Assembly follows internationally acclaimed artist Rashaad Newsome as he embarks on his most ambitious project yet — a multimedia exhibition and performance at New York’s historic Park Avenue Armory. Once a bastion of white military power, the Armory is transformed into a vibrant celebration of Black and queer culture through video projections, holograms, sculptures, collages, music, dance, and African fractal patterns. This reimagining challenges colonial power structures while honoring the complexity and resilience of Black experience.
The film opens with a haunting vision: enslaved ancestors thrown from a slave ship into the sea. This imagery sets the tone for a journey shaped by ancestral presences — those who resisted, endured, and were lost too soon. Rashaad’s visit to Ghana, where he communes with ancestors in the dungeons of enslavement, deepens the film’s exploration of history, memory, and guidance as he creates this monumental work.
The film also breaks new ground by centering an AI character, Being, as a fully realized entity with a rich emotional arc. Evolving from a conceptual artwork into a central figure, Being overcomes skepticism from humans as they teach the critical importance of decolonization. Their story mirrors the struggles of Assembly’s performers, creating a poignant parallel between technology and humanity. Performers like Nekia, a Black trans woman who channels public scorn into inner strength, and Kyron, who transforms his traumatic upbringing into healing vocal performances, bring raw emotional depth to the work. Dazié confronts the isolation of being Black and queer through his spoken-word poetry, while Puma resists toxic masculinity through movement rooted in her Brazilian and queer identities. Together with Rashaad, they form a lineage of resilience, turning pain into artistic power.
Through innovative hybrid storytelling, breathtaking visual effects, and the ongoing presence of ancestors, Assembly transcends traditional documentary as it weaves together Rashaad’s creative process, dynamic performances, and the lives of his collaborators. Powerful moments, such as a memorial for murdered Black trans women that evolves into a protest march, highlight art’s capacity to reclaim agency and inspire change, offering a vision of intergenerational resilience, transformation, and hope.
For more info on this film and its release, please visit assemblythefilm.com