Kansas City is getting a brand-new film festival next year, and it’s aiming squarely at the history books. The inaugural Black Movie Hall of Fame Film Festival will unfold throughout February 2027 across four Kansas City venues, bringing classic Black cinema back to the big screen in rare 35mm and 70mm celluloid formats with presenting sponsorship from AARP.
The monthlong celebration was first reported by Blex Media on October 6, 2026, three days before FOX4KC published its October 9 report, which noted the festival will fill February with a lineup of screenings and events designed to spotlight some of the most influential films in Black cinema history. According to Blex Media, the festival’s format commitment is central to the pitch: audiences will see these films projected the way they were originally meant to be seen, on physical celluloid prints rather than digital restorations.
A cornerstone of the schedule lands on February 20, 2027, commemorating what would have been the 100th birthday of Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier, per Blex Media. Poitier is also being honored as part of the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of inductees, tying the centennial tribute directly to the organization’s founding mission of recognizing cinema trailblazers.
A Rare Home for 70mm Film in the Region
One of the festival’s primary screening venues is Screenland Armour Theatre in North Kansas City, which installed rare 70mm projection capability in early 2026, as reported by KCUR. The station notes it’s the only commercial cinema in the region specialized in showing large-format film prints, making it a natural partner for a festival built around celluloid presentation…