The Black Women Film Network (BWFN) is thrilled to announce its tenth Black Women Film Network Summit, set to take place on March 22, 2025, at the Loudermilk Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s Summit features an inspiring lineup of honorees and thought-provoking discussions centered around the theme “Plot Twist: The Art of The Pivot,” focusing on how Black women are successfully navigating change and redefining the future of film, TV, and the entertainment industry at large.
Now in its 28th year, the Black Women Film Network inspires and empowers Black women daily through programming as well as a strong social media presence on Facebook (@TheBWFN) and Instagram (@blackwomenfilm). Sponsored by NBCUniversal, and powered by CVENT, this year’s BWFN Summit marks a 10-year milestone celebration.
The Black Women Film Network Summit, the organization’s tentpole event, offers a unique opportunity for Black women at all points in their careers to hear from some of the industry’s most influential voices, network with like-minded professionals, and be inspired by the resilience and innovation that continues to drive change throughout the broad entertainment landscape. Summit highlights include fireside chats featuring Kat Graham, star of the upcoming film “Tyler Perry’s Duplicity,” and Sonay Hoffman, co-showrunner of NBC’s “Found”; as well as panels on funding, marketing and PR, and more. The programming lineup aims to inspire and empower Black women to strive and thrive even in a difficult climate.
In addition to a day of insightful and thought-provoking conversations, BWFN also hosts an annual awards luncheon to honor extraordinary women whose contributions and achievements have made a profound impact in their respective fields and the entertainment industry at large.
This year’s esteemed honorees include:
AJA NAOMI KING (AcceleratHER Award) – An acclaimed actress, producer, and activist, Aja Naomi King, has received NAACP Image award nominations for her memorable roles on the popular series “How to Get Away with Murder” and Sundance Film Festival hit “Birth of a Nation.” Recently, King starred in the Emmy Award-winning limited series, “Lessons in Chemistry,” where she earned an Emmy nomination in addition to Critics Choice Award and NAACP Image Award nominations for her work. To date, she has also been recognized at Essence Black Women in Hollywood for their Shining Star Award and featured as an honoree for Elle’s Women in Hollywood. A staunch advocate and philanthropist, King currently serves on the Artistic Advisory Board of Opening Act, an organization that provides students in New York City’s most underserved public high schools opportunities for critical development via the arts. Making her return to network TV, King currently dazzles alongside a stellar ensemble cast in NBC’s “Grosse Pointe Garden Society.”
KATORI HALL (StoryTellHER Award)- Katori Hall is an acclaimed writer and director of stage and screen. Her most recent play, The Hot Wing King, won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Katori also wrote the book for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Book; West End, Olivier Award nominations). Her other notable works include The Mountaintop (2009 London debut, Olivier Award for Best New Play), Hurt Village, Our Lady of Kibeho, Children of Killers, Saturday Night/Sunday Morning, and Hoodoo Love. Katori is currently the Showrunner and Executive Producer of “P-Valley,” the TV series adapted from her stage play Pussy Valley. The series has won four NAACP Image Awards, including the 2023 prize for Outstanding Drama, and multiple Emmy, Gotham, Independent Spirit, and GLAAD Media honor nominations. Recipient of the Susan Smith Blackburn Award, the Lark Play Development Center’s Playwrights of New York (PONY) Fellowship, two Lecompte du Nouy Prizes from Lincoln Center, the Fellowship of Southern Writers Bryan Family Award in Drama, the NYFA Fellowship, the 2010 Columbia University John Jay Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement, the 2023 Columbia’s University Medal of Excellence, the NBT’s August Wilson Playwriting Award, and the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award. Alumna of Sundance’s Episodic and Screenwriting Labs, and Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation Directing Program.
ANGI BONES (ProducHER Award) – As President of Original Programming at Tyler Perry Studios, Bones is coming off a stellar year for TPS. Their Netflix film “The Six Triple Eight” about the unsung Black female postal battalion that sorted the mail against incredible circumstances to boost morale in World War II starring Kerry Washington and “Sistas” star Ebony Obsidian amassed more than 50 million viewers over four weeks, reaching the Top 10 in over 85 countries, scoring several NAACP Image Award nominations and an Oscar nomination for the song “Journey,” performed by H.E.R. and penned by Diane Warren. A top producer in her own right, Bones helped shape and diversify the Atlanta film and TV landscape before rising to her current position in 2021. Her 2025 TPS slate includes “Madea’s Destination Wedding,” “Straw” starring Taraji P. Henson, “Duplicity” starring Kat Graham, part two of the Netflix series “Beauty in Black,” and the new comedy series “She the People,” starring Terri J. Vaughn, among others.
DENISE WILLIAMS WATTS (Beacon Award) – In her position as the Global Editorial Director of Original Content at Apple Music, Watts oversees the creation and development of short-form content including programmatic and short-form documentaries. Watts’ distinguished career as a seasoned creative with an extensive background in video production and marketing includes her former position as VP of Creative & Visual Content at Warner Records, where she was the creative force behind projects for Bebe Rexha, Andra Day, Jason Derulo, and many more. A believer in giving back and uplifting others, Watts works with the Belize International Film Festival in her native country and is the co-founder of Honorable Women in Media (HWIM), a platform that allows women entertainment executives to celebrate each other and share their stories among their peers.
FELICIA JOSEPH (RainmakHER Award) – In her role as SVP of Casting, for Disney Entertainment Television, Joseph is a driving force behind the casting of numerous top television series, including “9-1-1,” “Abbott Elementary,” “High Potential,” “Shifting Gears” and “Will Trent.” During her tenure as senior vice president and head of Casting at MRC, she spearheaded casting for Emmy® Award-winning series such as “Ozark” and critically acclaimed hits like “The Great” and “Poker Face.” At NBCUniversal, she managed casting across more than 30 series, including “The Sinner” and “Queen of the South.” Highly anticipated projects for the 15-year casting veteran and Hampton University alum include “Only Murders in the Building” (season five), “Reasonable Doubt” (season three), and the final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“These trailblazers embody the spirit of transformation, overcoming challenges and creating or fostering groundbreaking work along the way,” said BWFN Board Chair and filmmaker Chiquita Lockley. “For almost three decades, BWFN has had boots on the ground cracking the door to create an entry point for women in film and TV. Our BWFN Summit is our biggest annual event and brings together all we do year-round. As our industry continues to evolve, often bringing uncertainty, we will continue to find ways to help our members navigate the pivot.”
