Tickets are now available for the first-ever in-person HBCU Student Invitational Film Competition and Festival, scheduled for August 23 at Detroit’s newly reopened Michigan Central Station, inside the New Lab.
This festival is designed to highlight and uplift young Black artists by providing them with a platform to showcase their work. According to The Detroit News, the event will feature films and visual art created by students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Film screenings will take place at the end of August, with a special award—the Jury Award—given to the top filmmakers. This prestigious award includes a $10,000 prize, and the winners will be announced the day after the festival ends.
In addition to the screenings, there will be free panel discussions on filmmaking and artistic direction. However, attendees must register in advance to participate. Tickets for the awards ceremony and the gala afterward at Michigan Central Station are priced at $50 and $100, respectively.
The festival is co-organized by the City of Detroit’s Office of Arts, Culture & Entrepreneurship (ACE) and Autumn Sun, a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting young Black artists. Detroit was chosen as the host city because the founder of Autumn Sun, filmmaker Bruce Clifton, is a Detroit native.
Rochelle Riley, ACE’s Director, noted in a press release that Detroit is a vibrant hub for all forms of art, making it a perfect location for this new festival.
The HBCU Student Film Festival will be a weekend filled with creativity and inspiration, as talented students from HBCUs showcase their cinematic skills. The event will wrap up with an awards ceremony and gala at Michigan Central Station.
On opening night, films will be screened at the New Lab. The following day will feature free morning panel discussions, an awards ceremony, and a gala in the evening.