Lillian Benson - PitchBLACK Press Photo: Credit Wm. Stetz

Published on February 21st, 2025 | by Dr. Jerry Doby

Black Public Media’s PitchBLACK Forum & Awards Heads to Harlem, Honoring Lillian E. Benson

Black Public Media’s (BPM) annual PitchBLACK Forum & Awards is coming to Harlem this spring. The event will bring together some of the most influential voices in documentary filmmaking and immersive media. Set to take place at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria, it marks BPM’s homecoming, as the company is based in the historic New York City neighborhood.

The PitchBLACK Forum, the largest U.S. competition of its kind for independent filmmakers and creative technologists focusing on Black content, will be held on April 30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The following evening, on May 1 at 7 p.m., winners will be announced at the PitchBLACK Awards, where up to $150,000 in production and distribution funding will be awarded.

Honoring a Trailblazing Film Editor

Lillian Benson – Editing: Photo Credit Martin Barkan

This year, BPM will present its esteemed Trailblazer Award to Lillian E. Benson, ACE, a history-making film editor whose career spans decades in television and documentary filmmaking. Benson’s Emmy®-nominated work includes projects such as Eyes on the Prize II, Soul Food (Showtime), Chicago Med (NBC), and Greenleaf (OWN).

Benson made history in 1991 as the first woman of color invited to join the American Cinema Editors (ACE). Her contributions to the industry have earned her numerous accolades, including a Career Achievement Award from ACE in 2022 and the Fellowship & Service Award from the Motion Picture Editors Guild.

BPM’s Trailblazer Award honors individuals in public media who have made a lasting impact as producers, directors, writers, or editors. Past recipients include Orlando Bagwell, Joe Brewster, Sam Pollard, Yoruba Richen, Michèle Stephenson, and Marco Williams.

A Gathering of Industry Leaders

Each year, PitchBLACK draws a distinguished lineup of attendees, including executives from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS, Netflix, Paramount+, Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Sundance Institute, and Tribeca Film Institute, among others. The event serves as a platform for emerging and established voices in documentary and immersive media to network and showcase their work.

We are thrilled to be able to bring PitchBLACK to the internationally renowned heart of New York City’s Black creative community: Harlem,” said Leslie Fields-Cruz, executive director of BPM. “This year is especially meaningful as we honor the remarkable Lillian Benson, whose career has helped pave the way for so many and whose commitment to mentoring is shaping a new generation of artists. We look forward to once again convening the documentary and immersive media communities and their supporters for this auspicious occasion.”

Supporting Black Stories in Media

BPM has been a driving force in funding and distributing content that explores the global Black experience. Since 2015, PitchBLACK has awarded over $1.8 million to 23 film and immersive projects, helping bring these narratives to a broader audience.

Beyond PitchBLACK, BPM continues to develop and distribute original content, including its acclaimed documentary series AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange.

Event Details & How to Get Involved

Sponsorship opportunities for PitchBLACK are available. Inquiries should be directed to DeLynda Lindsey, BPM’s contracts and grants specialist, at [email protected].

For more information on Black Public Media, visit blackpublicmedia.org and follow @blackpublicmedia on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for updates and PitchBLACK highlights.

Featured Image: Lillian Benson Press Photo: Credit, Wm. Stetz

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.