30 Years On, Urbanworld Film Festival Taps Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood as Ambassadors

TITLE: 30 Years On, Urbanworld Film Festival Taps Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood as Ambassadors
KEYWORD: urbanworld film festival
DESCRIPTION: Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood return as ambassadors of the 30th Urbanworld Film Festival, running Oct. 14-18 in New York City.

The Urbanworld Film Festival is marking its 30th anniversary by turning to two of its most loyal alumni, naming married filmmakers Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood as festival ambassadors for the milestone 2026 edition, set to run Oct. 14-18 in New York City.

The announcement, reported by The Hollywood Reporter, caps a long relationship between the couple and the festival, which has served for three decades as a launching pad for Black and multicultural storytellers in film and television. Prince-Bythewood first brought her adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees to Urbanworld in 2008, and her romance drama Beyond the Lights opened the festival in 2014. Reggie Rock Bythewood has his own history with the event, screening ESPN’s 30 for 30 installment “One Night in Vegas” in 2010 and the BET movie Gun Hill in 2013. The pair also returned together in 2023 in support of NatGeo’s Genius: MLK/X.

A Homecoming Built Into the Urbanworld Film Festival’s DNA

“Urbanworld has been a consistent touchstone for filmmakers to bring our stories, connect with our community and support the next generation, and it has always felt like home for us,” the Bythewoods said in a joint statement. “We’re honored to return as festival ambassadors to celebrate 30 years of Urbanworld while sharing what’s next. Art over fear.”

That sentiment echoes the festival’s founding purpose. Urbanworld was launched in 1997 by Stacy Spikes as a platform dedicated to championing established and emerging multicultural voices in independent film. Nearly 30 years later, Spikes says that mission remains unchanged, and bringing back two of the festival’s most recognizable success stories underscores how far those early relationships have carried.

“Gina and Reggie have been part of the Urbanworld story for many years, and having them return together as festival ambassadors is a powerful way to celebrate our 30th anniversary,” Spikes said. “Urbanworld has always been about creating a platform for artists to tell their stories, build community, and open doors for those coming behind them.”

What the Ambassadors Will Bring to the Festival

As ambassadors, the Bythewoods will headline special programming at The New School, which serves as Urbanworld’s Innovation Summit partner, offering festivalgoers an intimate look at their personal and creative evolution over more than two decades in the industry. The festival will also include a dedicated spotlight on Prince-Bythewood’s upcoming film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel Children of Blood and Bone, screening ahead of its Jan. 15, 2027 theatrical release at Regal Union Square, Urbanworld’s host theater.

Festival director Verona Cesair Jones, who is leading Urbanworld for the first time this year, called the pairing a reflection of what the festival stands for. “Gina and Reggie represent the caliber of artists and storytellers we want to celebrate at Urbanworld,” Jones said. “Their work, leadership and commitment to storytelling have made an undeniable impact on our industry. As I begin my first year leading the festival and Urbanworld celebrates 30 years, we’re proud to honor them as our festival ambassadors and give them their flowers.”

For a festival built on giving overlooked storytellers a stage, the symbolism of bringing back two of its earliest champions for the anniversary edition is hard to miss. The Urbanworld Film Festival has long positioned itself as more than a screening series — a community hub where emerging filmmakers rub shoulders with established names who once stood in their shoes. With Prince-Bythewood and Bythewood now returning as ambassadors, that cycle comes full circle just as Urbanworld looks ahead to its next three decades.

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