Larenz Tate, shown here attending the premiere of “Michael” at Dolby Theatre on April 20, 2026 in Hollywood, California, will be a special guest at the Houston edition of the American Black Film Festival Pop Up
Julian Hamilton/FilmMagic
Scene from the film Funny Feelings
Rhonda Baraka
Scene from the film ‘Three Colors Pan African;
Elijah Davis
Toni Bryce, left, and Nicco Annan in a scene from “P-Valley.”
Kyle Kaplan/AP
After three decades of being in one location every year, the American Black Film Festival is now taking the show on the road with the ABFF Pop Up Tour, which will make a stop in Houston Nov. 7-8.
Originally launched last year, the two-day tour is, in the words of co-founder Jeff Friday, “A small weekend version of the larger festival – films, panel discussions, celebrity conversations, networking events, previews of network series and things of that nature.”
When: Nov. 7-8
Where: Regal Edwards Houston MarqE, 7600 Katy Fwy.
Details: $15-$20; abffpopup.com
After years of regularly taking place in such sunny locales as Acapulco and Miami, the ABFF decided to go the pop-up route after years of feedback from those who couldn’t make it to the festival. “We have this huge community of people online and on our social platforms, and we started to get emails from our community saying, ‘Hey, would you ever think about bringing a smaller version of the festival to New York or Chicago and Atlanta and LA?,” he says. “And so, we listened.”
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Last year, the tour hit multiplexes in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, and Los Angeles. This year, the tour has already reached New York, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. – but Houston will be the last stop.
“Last year, we did Dallas as our Texas market and we got a lot of feedback from Houston and people were very excited about the possibility,” says Friday.
The pop-up will screen features and shorts that became award-winning audience faves at the festival. “We take some of the independent screenings that happen at our flagship festival and we take those on tour with us,” says Nicole Friday, ABFF co-founder and Jeff’s wife of 25 years. “Those are primarily films that have been awarded, so the best narrative, the best documentary, or some fan favorites.”
Fans of the Starz drama “P-Valley” will also have a chance to watch the season premiere of the much-anticipated third and final season on Nov. 7. Also screening at the festival are “Funny Feelings,” the 2026 romantic comedy set in the world of comedy starring Pretty Vee, Tristan Mack Wilds and Danielle LaRoach, and the 2026 drama “Three Colors: Pan African.”
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Special-guest celebrities have made guest appearances at previous stops. Houston’s guest of honor will be Larenz Tate, star of such beloved Black films as “Menace II Society” and “Love Jones,” who’ll be taking part in an “Idols, Icons + Influencers” talk on Nov. 8. “He is a friend of ours,” says Nicole. “He’s a friend of the festival. And, of course, he is a celebrated and acclaimed actor and producer. And, most recently [appeared in] ‘Michael,’ which did really well at the theaters.”
The ABFF has also partnered with local, film-friendly organizations in hosting some gatherings during the pop-up. Cinephile collective Black Cinema Club HTX will host a kick-off mixer at Captiv Studios on Nov. 7, while destination marketing crew Houston First will hold an afternoon panel on Nov. 8 regarding film production opportunities in both the city and the state.
“I think it’s important to note that, yes, we’re touring films and celebrities and well-known, upcoming TV shows, but we’re also doing the tour to bring information to the communities,” says Jeff. “So, that particular [panel] session is one that I’m probably most excited about because I do think we want to be of benefit to the city, to the destinations where we are, right? So, anything that we can do to partner with them to encourage more filmmaking in Houston, we’re certainly happy and excited to be a part of. So, that’s the one session that I hope people will come out for and learn as much.”
The Fridays are pleased to know that, even before they show up here, local organizations are already shining a light on filmmakers (and film lovers) of color. “I mean, when we started this 30-plus years ago, this was always about collaboration and community,” says Jeff. “One of the things that I think that our community has suffered from is probably there are just not enough opportunities to collaborate, right? There’s strength in numbers. So, the DNA of our festival is community, collaboration, education, and empowerment. So, anytime you can come to a city like Houston and there’s already a Black Cinema Club HTX that we can work with, promote with, help elevate, that’s icing on the cake for us.”
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As the ABFF prepares for its 31st installment, taking place in LA next year, the Pop Up Tour is out there showing people the long history the festival has had of putting Black filmmakers and creatives on the map. This is the same fest where “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler won the 2011 HBO Short Film Competition for his 15-minute short “Fig.” Coogler came back years later to speak at the 22nd annual ABFF, fresh off the billion-dollar success of “Black Panther.”
“When you can look at a guy like that who’s an amazing creator, and then you look at what he’s doing now, what he’s already done now, it really is a testament to how we were on the right track for creating something like this,” says Nicole. “And Issa Rae, who you know as well from ‘Insecure’ fame, her first web series premiered at our festival. There are just thousands of people over the years that got their first projects shown at our event, and that really is the joy of it all for me personally.”