The 29th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival closed its 2025 edition with a global sweep of winners and more than 9,000 attendees, reaffirming its status as the world’s largest multicultural competitive festival and an Academy Award–qualifying showcase for underrepresented storytellers.
Founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, the five-day event once again ignited New York City, featuring more than 100 films from 16 countries, including the United States, South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, China, and several across Africa.
The milestone celebration sets the stage for Urbanworld’s 30th anniversary, returning November 4 – 8, 2026.
“Urbanworld continues to be a beacon for storytellers who dare to dream differently,” said Spikes, who also recently signed an overall deal with Mogul and launched the $100 million Mogul Fantasy League, a new entertainment and tech platform designed to empower global creators. “As we approach our 30th year, we’re not just reflecting on our history — we’re designing the future of storytelling globally.”
The 2025 festival welcomed a powerhouse lineup of special guests, including Ms. Tina Knowles, Grammy winner LeToya Luckett, actors Andre Royo, Elvis Nolasco, Maya Penn, Monique Coleman, Tobias Truvillion, Lisa Cunningham, Natalie Powell, Malik Yoba, and Wesley Jonathan. This year’s slate included 11 World Premieres, 40 New York City Premieres, 10 North American Premieres, 8 East Coast Premieres, and 28 encore screenings, underscoring Urbanworld’s role as a launchpad for emerging and established voices.
This year also marked a new partnership with BLACK GIRLS ROCK!, the cultural movement founded by Beverly Bond. Urbanworld showcased 41 selections from the collective’s 2024 slate, including Me Period and ASALI: The Power of the Pollinators. BLACK GIRLS ROCK! enters its 20th year in 2026 as a defining force for representation and artistic empowerment.
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) continued its long-standing presence at the festival, with Emelyn Stuart presenting the 2025 NYWIFT Awards. Jackie Quinones received the Award for Excellence in Narrative Feature Film Directing for Miles Away, while Lisa Cunningham earned the Award for Excellence in Documentary Feature Film Directing for Me Period. Both will be honored at the annual Muse Awards on March 20.
Below is the complete list of Urbanworld’s 2025 winners:
Audience Awards
• Can You Stand the Rain — Winner (Eden Marryshow)
• Route 187 — 2nd Place (Tyler Perry, Mark E. Swinton)
• The Ebony Canal: A Story on Black Infant Mortality — 3rd Place (Emmai Alaquiva)
Best Screenplay
• Amerigirl — Winner (Samina Saifee)
• Lucid Summer — Honorable Mention (Khaled Ridgeway & Noah Cooper)
Best Narrative Experimental
• Ruya — Winner (Nicole Mairose Dizon)
• boju weyín — Honorable Mention (Bimpè Fageyinbo)
Best Short Documentary (Young Creators)
• Handwoven — Winner (Dasha Levin, Mason Cazalet, Matthew Wisdom, Mihika Das)
• Shirley Park — Honorable Mention (Mason Brown)
Best Documentary Short
• The Hardest Working Man — Winner (Aaron Cassara)
• Interception: Jayne Kennedy American Sportscaster — Honorable Mention (Safiya Songhai)
Best Documentary Feature
• Fatherless No More — Winner (Kayla Johnson)
• Treasure of the Rice Terraces — Honorable Mention (Kent Donguines)
Best Episodic
• Route 187 — Winner (Tyler Perry & Mark E. Swinton)
• Spar — Honorable Mention (Anthony Vander)
Best Short Narrative (Young Creators)
• Glide: All the People I’ll Never Be — Winner (Li Anne Liew)
• Ice Cream, Ice Queen — Honorable Mention (Jeremy Chi)
Best Short Narrative
• Superman Doesn’t Steal — Winner (Tamika Lamison)
• A Beauty Supply in Queens — Honorable Mention (Princess Adenine)
Best Narrative Feature
• No, Gracias, Ya No Fumo — Winner (Diego Toussaint)
• Miles Away — Honorable Mention (Jackie Quinones)
NEW CATEGORY — Cultural Visionary Award
The inaugural Cultural Visionary Award honors filmmakers whose work transcends the screen to fuel social impact and cultural change. The first recipient is The Ebony Canal: A Story on Black Infant Mortality.
“We accept the Cultural Visionary Award with gratitude and renewed commitment to ensuring equity in maternal and infant care,” said director Emmai Alaquiva. “This is just the beginning.”
The film’s sold-out screening sparked an encore showing and a vibrant talkback moderated by LeToya Luckett. Panelists included Ms. Tina Knowles, Latham Thomas (Mama Glow), Kimberly Seals Allers (Irth App), Charles Johnson (4Kira4Moms), Cori Murray (EBONY Magazine), and WBLS host JUSNIK.
As Urbanworld approaches its 30th anniversary in 2026, the festival continues to expand its impact, strengthen its global footprint, and uplift storytellers whose work redefines the future of cinema and culture.
Photo Credit: Karen Spicer, @spicerstudios
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