(Credit: HBCU Week NOW)
HBCU filmmakers are celebrated by Black Public Media and Maryland Public Television during the inaugural HBCU Week NOW Student Film Festival.
The festival, which began Jan. 27, features 10 selected films from a pool of 36 submissions from across the country. The winning filmmakers are students and recent graduates of Hampton University, Howard University and Spellman College. Each winner received a $5,000 prize.
The films, according to Black Public Media, include “true stories of the first HBCU polo and lacrosse teams, fictional stories about environmental justice and the dangers of AI, explorations of femininity and the Black body, and more.”
The winners include:
- For Me, By Me by Hannah Koonce (Spelman College ’28);
- From Rodeo to Polo: The First HBCU Polo Team by Kendi King (Spelman College ’25);
- The Hale Academy by Audra Davison (Spelman College ’22);
- Lady T by Nia Lambert (Spelman College ’25);
- One and Only by Zachary Ramseur (Hampton University ’28);
- Paralysis by Analysis by Jolene Carter (Howard University ’25);
- Shotgun by Quaran Ahmad (Howard University ’25);
- StarChild by Miya Scaggs (Spelman College ’25);
- What Is The Black Body? by Amira Barrett (Spelman College ‘25); and
- Whispers of White by Kennedy Rome (Spelman College ’26).
Along with Maryland Public Television, partners with Black Public Media include PBS North Carolina, South Carolina Educational Television, WXXI Rochester, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, WABE Atlanta, Howard University Television, and public media digital channel WORLD.
A still from The Hale Academy by Audra Davison. (Courtesy: HBCU Week NOW)
Maryland Public Television’s senior vice president and chief content officer Travis E. Mitchell said in a statement how HBCU Week NOW keeps the legacy of HBCUs alive.
“HBCU Week NOW honors the enduring history, legacy and cultural heritage of HBCUs,” he said. “Our new film festival gives emerging filmmakers from these institutions a national stage and the momentum to turn student work into the next wave of public media.”
Black Public Media’s executive director Leslie Fields-Cruz also discussed the importance of the winning films.
“These films prove the pipeline is strong for Black stories of our past, present and future,” she said in a statement. “From intimate docs to audacious sci-fi projects, these artists are prepared to lead the next wave of storytelling.”
Qiona Woffard, Director of Talent Development at Black Public Media, told Just Add Color that the Harlem-based national media arts nonprofit wanted to partner with Maryland Public Television to “be able to support and uplift young and up-and-coming filmmakers.”
“It’s been great working with…Maryland Public Television. They actually are the funder of the project,” she said. “It’s been a really great collaborative experience.”
A still from What Is The Black Body? by Amira Barrett. (Courtesy HBCU Week NOW)
Woffard called Black Public Media an organization that “means the world” to her.
“I came on board with Black Public Media in 2020 just before the pandemic, and it is an amazing organization that uplift stories about the African American and even the black global experience,” she said. “…It aligns with my mission, focus and purpose of celebrating Black stories and Black content. And the team that I have the privilege of working with is dedicated, committed, focused and determined to make sure that we are doing all that we can to support our creatives who are telling our stories.”
Woffard described the filmmakers and their work as “incredible,” saying, “They way their brain works, the way they see things, the way they interpret things–we need more of that.”
“I think the more stories we see by our young makers, the better things will be for all of us in media,” she said. “We get a more diverse look at the world, a more diverse look at our communities. This group has been incredible, from [creating] their productions [to] even handling the behind the scenes stuff to get ready for the festival. They’ve just been top notch.”
She also said how important it is for organizations, and society at large, to support HBCUs.
“I think in these times it’s important to uplift colleges and universities that support our students and support our creativity and support our stories,” she said. “And our stories are wide and diverse, which is reflected in the selection of the films for the film festival. So I think that’s why it’s important.”
Black Public Media is also looking for your support, too. Their current 1.8 Million Campaign is seeking 1.8 million donors to help the nonprofit continue to support Black stories. Donations can be as little as $5 and can be made at the Black Public Media site.
The HBCU Week NOW Student Film Festival is now streaming on HBCU Week NOW’s YouTube channel, check out the films in the playlist below.
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