HBCU Week Now Collabs With Black Public Media For Inaugural Student Film Festival

Ten short films, with a time of 30 minutes maximum, will be selected, with each filmmaking team receiving $5,000.

According to a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, public media partnership group HBCU Week NOW and media arts nonprofit Black Public Media (BPM) are teaming up to launch the first-ever student film festival.

The group, which creates films highlighting the impact and contributions of historically Black colleges and universities, announced the open call for short film submissions from HBCU students. The films will premiere during the virtual HBCU Week NOW Student Film Festival, which is scheduled to take place during Black History Month 2026.

Ten short films, with a time of 30 minutes maximum, will be selected, and each filmmaking team will receive $5,000 each. The festival is designed to celebrate the creativity, innovation, and storytelling of the next generation of Black film creatives. Submissions of all genres will be accepted, but the group seeks a focus on stories reflecting on Black experiences, culture, and history.

BPM’s Director of Talent Development, Qiona Woffard, says the team is excited about working with the industry’s next generation of filmmakers. “We welcome this opportunity to partner with HBCU Week NOW to identify and amplify young talent and their stories,” Woffard said.

“We look forward to helping push the new voices of the film community to the forefront with this exciting new festival.

The Harlem-based national media arts nonprofit, which works to develop creatives and produces and distribute original content, held an informational webinar on March 13 for those interested in participating. According to the Jacksonville Free Press, eligibility includes being enrolled at an HBCU or having graduated in the last three years. Participants are not required to be enrolled in a film program.

Both HBCU Week NOW and BPM are encouraging HBCU faculty members and administrators to present this new opportunity as a way to heighten their filmmaking and creative skills by providing resources such as workshops, equipment, or mentorship to help students prepare to submit their projects as the submission deadline is April 12, 2025.

For almost 50 years, BPM has worked to address the pain points of unserved and underserved audiences, including the filmmaking industry. Their programs resulted in winning five Emmys®, and Anthem Awards, 10 Peabodys, 14 Emmy® nominations and an Oscar® nomination.