AfroCannes 2026 will set the stage for the clinical hypnotherapist and media professional to inspire the next wave of storytellers through a masterclass in “Authenticity in Cross-Cultural Collaborations: Building Meaningful Global Films Without Losing Cultural Truth.”
All roads lead to Cannes, France, this May, where Tera Carissa Hodges will speak at the Cannes Film Festival’s ultimate showcase of diversity and inclusion, AfroCannes. Alongside other panelists, including WIFT (Women in Film & Television), Juliet Ibrahim, and more, she will help moderate a masterclass on how Black creatives can navigate cultural barriers to their advantage and create meaningful films for international audiences without losing their cultural truth–a topic the LR Global Media Group USA founder and CEO is well versed in, thanks to her background in broadcast journalism and media psychology.
“As a lifelong lover of movies, it’s an honor to moderate and speak on such a meaningful topic, especially on a platform like AfroCannes,” she says. “Multicultural creative collaborations are something we need more of today. Having worked in the media and helped with television casting, I can attest to the importance of cultural nuance and proper representation in the media, how it shapes the stories we tell, and of course, how it affects the psyche of those who watch them.”
Launched in 2022 and organized by the Yanibes Foundation, AfroCannes has become a mainstay of the Cannes Film Festival, evolving into the event’s premier platform for diversity and inclusion in global cinema. The four-day event (May 15-19) will gather luminaries from across the world to feature in panel discussions, country highlights, presentations, screenings, cocktails, and tributes. This year, it will run under the theme “Narrative and Cultural Sovereignty,” focusing on maintaining cultural authenticity and integrity in the future of film.
For Hodges, May 16 will be an opportunity to inspire the next generation of creatives of color to remain true to their experiences and tell stories rooted in cultural integrity. It is a message that reflects the spirit of AfroCannes and aligns with the faith-driven empowerment work she leads through LR (Life, Lifestyle, and Labels Redefined) Global Media Group USA.
