Courtney Branch, Lil Rel Howery,Noel Braham.
Film Festival officially kicked off October 23 at The Culver Theater in Culver City, California, with a red-carpet celebration and the Los Angeles premiere of It’s Dorothy, alongside the series premiere of Remember and additional opening night selections. The Los Angeles premiere of It’s Dorothy brought the story full circle, returning to Culver City where The Wizard of Oz was originally filmed.
Director Jeffrey McHale (You Don’t Nomi), Shanice Shantay (The Wiz Live!), Gita Dorothy Morena (great-granddaughter of author L. Frank Baum), author Manuel Betancourt (Judy at Carnegie Hall), and producers Suzanne Zionts and Ariana Garfinkel joined the celebration of the film’s debut.
The evening also spotlighted the world premiere of the gripping new series Remember with stars Brandon Gill and Tosin Morohunfola, writer and actor Bernard David Jones, director Tari Wariebi, and Cinematographer Veronica Bouza in attendance. The red carpet welcomed festival ambassador Lil Rel Howery; Cynthia Micheaux Lewis, descendant of pioneering filmmaker Oscar Micheaux; and E! Entertainment founder Larry Namer.
And it featured talent and creators from official selections across genres, including Reggie Hayes (Girlfriends, Abbott Elementary), Daphnique Springs (Hulu’s LOL Live with Daphnique Springs), and Meghan Falcone (Californication) representing I Hate My Love Life; Emmy-nominated Melvin Jackson Jr. (The Wire, BET’s The New Edition Story), Brandon Fobbs (The Wire, The Walking Dead), Aasha Davis (Grey’s Anatomy, Friday Night Lights), and Ivonnah Erskine for Let the Myth Be; Sarah Drew (Grey’s Anatomy) and Harry Groener (Oppenheimer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) for Such a Pretty Girl; along with creative teams from Young King, Don’t Let Them Out, Flight 182, Legends, and other 2025 official selections.
Martin Rodriguez (Griselda), Eugenia Kuzmina (Bad Moms), and other industry guests were also in attendance.
The Micheaux Film Festival is known for its vibrant and inclusive atmosphere, offering a platform for underrepresented voices and pushing boundaries in terms of storytelling and genre. It typically attracts filmmakers, cinephiles, and activists, creating a unique space where art, culture, and social change intersect. It is a celebration of Black filmmakers and artists, showcasing a diverse range of independent films, highlighting the work of both emerging and established voices in the film industry, with a focus on stories that reflect the Black experience.
Named after Oscar Micheaux, one of the most influential Black filmmakers in the early 20th century, the festival serves as a platform for showcasing films that might otherwise struggle to find an audience in mainstream cinema.
The festival typically features a mix of short films, documentaries, narrative features, and experimental works. In addition to film screenings, it often includes panel discussions, workshops, and networking events designed to foster creative collaboration and community-building among filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences.
This year’s festival would likely emphasize themes such as representation, cultural identity, social justice, and historical narratives, all through the lens of Black filmmakers. It’s not only a celebration of cinema but also a space for dialogue about the challenges and opportunities for Black creatives in the film industry.
the WORD Editor Gregg W. Morris