Reel Black Film Festival turns a documentary lens onto KC’s buried history
Selected works examine the complicated effects of Highway 71, the legacy of the nation’s first all-Black radio station, and the “Potato King of the World”
Three of the headlining films at Reel Black Film Fest, coming February 2025. // Courtesy Kansas City PBS
Three local Black filmmakers will be featured at the Reel Black Film Festival hosted by Kansas City PBS at the Truman in downtown Kansas City on Saturday, February 22nd at 3 p.m.
The festival will celebrate strides in Black filmmaking and spotlight the following films by Nico Giles Wiggins, Jacob Handy, and Kerry Rounds:
Land of Opportunity: The Road of Resistance
In the sequel to the first installment of the Land of Opportunity, filmmaker Nico Giles Wiggins supplies a critical look at Kansas City’s Highway 71 project and how renewal efforts led to the displacement of Black communities, shown specifically through the history of Paseo Baptist Church and how it’s been impacted by the project. Wiggins is a mission-focused Emmy-award-winning producer and CEO of the production company, Nico Giles Media.
The Potato King: A Dynasty Built on Dirt and Dreams
From filmmaker Jacob Handy, the story of Junius Groves, a pioneer who became the “Potato King of the World,” comes to life through the words of local farmer Mike B. Rollin. Handy is known for his work as an Emmy-award-winning storyteller and for his time as a writer, producer, and director in the music video industry.
Diamond Jubilee: A 75-Year Celebration of Carter Broadcast
Filmmaker Kerry Rounds presents the history of Andrew “Skip” Carter and the success of KPRS as the nation’s first black radio station west of the Mississippi River in a celebration of the station’s Diamond Jubilee anniversary. Kerry Rounds is an Emmy-award-winning filmmaker known for his work as a director and producer. His portfolio includes musical artists such as Kendrick Lamar and companies such as Billboard and Rolling Stone.
Along with the three screenings, attendees can expect door prizes, local vendors, and panel discussions from the filmmakers throughout the afternoon. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., the first screening will begin at 3 p.m., and the event will run until 8 p.m. It is free to the public but will require an RSVP.
Over the last few years, Kansas City has stepped up its efforts to support Black filmmaking with past film festivals such as the Juneteenth Film Festival and the Kansas City FilmFest International which are expected to return this year. The Reel Black Film Festival is sponsored by the Health Forward Foundation, Missouri Humanities Council, and the Kansas City Film Office with promotional support from the Carter Broadcast Group and the Black Movie Hall of Fame, a curated selection of 10 groundbreakers in the Black cinema community. The Black Movie Hall of Fame, which broke ground this last fall and is set to open in February 2026 in the historic Boone Theatre in the 18th and Vine Jazz District, is under the direction of Shawn Edwards, a journalist and film critic with Kansas City roots.
The Reel Black Film Festival is another part of Kansas City’s efforts to establish a long-lasting home for Black filmmaking.
Visit kansascitypbs.org/reelblack for event updates and to RSVP.
