Under the theme "How to Be the Next," the three-day Festival will create an immersive experience connecting students and emerging creators with HBCU alumni actors, filmmakers, producers and industry leaders through screenings, master classes and interactive, hands-on sessions.
Actors and content creators Laya DeLeon Hayes (Doc McStuffins, Why Did I Get Married Again) and DaSan Frazier (Tough Love: Atlanta, Straw) will serve as the festival's 2026 I Aspire Ambassadors and host the Salute THEM Awards luncheon, where winners of the HBCU First LOOK Film Challenge, selected from more than 450 entries, will be announced and awarded $5,000 and internship opportunity.
The luncheon will also celebrate the 2026 I Aspire 25, recognizing HBCU alumni across five categories: Visionaries, Changemakers, Storytellers, Filmmakers and Entrepreneurs. This year's honorees include Michael Strahan, Eva Marcille, Jamila Mustafa, Colby Muhammad Nixon and Tone Bell, among others.
HBCU First LOOK's growing network of entertainment, media and brand partners is central to its professional development mission, helping build the pipeline of HBCU talent through industry insight, direct interaction and career-building opportunities.
STARZ, home to the critically acclaimed and award-winning drama "P-Valley" and the iconic "Power" franchise, continues to take the lead by creating opportunities for women and underrepresented audiences in front of and behind the camera. The network will participate in key programming during the festival, further underscoring its commitment to supporting diverse talent and emerging storytellers.
As one of the founding sponsors of the Festival, ANDSCAPE will celebrate its 10th anniversary, highlighting a decade of powerful storytelling at the intersection of sports and culture. The celebration will feature a special Clips & Conversations tribute with award-winning producers, Sheila Matthews and Jesse Washington, showcasing memorable stories and ANDSCAPE's cultural impact.
The 2026 lineup includes producer Autumn Bailey-Ford, who will examine the increasingly global nature of film production, and actress and filmmaker Nicky Micheaux, who will lead a master class on the rise of vertical storytelling. Grammy Award-winning producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will explore the relationship between music and film.
Creator-focused sessions will feature Alexis Powell, creator of The Jennifer Hudson Show's viral "hit" Spirit Tunnel; Howard University alumnae and content creators Jade & Jadah; media personality Jamila Mustafa; and independent filmmakers and producers the Vanzant Brothers. Actress and I Aspire 25 honoree Kennedi Reece, who appears on CBS' Beyond the Gates and featured in Netflix's upcoming A Different World reboot, will participate on a leading lady panel.
New this year, aspireTV hosts a Clips & Conversation spotlighting its expansion into original scripted programming with New State of Mind, an HBCU-set comedy from producer Bentley Kyle Evans that follows first-year students navigating college life.
"HBCU First LOOK was created to build a pipeline that turns exposure into experience," said Sheila Eldridge, founder of the HBCU First LOOK Film & TV Festival. "This year, 12 Howard University students are helping produce the festival, lending a direct voice to programming and interactive elements presented. It's truly produced by students, for students—giving them a seat at the table and an active role in bringing the festival to life."
Black Girl Vitamins will host Fueling Your Future; a two-day wellness and career activation centered on how physical well-being supports the sustainability needed for creative careers. TV One returns with a 'red carpet' readiness experience supports Micheaux's master class on vertical storytelling.
Additional partners include HBCUgo.tv, Storytellers Lab, Café Mocha Network, the Howard University Radio Network and the D.C. Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME).
The HBCU First LOOK Film & TV Festival will take place at the Armour J. Blackburn University Center at Howard University, 2397 6th Street NW, Washington, D.C. For registration, programming updates, media coverage and additional information, visit www.hbcufirstlook.com and info@hbcufirstlook.com.
On all social platforms @HBCUfirstlook #hbcufirstlook #Elevatefilmmakers #TAKETHELEAD, #BeTheNext
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