Kansas City PBS and Janelle Monáe’s nonprofit Fem The Future have partnered to bring the 2nd Annual Reel Black Film Fest to fruition. The festival, for which submissions closed on Oct. 17, invited Black filmmakers based in the Midwest to submit non-fiction short and feature films.
“Fem the Future is thrilled to partner with Kansas City PBS to bring the 2026 Black Film Festival to life. This collaboration is about more than programming — it’s about expanding visibility for Black filmmakers, elevating their stories, and creating space for work that deserves a global stage” said Fem the Future Board Chair Christina Guckert. “It’s especially meaningful to us because our founder, Janelle Monáe, is from Kansas City. Rooting this festival in the community that helped shape her while uplifting the next generation of filmmakers feels both full-circle and deeply energizing.”
The 2026 Reel Black Film Fest will take place on Friday, Feb. 20 and Saturday, Feb 21 in the historic 18th and Vine District of Kansas City. The festival will kick off at the Gem Theatre with a KCPBS member-only opening reception followed by the festival’s official shorts selection. The closing reception and awards ceremony will be hosted at the American Jazz Museum following the official features selection.
In addition to the official selection screenings, attendees can expect panel discussions with filmmakers, shopping with local vendors, networking opportunities, and the announcement of four non-cash prizes that will include one (1) Grand Jury Award: Best Feature Film, one (1) Grand Jury Award: Best Short Film, one (1) Audience Choice Award: Best Feature Film, and one (1) Audience Choice Award: Best Short Film. The Grand Jury Awards will be selected by the festival’s screening jury, while the Audience Choice Awards will be determined by votes from festival attendees.
The 2026 Reel Black Film Fest official selection will be announced on Monday, January 12 and tickets will be publicly available on Monday, January 19. For early access to tickets, become a member of Kansas City PBS by visiting kansascitypbs.org/support/.
“In its second year, and in a moment more pertinent than ever, the Reel Black Film Fest is focused on activating historic Black cultural spaces in Kansas City, collaborating with creatives and organizations dedicated to investing in the next generation of storytellers, and amplifying new voices” said Latavia Young, Content, Communications, and Engagement Manager of Kansas City PBS. “We are so proud to be partnering with Fem the Future on this year’s festival.”
With over 300 people in attendance, 2025’s festival included Mid-America Emmy® award-winning filmmakers Nico Giles Wiggins, Jacob Handy, and Kerry Rounds and their respective films “Land of Opportunity: The Road of Resistance,” “The Potato King: A Dynasty Built on Dirt and Dreams,” and “Diamond Jubilee: A 75-Year Celebration of Carter Broadcast.”
The 2025 Reel Black Film Festival was nominated for a Community Engagement, Local Project Public Media Award (PMA 57) and both “The Potato King” and “Diamond Jubilee: A 75-Year Celebration of Carter Broadcast” were nominated for the 2025 Mid-America Emmy® Award.
For more information about the 2026 Reel Black Film Fest, Venue, Jury, and Partners, visit kansascitypbs.org/reelblack.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2026 Reel Black Film Fest, contact Senior Corporate Relations Manager Gina Holt, gholt@kansascitypbs.org.
If you are interested in volunteer opportunities for the 2026 Reel Black Film Fest, visit kansascitypbs.org/support/volunteer/.
About Fem the Future
Founded by award-winning artist and activist Janelle Monáe, Fem The Future is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing equity for women of color and expanding creative opportunity across industries. Its mission is to build a fem-forward future by creating opportunities for young women and girls in music, arts, and education. Through mentorship, community partnerships, and arts education, Fem The Future develops programs that nurture emerging talent, promote creative wellness, and open doors for the next generation of storytellers, musicians, filmmakers, and innovators. The organization envisions a world where creativity, representation, and access are no longer exceptions but expectations—where young women and girls of color have the tools, platform, and confidence to shape culture, tell their stories, and lead change through their art.
About Kansas City PBS
Located in the heart of Kansas City, MO, Kansas City PBS is a non-profit multimedia organization serving the community since 1961. The PBS member station airs diverse content focused on civic affairs, science, food, drink, arts and culture on four television channels, including Channel 19.1, 19.2, 19.3 (Create) and 19.4, the 24-hour PBS kids channel. Channels 19.1 and 19.4 are also available to live stream online, with programming available on-demand in the PBS App and Kansas City PBS Passport, a member-benefit streaming service. Kansas City PBS serves students, caregivers and the local education community through free online resources, workshops for parents and teachers, and annual conferences and events. It also owns and operates the local NPR music station, 90.9 The Bridge, providing nonprofit radio in a AAA format to listeners over the air and online streaming. Kansas City PBS’ nonprofit source for local journalism, Flatland (flatlandkc.org), produces multimedia reporting focused on civic affairs, arts and culture, food and drink, and education. For more information on Kansas City PBS or its wide variety of local and national content, visit kansascitypbs.org.
Latavia Young (she/her/hers)
Communications and Engagement Manager
P: (786) 757-3500