Reel Black Film Festival 2026
Schedule
Fri, 20 Feb, 2026 at 04:00 pm to Sat, 21 Feb, 2026 at 10:00 am
UTC-06:00Location
Gem Theater | Kansas City, MO
About this Event
Kansas City PBS presents the Reel Black Film Festival in partnership with Fem The Future on Friday, Feb. 20, and Saturday, Feb. 21.
Join Kansas City PBS in honoring the vibrant culture, history and creativity of Black Kansas City through the power of film. This year’s festival will showcase a compelling curation of local short and feature-length films from Black filmmakers across the region. These works will be selected by an esteemed panel of filmmakers, producers, programmers and community leaders, ensuring a dynamic and thoughtful representation of the Black experience and Black brilliance in Kansas City and beyond.
We’ll kick off Friday night with an exclusive opening reception at the Gem Theater. VIP tickets are a $150 one-time donation, which grants admission to the VIP opening reception, a one-year Kansas City PBS filmmaker membership, a 2026 Reel Black Film Fest shirt, a 2026 festival poster, early access to the Black-Owned Marketplace, exclusive mingling with filmmakers, and refreshments. To become a member and join the opening reception, you can purchase a ticket directly through Eventbrite. Friday evening, join us for Reel Black on Tap at Vine St. Brewing Co. from 8p.m. to 10 p.m. Entry is free.
The festival continues Saturday with a full day of dynamic films, thoughtful conversations and community connection. We’ll close out the night with a celebratory closing reception at the American Jazz Museum at 7p.m., featuring award presentations, filmmaker mingling, light bites and drinks.
Our Black-Owned Marketplace and Filmmaker's Lounge will be open throughout the weekend inside the Gem Theater. Refreshments, art and goods will be available for purchase. Street parking and nearby parking lots are available. Additional schedule details will be released Friday, Jan. 30.
If you plan to attend multiple events throughout the weekend, please register for each day and time slot separately.
For a limited time, support Kansas City PBS and score exclusive merch! Pre-order a Poster + shirt bundle for a $75 donation, or a shirt only for a $60 donation. Shirts and posters are available for pre-order now—place your order by January 30 at 12:00 p.m. to guarantee yours. A limited number of shirts will be available for purchase on the day of the event, while supplies last. Posters will not be available for purchase at the event unless you pre-ordered one or have secured a VIP ticket. Pre-ordering helps you save on transaction fees. Day-of purchases will include additional transaction fees. All t-shirts and posters will be available for pick up at the festival near the Black-Owned Marketplace. See a staff member for more details.
Learn more at kansascitypbs.org/reelblack.
For additional information regarding ADA accessibility, please email [email protected].
Friday, February 20th
🕑: 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Exclusive Opening Reception
🕑: 05:00 PM
Doors Open: Black-Owned Marketplace & Filmmaker's Lounge
Saturday, February 21st
🕑: 10:00 AM
Doors Open: Black-Owned Marketplace & Filmmaker's Lounge
🕑: 07:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Closing Reception at the American Jazz Museum
Where is it happening?
Gem Theater, 1615 East 18th Street, Kansas City, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 75.00
