W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause

Ohio Premiere

Showings

Festival tickets go on sale March 18, with visionaries and members receiving early access for ticket purchase.

April 10, 2026

2:15 pm – 4:07 pm

Cedar Lee Theatre

April 11, 2026

9:20 am – 11:12 am

Playhouse Square Campus

CSU Screening Room at the Idea Center (Floor 6)

About This Film

Festival Year: 2026

Run Time: 112 Minutes

Film Type: Feature

Animated: No

Genre: Documentary

Countr(ies): Ghana, USA

Language: English

English Subtitles: No

Captions: None

Film Overview

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause is a feature-length documentary directed by Peabody Award–winning filmmaker Rita Coburn that explores the life, ideas, and enduring impact of one of America’s most influential intellectuals. More than 120 years after The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois’ analysis of race, identity, and systemic injustice remains urgently relevant.

Born just five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Du Bois became a pioneering scholar, writer, and activist—co-founding the NAACP, shaping early civil rights movements, and challenging America to confront the “color line.” The film traces his journey from groundbreaking scholarship to global influence, including his revolutionary work at the 1900 Paris Exposition, where he used data and design to counter racist narratives on an international stage.

Featuring narration by Viola Davis and readings by Common, Courtney B. Vance, and Jeffrey Wright, the documentary offers an intimate, cinematic portrait of a visionary whose ideas continue to shape our world.

Programmer's Comment:

“Multifaceted, dynamic and with such varied interests. Enjoy the journey as Viola Davis leads the narration, and shares his story with such interest.” – Samira

Film Contact: Rita Coburn

Film Website: https://www.ritacoburn.com/

Film Email: ritacoburnmedia@gmail.com