American Black Film Festival Announces Houston Pop-Up Featuring Films, Celebrity Conversations and Industry Panels

Courtesy of the American Black Film Festival

HOUSTON, Texas (TXAN 24) — The American Black Film Festival is bringing its national Pop Up Tour to Houston for the first time this fall, with a two-day program featuring award-winning independent films, celebrity conversations, filmmaker talkbacks and discussions about the future of the Texas film industry.

The Houston Pop Up will take place Nov. 7-8 at Regal Edwards Houston Marq’E as part of ABFF’s second annual national tour. Houston is one of four cities on the 2026 tour, joining Washington, D.C., New York and Atlanta.

Among the weekend’s featured guests is actor and producer Larenz Tate, who will participate in the “Idols, Icons + Influencers” conversation series on Nov. 8. Tate is expected to discuss his career in film and television, his creative journey and upcoming projects.

The Houston program will also feature the 2026 HBO Short Film Award Showcase and Talkback, highlighting five finalists from the 30th American Black Film Festival, including Spilled Milk, We Had Fun, Facade, The Truth About Space and FLY. Filmmaker Modupe Thompson will participate in a conversation following the screening.

Another featured film is Three Colors: Pan-African, winner of the 2026 ABFF Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature. The anthology, directed by Elijah Davis, Allison A. Waite and Tyler Ocasio Holmes, features an ensemble cast including Loretta Devine, Bashir Salahuddin, Peyton Alex Smith, Sibongile Mlambo, Stephen Bishop and Kimrie Lewis.

The weekend will also put a spotlight on Houston and Texas as destinations for film production.

The panel “Making Movies Happen: Film Incentives in Texas and Houston,” presented by Houston First, will examine the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program and Houston Feature Film Incentive Program, including how state and local incentives can attract productions and support jobs within the industry.

The program opens Saturday with a screenwriting masterclass presented by the New York Film Academy and continues with The Rise: The New MoneyBall, a documentary episode focused on the growth and business impact of women’s professional sports.

The weekend will conclude Sunday night with a screening of Funny Feelings, starring Vena “Pretty Vee” Excell and Tristan “Mack” Wilds, followed by a filmmaker conversation.

The ABFF Pop Up Tour is presented nationally by founding sponsor Ally Financial, with HBO, STARZ, Houston First, JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria and the New York Film Academy among the Houston event’s sponsors and partners.

Tickets and additional information for the Houston Pop Up are available through the official ABFF Pop Up website.