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4TH ANNUAL HBCU FIRST LOOK FILM & TV FESTIVAL RETURNS TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER 5-7 WITH STARZ AS INAUGURAL PRESENTING SPONSOR

  • Actors Laya DeLeon Hayes & DaSan Frazier are named the 2026 I Aspire Ambassadors for the 4th Annual HBCU First LOOK Film & TV Festival.
  • The festival is scheduled for November 5-7 at Howard University in Washington, D.C., with STARZ as the inaugural presenting sponsor.
  • The event theme is "How to Be the Next," featuring screenings, master classes, & interactive sessions connecting students with HBCU alumni & industry leaders.
  • The Salute THEM Awards luncheon will announce winners of the HBCU First LOOK Film Challenge from over 450 entries, awarding $5,000 & an internship.
  • The 2026 I Aspire 25 will honor HBCU alumni including Michael Strahan, Eva Marcille, Jamila Mustafa, Colby Muhammad Nixon, & Tone Bell across five categories.
  • STARZ will participate in key programming to support diverse talent & emerging storytellers, leveraging its franchises like "P-Valley" & "Power."
  • Founding sponsor ANDSCAPE will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a "Clips & Conversations" tribute featuring producers Sheila Matthews & Jesse Washington.
  • The 2026 lineup includes sessions by producer Autumn Bailey-Ford, filmmaker Nicky Micheaux, & Grammy-winning producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.
  • New this year, spireTV will spotlight its original scripted programming "New State of Mind," an HBCU-set comedy from Bentley Kyle Evans.
  • Festival founder Sheila Eldridge notes that 12 Howard University students are helping produce the event to give them an active role in programming.
  • Black Girl Vitamins will host "Fueling Your Future," a wellness & career activation, while TV One returns with a "red carpet" readiness experience.
  • Additional partners include HBCUgo.tv, Storytellers Lab, Café Mocha Network, the Howard University Radio Network, & the D.C. Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment.
  • Registration & updates are available at www.hbcufirstlook.com or via email at [email protected].