Black Stories on the Big Screen: Inside the Detroit Black Film Festival with Marshalle Favors

In this special edition of Detroit is Different, Khary Frazier sits down with Marshalle Favors to celebrate the 7th Annual Detroit Black Film Festival and explore the power of Black filmmakers telling our stories through our own cultural lens. Taking place September 23–27, 2026, the festival returns with the theme “Sincerely Detroit,” showcasing 89 films from around the world, including 16 films from Detroit. Marshalle shares how the festival is more than screenings—it is a space for filmmakers, actors, producers, writers, and audiences to build relationships, study the craft, and create new opportunities. Khary and Marshalle discuss what it means to truly watch film, from understanding music and performance to recognizing how directors establish a world and intentionally shape a story. They also explore why authentic Detroit filmmaking matters, especially when neighborhoods, language, people, and experiences are represented by storytellers who understand the culture firsthand. Marshalle highlights growing opportunities for women in filmmaking and encourages aspiring creatives to enter the industry through volunteering, production work, networking, and learning on set. With screenings, panels, the Filmmaker’s Lounge, Taste of Black Spirits, awards, and afterglows across Detroit, the Detroit Black Film Festival offers five days of Black storytelling, creativity, community, connection, collaboration, discovery, and cultural celebration.