When I host a film screening, I’m never just showing a movie, I’m holding space.
On November 13th, ThisisLAWade Inc., in collaboration with the Toronto Pan Afrikan Film Festival (TPAFF) and TRF Media, launched a new kind of Film Club: Sip, Screen, and Chat. Our first screening, Sacred Water by Olivier Jourdain, invited a small group of Black women into an intimate space to talk about something many of us were taught to avoid — pleasure.
What happened that night went beyond cinema.
It became ritual.
We laughed, gasped, cried, and reflected — not just on the women in Rwanda reclaiming their sensual heritage, but on how colonization, religion, and shame have shaped our own relationships to our bodies and joy. Guided by my guest co-facilitator Myka Kandake of Mastering My Magic, we breathed together, looked into mirrors, and affirmed that pleasure is not a luxury — it’s a birthright.
The Film as a Mirror
For me, storytelling has always been about reclamation. Whether through my books (The Adventures of a Recovering Love Addict), my films (Thirsty AF, a SMALL book), or the workshops I curate, I’ve learned that film, when paired with conversation becomes a mirror. It helps us see ourselves, not as problems to fix, but as stories unfolding.
That’s why every ThisisLAWade Inc. screening is designed with intention. It’s not just a viewing — it’s a guided experience. There’s grounding, journaling, and community dialogue. There’s also wine (because healing can be soft), laughter, and sometimes a quiet moment of revelation.
Corporate and Community Partnerships: Cinema with Purpose
This approach has opened the door to exciting collaborations with both not-for-profit organizations and corporate partners who want to engage their teams and communities in meaningful, trauma-informed dialogue.
Our Curated Screenings + Talk-Backs can be tailored for:
- Workplace Wellness & DEI Programs — Using film to spark conversation around empathy, inclusion, and emotional literacy.
- Community & Cultural Organizations — Creating safe spaces for intergenerational dialogue, identity, and storytelling.
- Educational Institutions — Integrating art-based healing into curriculum for mental health and Black student achievement.
- Private & Corporate Retreats — Pairing wine, conversation, and storytelling for reflection and team cohesion.
Each session is customized to align with the organization’s goals — whether it’s strengthening workplace culture, exploring equity through art, or simply reminding people that healing is communal.
Why It Matters
We are living in an era of disconnection — from ourselves, from each other, and from the stories that make us whole.
But I’ve seen what happens when people gather in a circle after a film. Walls come down. Egos soften. Truths rise.
When people feel seen, they start to heal.
When they heal, they start to create.
And when they create communities thrive.
That’s the foundation of ThisisLAWade Inc. using storytelling as a bridge between art and wellness, culture and community, reflection and action.
Looking Ahead: Let’s Curate Together
Our next Film Club series will continue to expand beyond pleasure — exploring the themes at the heart of TPAFF’s 2026 season: Liberation, Spirituality, Displacement, Exploitation, and Transformation.
If your organization, school, or corporate team is looking to host a private screening or curated talk-back experience, I’d love to collaborate. Whether you’re a not-for-profit seeking meaningful engagement or a corporate team aiming to build emotional intelligence through art, we can design a program that meets you where you are.
Let’s use story to do what it’s always done best —
connect us, challenge us, and change us.
By L.A. Wade | Creative Healing Strategist, Author & Filmmaker
Founder, ThisisLAWade Inc.
To book a private screening or partnership discovery call:
📧 info@thisislawade.com
🌐 www.thisislawade.com
📸 @ThisisLAWadeInc | @TRFMedia | @TPAFForg
