Winner BronzeLens "Best Short Documentary" - The Ebony Canal
Emmai Alaquiva Receives BronzeLens Award for Best Short Documentary. Photo Credit: Paul Biagui
Director, Emmai Alaquiva, The Ebony Canal
A film By Emmai Alaquiva, Narrated by EGOT winner Viola Davis with Ms. Tina Knowles, Elaine Welteroth, Charles Johnson, Dr. Lamman Rucker and Health Experts
Every filmmaker in this room, please create with purpose in mind. When you think of The Ebony Canal, think of a journey that we all have to be on. We are all vessels.”
ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Ebony Canal: A Story of Black Maternal & Infant Health has won Best Short Documentary at the 2026 BronzeLens Film Festival. Now in its 17th year, BronzeLens is an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences qualifying film festival for the Short Film Awards category with more than 150 Official Selections from twelve countries. The award was announced Sunday, August 30 at the BronzeLens Awards Show at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.— Emmai Alaquiva, The Ebony Canal
The win came just two days after The Ebony Canal brought its urgent message to an Atlanta audience. The award-winning documentary screened Friday, August 28, at the Tara Theatre, followed by a powerful panel conversation examining the Black maternal and infant health crisis and the collective action needed to save lives.
Grammy Award-winning artist and actress LeToya Luckett-Coles moderated the discussion, joining six-time Emmy Award-winning director Emmai Alaquiva and a distinguished panel of advocates, medical experts and cultural voices who brought the film’s message from the screen into the community.
Panelists included Dr. Lamman Rucker, actor and “dadvocate” known for Why Did I Get Married?, Greenleaf, and The Black Hamptons; Charles Johnson, founder of 4Kira4Moms and nationally recognized advocate for maternal health and fathers; Dr. Zsakeba Henderson, board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Morehouse School of Medicine and Senior Health Advisor at the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality; and Nzinga Imani, actress and advocate known for her role as Angela in Tyler Perry’s Zatima and Sistas.
In accepting the film’s latest honor, Alaquiva underscored the devastating disparities that inspired The Ebony Canal and issued a direct call to fellow storytellers.
“Black and brown women are dying three times that of their white counterparts. Black and brown babies are dying two and a half times that of their white counterparts, and yet 84 percent of this is preventable,” Alaquiva said.
“Every filmmaker in this room, please create with purpose in mind. When you think of The Ebony Canal, think of a journey that we all have to be on. We are all vessels. We can’t sit and let Black women and Black babies die.”
The recognition adds to a growing list of honors and national momentum for The Ebony Canal. In May, the documentary captured three top awards at the 2026 Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase: Best Documentary, Best First-Time Director and Best Editing.
Beyond the awards circuit, The Ebony Canal is building a movement around storytelling, advocacy and action. Through screenings at universities, national conferences and community events in partnership with maternal and infant health organizations, the film is helping transform awareness into engagement—connecting audiences with local birth workers, health professionals and advocates working on the front lines to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.
With each screening, The Ebony Canal reinforces its central message: the Black maternal and infant health crisis is preventable, and everyone has a role to play in changing the outcome.
About The Ebony Canal
Directed by six-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Emmai Alaquiva and narrated by EGOT winner Viola Davis, The Ebony Canal examines the Black maternal and infant health crisis through the lived experiences of Black mothers, advocates, and leading healthcare professionals. Featuring appearances by former Vice President Kamala Harris, Ms. Tina Knowles, Elaine Welteroth, Charles Johnson, and Dr. Lamman Rucker, with creative contributions by Keke Palmer, the film calls for systemic change to ensure every Black mother has the opportunity for a safe and healthy pregnancy and birth. Honors include the 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Short Form Documentary, two Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards, three Webby Awards, and five Telly Awards. Produced by Ya Momz House, Inc. Executive Producers: Brenda Gilbert, Lekha Singh, Sanjay Rawal, and Sam Reiman. Original music by Grammy-nominated composer Bud’da (Stephen Anderson). theebonycanal.com
About BronzeLens Film Festival
BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia, is a non-profit organization founded in 2009 that is dedicated to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a center for film and film production for people of color. Founded by Kathleen Bertrand, the festival is now in its 17th year and has been an Academy Award qualifying festival in the short film category since 2016. Official Hashtag: BronzeLens2026, www.bronzelens.com
Media Assets
Press Kit: Film Deck, Teaser, Director’s Bio, Movie Poster, Synopsis
The Ebony Canal Awards and Impact
Media Contacts
Priscilla Clarke | Clarke PR Global | priscilla@clarkepr.com | 202-723-2200
Dimitra Geneva | The Ebony Canal PR Team | dimi@dimitrageneva.co | 717-319-7053
Social: @TheEbonyCanal | @emmai_alaquiva | theebonycanal.com | emmaialaquiva.com
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