A documentary celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of Black LGBTQ+ artists to music and popular culture emerged as the biggest winner at Black Public Media’s 2026 PitchBLACK Awards, taking home the competition’s top prize of $150,000.
Held at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria in Harlem, the ninth annual PitchBLACK Awards brought together filmmakers, creative technologists, and industry leaders for what is widely recognized as the nation’s largest pitch competition dedicated to Black stories. Sponsored by Netflix and Andscape, the event highlighted innovative projects across film and immersive media while also honoring two legendary documentary filmmakers.
Director Luchina Fisher’s Hiding in Plain Sight captured the evening’s highest honor. The documentary explores the profound influence Black queer artists have had on music and culture, spotlighting both historical pioneers and contemporary figures whose contributions have often gone unrecognized.
The project tells the stories of groundbreaking performers including Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Little Richard, tracing their influence on generations of artists ranging from David Bowie and Prince to Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Harry Styles. The win marks a historic achievement, making Hiding in Plain Sight the first project to win PitchBLACK funding twice, having previously received support in 2023.
The competition also showcased innovation in immersive storytelling. Squidpunk, a video game created by Naomi Urey and Georgiana Wright, earned the top immersive media prize of $50,000. Set in Y2K-era Japan, the game combines sisterhood, action, and street-fighting adventures. Meanwhile, Connor Wall’s Omnivores Rule, a biological simulation game centered on ecological empathy and exploration, received $25,000 in production funding.
Beyond the competition, the event celebrated the achievements of acclaimed documentary filmmakers Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith, who received Black Public Media’s 2026 Trailblazer Award. The honor recognizes their decades-long contributions to documentary storytelling and their commitment to mentoring emerging filmmakers.
The evening featured a conversation with the award-winning husband-and-wife team, moderated by NPR host Brittany Luse. Black Public Media Executive Director Leslie Fields-Cruz praised both the award recipients and participants, emphasizing the importance of investing in storytellers and creative projects that expand representation.
Additional honors included the presentation of the 2026 Nonso Christian Ugbode Digital Media Award to filmmaker and creative technologist Amirah Adem. Nile Price’s Silent was also recognized as the 2026 AfroPoP Digital Shorts Viewers’ Choice winner.
Founded in 1979, Black Public Media continues to support filmmakers and immersive creators through funding, mentorship, and distribution opportunities. The 2026 PitchBLACK Awards demonstrated the growing power of Black storytelling across film, gaming, and emerging media platforms.