American Black Film Festival Pop Up Brings Larenz Tate, P-Valley Stars and Black Cinema to Houston
HOUSTON — The American Black Film Festival Pop Up made its Houston debut November 7–8, 2026, bringing award-winning independent films, early screenings and conversations with leading Black entertainers and filmmakers to the city.
The two-day program opened November 7 with The Rise: The New MoneyBall, presented by Ally Financial. Audiences then previewed the season three premiere of STARZ’s P-Valley and heard from stars Brandee Evans and Gail Bean. An encore presentation of the 2026 HBO Short Film Showcase was followed by a conversation with filmmaker Modupe Thompson and Grace Amaku.
Photo 1 — Gail Bean and Brandee Evans From left: Actresses Gail Bean and Brandee Evans attend the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Houston Pop Up on November 7, 2026, in Houston, Texas. The P-Valley stars participated in a special conversation following an early-access screening of the STARZ series’ highly anticipated third-season premiere. Photo Credit: Marcus Ingram / NICE CROWD Photo 2 — Nicole Friday and Larenz Tate From left: American Black Film Festival founder Jeff Friday, NICE CROWD co-founder Nicole Friday, and acclaimed actor and producer Larenz Tate attend the ABFF Houston Pop Up. Tate participated in the festival’s Icons, Idols + Influencers conversation on November 8, reflecting on his career and contributions to film and television. Photo Credit: Marcus Ingram / NICE CROWDPhoto 3 — Grace Amaku Filmmaker Grace Amaku attends the American Black Film Festival Houston Pop Up on November 7, 2026. Amaku joined filmmaker Modupe Thompson for a discussion following an encore presentation of the 2026 HBO Short Film Showcase. Photo Credit: Marcus Ingram / NICE CROWD
On November 8, the festival screened Three Colors: Pan-African, winner of the ABFF 2026 Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature, and hosted a discussion with co-directors Elijah Davis and Tyler Holmes.
A panel titled Making Movies Happen: Film Incentives in Texas and Houston, presented by Houston First, explored the role of state and local incentives in attracting film and television production.
Actor and producer Larenz Tate reflected on his career and creative journey during the Icons, Idols + Influencers conversation. The weekend concluded with a screening of Funny Feelings and a talkback with producer Josh Ferrell.
Founded by Jeff Friday in 1997, the American Black Film Festival champions emerging talent and Black storytelling in film and television. The Houston event was part of the festival’s second annual Pop Up tour.
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