ASSEMBLY!
Dutch movie Premiere | Live Performance | DJ Set
In the spirit of World Pride and the great assemblies of Black and Queer resistance, we thrilled to invite you to the ASSEMBLY! A movie night featuring the Dutch premiere of a unique cinematic portrait of acclaimed artist Rashaad Newsome’s most ambitious work to date, followed by a live performance and a DJ set to gather on the dancefloor to close the night.
Assembly (dir. Rashaad Newsome & Johnny Symons, 2025) follows the creation of a groundbreaking multimedia exhibition and performance at New York’s historic Park Avenue Armory. Once a symbol of military authority and white institutional power, the Armory is reimagined as an exuberant monument to Black and queer creativity. From monumental video projections and holograms to sculpture, collage, and African fractal design, vogue, and an anti-colonial artificial intelligence, Assembly guides us through questions of ancestry, memory, liberation, and the futures we might yet create together.
The assembly will be opened with a performance by dancer and choreographer Christian Yav, and hosted by the incomparable JNM the Naked MC. Following the screening, we gather on the dancefloor for selected tunes by DJ Shug La Sheedah. Check out the movie trailer for Assembly below this page!
Trailer Assembly
Line-up
JNM The Naked MC (Host)
Our host Jennifer Muntslag, also known as JNM the Naked MC, brings you more than a feeling, a sound, or a beautiful view. JNM is an experience in itself. With her high-energy stage presence and authentic audience engagement, JNM brings events to life with a unique and memorable style. Unafraid to share personal experiences, she inspires others to do the same, turning every appearance into something deeper than a conversation or presentation.
DJ Shug la Sheedah
Shug La Sheedah is a respected figure in the Dutch music scene, celebrated for her seamless mixing, unexpected track selection, and ability to bring people together across generations through sounds ranging from soul, hip-hop, and R&B to afro, dancehall, and global music. Having shared stages and warmed up crowds for icons such as Diana Ross, Lauryn Hill, and Snoop Dogg, she will close the assembly with an uplifting set designed to leave the audience energized, connected, and inspired.
Filmmakers
Rashaad Newsome
Rashaad Newsome (director/producer/director of photography & visual effects) is an award-winning filmmaker, multidisciplinary artist, and innovator whose work defies conventional boundaries, blending film, performance, technology, and community organizing. Through his visionary approach, he crafts immersive experiences that challenge outdated narratives and create new spaces for Black, queer, and trans stories to thrive.
Johnny Symons
Johnny Symons (director/producer/cinematographer) 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 graduated with honors from Brown University and has a Master’s in documentary production from Stanford. Currently, he is professor and MFA coordinator in the School of Cinema at San Francisco State University.
Would you like to attend this program, but don’t have the means to pay for a ticket? Send an email to info@felixmeritis.nl, we can work something out.
Note: By booking this ticket, you agree to potentially be photographed during the event.