Tanya Kersey

Tanya Kersey: Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival

Tanya Kersey was the founder and executive director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival, also known as the "Black Sundance." She passed away on July 18, 2022, at the age of 61 after battling multiple health issues.134

Kersey founded the festival in 1998 with the goal of spotlighting independent films and filmmakers from the African diaspora. The festival has screened over 1,000 films from the United States, Canada, and 25 other countries.1

Before founding the festival, Kersey worked as an actor, model, entertainment journalist, and radio host. She also founded the entertainment trade publication Black Talent News to provide more coverage to African American readers.1

Kersey was born on March 22, 1961, in New York City. She attended Douglass College at Rutgers University in the early 1980s and graduated with a degree in sociology and political science.1

After her passing, tributes poured in remembering her contributions to the film space and paving a path for Black filmmakers and creatives. She was described as a "force of nature" and a "watchful, helpful presence for the African American creative community."12