Ten Films Selected For Inaugural HBCU Week Now Student Film Festival

February 5, 2026

Maryland Public Television and Black Public Media have launched the inaugural HBCU Week NOW Student Film Festival, showcasing ten winning films created by students and recent graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The selected works, chosen from 36 submissions nationwide, span multiple genres including documentary, animation, experimental, and science fiction. Each winning filmmaker receives a $5,000 award, and their films premiered on January 27 before being made available on the HBCU Week NOW YouTube channel.

Who is affected

Students and recent graduates of Hampton University, Howard University, and Spelman College (the winning filmmakers)
36 film submission participants from HBCUs across the nation
Viewers of HBCU Week NOW YouTube channel
Maryland Public Television (MPT), Black Public Media (BPM), and partner public media organizations (PBS North Carolina, South Carolina Educational Television, WXXI Rochester, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, WABE Atlanta, Howard University Television, and WORLD)

What action is being taken

The ten winning films are streaming on the HBCU Week NOW YouTube channel
Each winning project is receiving a $5,000 award

Why it matters

This festival provides a significant platform for emerging Black filmmakers from HBCUs to showcase their work and receive recognition and financial support. It demonstrates the strength of the pipeline for diverse Black storytelling across multiple genres and perspectives, while also creating opportunities for these student artists to launch their careers in media and entertainment. The partnership among major public media organizations amplifies the reach and impact of these voices in the broader media landscape.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint