Throughout NBA All-Star Week, the HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition (HBCUFLF) delivered a standout cultural second with a packed celebration on the Maybourne Beverly Hills honoring the “twenty fifth anniversary of Love & Basketball.” The particular gathering introduced collectively influential voices throughout movie, sports activities, and media to highlight the movie’s enduring legacy and the evolution of girls’s illustration each on display and in athletics.
The night paid tribute to director Gina Prince-Bythewood and her groundbreaking affect on storytelling. Moderated by Laura Coates, the dialog featured Prince-Bythewood alongside actress Sanaa Lathan and an esteemed panel together with WNBA icon Candace Parker, basketball legend Cheryl Miller, journalist Cari Champion, and pioneering sports activities broadcaster Jayne Kennedy.
(L-R: Cheryl Miller, Candace Parker, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Laura Coates, Sanaa Lathan, Jayne Kennedy, and Cari Champion. (PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition/ The Sibley Agency)
(L-R Cheryl Miller and Candice Parker: (PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition/ The Sibley Agency)
Collectively, they mirrored on the movie’s cultural resonance and its highly effective function in broadening visibility for ladies athletes and reshaping narratives in sports activities and leisure.
(Sheila Eldridge, Founding father of HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition and CEO of Miles Forward Leisure: Courtesy of HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition/ The Sibley Agency)
“This occasion is greater than a celebration of cinematic achievement; it exemplifies how highly effective tales can reshape paradigms,” stated Sheila Eldridge, Founding father of HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition and CEO of Miles Forward Leisure. “We’re at a vital intersection the place storytelling meets advocacy, forging new pathways for future generations.”
In a heartfelt second, Cari Champion honored the ladies who paved the way in which: “Thanks, Jayne Kennedy, for paving the way in which for each lady on this stage.” She additionally acknowledged journalist and cultural commentator Jemele Hill, who was in attendance, for persevering with to guide essential conversations round sports activities and illustration.
The VIP viewers included Vanessa Bell Calloway, Loni Love, Erika Ringor, and Tia Beauchamp, amongst others, underscoring the occasion’s dynamic intersection of tradition, group, and business management.
With help from CNN, TNT Sports activities, Black Lady Nutritional vitamins, OWN, Go to East Level, and Warner Bros. Discovery, the occasion highlighted the power and resilience of artistic communities whereas fostering significant dialogue throughout movie, sports activities, and media.
Wanting forward, submissions for the 2026 HBCU First LOOK Movie Problem opened on February 12, 2026, and can stay open by way of August 28, 2026.
Go to www.hbcufirstlook.com or www.FilmFreeway.com for submission guidelines and {qualifications}.
About HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition:
The HBCU First LOOK Movie Competition is a curated platform devoted to amplifying the voices of rising and established filmmakers from Traditionally Black Schools and Universities (HBCUs). The pageant champions entry, visibility, and business alternative by connecting HBCU creatives with leaders throughout movie, tv, sports activities, and media by way of screenings, panels, and cultural programming.
The 2026 Competition returns to Howard College in Washington, D.C., November 5–7. Previous honorees and audio system have included President and Michelle Obama, Ryan Coogler, Ruth E. Carter, Lynn Whitfield, Colma Domingo and Marsai Martin, amongst many different influential voices shaping tradition and storytelling right this moment.
