with their natural environment.
Are We Good?
Affable curmudgeon Marc Maron jokes his way through grief, trying to make sense of the world and his comedy following the death of his partner. A cantankerously poignant, wryly funny cri de coeur from one of the most genuine comedians in the business.