Before the 117th NAACP National Convention officially began, filmmakers and industry leaders from across the country gathered in Chicago to celebrate the 2026 NAACP Cinematic Shorts Competition. The welcome reception highlighted the power of community, collaboration, and investing in the next generation of storytellers.

AMC and XL Fest are continuing their growing relationship for a second year, announcing the release of five new films selected through XL Fest that will stream across multiple AMC platforms, further strengthening a model designed to create long-term pathways for independent creators.