The Alma Film Festival, happening March 17-22, 2026 in the Dominican Republic, is unlike any other film festival in existence. Pt 2 of a 2-part episode features guests in Finland, Lesotho, and Atlanta; one of the Atlanta guests being one who's the backbone behind the festival and the other being one who is directing a conversation unpacking a powerful documentary by a Swiss woman who traveled globally for her film on what it means to be a Black/biracial woman. Learn more about these insanely talented people below. What is this episode? A Global Dialogue on Storytelling, Identity, and “The Necessity of Something New”The brainchild of Festival Founder and Director Anthony Page -- whose sincere humility causes him to credit many others -- Alma (Spanish for "soul") is an international film festival specifically focused on people and works from the Global South and the diaspora. This festival is crossing borders and crossing barriers -- and has connected collaborators across 52 cities in 35 countries! You heard that right. For an inaugural film festival? Talk about impressive. I, Samantha Fletcher, sat down with Anthony and just a handful of the many creatives making this festival all possible in the Caribbean in just a few weeks. March 17-22, 2026 to be exact. Read up on all of my amazing esteemed guests, a diverse group of filmmakers, cultural leaders, and creative voices from across the global film community:Sydney Bryant – An award-winning filmmaker and founder of the production company Shades of Cinema. Sydney is directing a major collaborative project connected to Swiss filmmaker Rachel M’Bon’s film J’Suis Noire (French), subtitled in English as Becoming a Black Woman. The project will expand the film’s themes into a global community conversation, with filmed discussions in multiple cities around the world where women will share their perspectives on what it means to be Black, Brown, or a woman of color within their own cultural environments.Diana Lynch-Grissett – Founder and CEO of Soule Resort (S-O-U-L-E) and developer of Grand Cay in El Limón, Dominican Republic, a multi-use beachfront golf resort community scheduled to break ground later this year. Her company is a cornerstone partner and one of the most trusted strategic collaborators of the Alma Film Festival, playing an important role in the festival’s long-term development and presence in the region.Chike Ohanwe – A celebrated actor based in Helsinki, Finland, Chike is the first Black actor to receive Finland’s equivalent of the Academy Awards, the Jussi Award. He is also a member of the Actique Global Performance Circle and serves on its board, contributing to the initiative’s mission to expand global acting approaches and performance traditions across the diaspora.Khotso Maphathe – A filmmaker and arts advocate from Lesotho working across documentary and narrative film throughout Southern Africa. He is also the founder of Space Agency, a multimedia production company that develops creative and storytelling projects for businesses and organizations across the region.Anthony Page -- Founder and Director, Alma Film Festivalhttps://www.almafilmfestival.com/