Robert Townsend is the definition of a real one. Throughout his filmmaking career, the West Side native has opened doors for Black actors, invested in Black film crews, and told stories the industry would have otherwise overlooked.
Now in the thick of chilling temperatures, Townsend is returning home to Chicago to once again use his platform to uplift his community.
This weekend, the legendary actor, director and writer will host Robert Townsend’s Pop-Up Film Festival, a two-day celebration of Black cinema and Chicago culture. Proceeds from the festival will benefit the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP and The Answer Inc., an autism-awareness and support organization.
From Dec. 6-7, various parts of the festival will take place at three different locations: the Chicago Cultural Center, Columbia College and The Comedy Bar.
The TRiiBE reached out to Townsend for an interview, but he was unavailable.
On Saturday, the festival will begin with a TV and film masterclass taught by Townsend himself at Columbia College, located at 1104 S. Wabash Ave., from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Then, attendees will watch The Spook Who Sat by the Door, one of Townsend’s favorite films, at 11:00 a.m., followed by a panel featuring actor LaRoyce Hawkins, filmmaker Troy Pryor, actress Cynthia Kaye McWilliams and others.
At 3:00 p.m., there will be a screening of The Five Heartbeats with another Q&A afterwards with Townsend. The day will end with a bid whist tournament and game night, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Chicago’s Columbia College.
On the game table, Townsend will partner with a longtime friend and colleague, Jackie Taylor, an actress seen in 1975’s Cooley High and founder/CEO of the Black Ensemble Theater.
On Sunday, the screenings will continue with a viewing of Townsend’s Meteor Man at 11:00 a.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center, followed by a Q&A with Townsend. Then an episode of Power Book IV: FORCE, directed by Townsend, will be viewed at 2:00 p.m.
Friday’s events are ticketed and available here. Saturday’s events are free and open to the public, but RSVP’s have already reached capacity.
Sunday evening, the festivities will commence with the “Partners in Crime” Stand-Up Comedy Showcase hosted by fellow West Side native Lil Rel Howery at The Comedy Bar, located at 162 E. Superior St. Tickets to this event are sold out.
Townsend’s career spans over 50 years. He got his start as a teenager in Chicago, participating in many of the city’s theater programs, such as The Second City, Experimental Black Actors Guild, and John Robert Powers Modeling School.
After his appearance in 1975’s Cooley High, he moved to New York to pursue stand-up comedy, and then Hollywood in the early 80’s to pursue a career in filmmaking.
Throughout the years, Townsend has served as a cultural trailblazer. He supported and launched the careers of John Witherspoon and Keenan Ivory Wayans with 1987’s Hollywood Shuffle, a satirical movie showcasing the struggles of Black actors in Hollywood. He also directed 1997’s B.A.P.S, a film that helped launch the career of Halle Berry.
He directed Eddie Murphy’s classic 1987 stand-up special, Raw, which, till this day, is the highest-grossing stand-up concert film of all time. The special significantly influenced a generation of comedians.
Not only did Townsend give us classic films like The Five Heartbeats in 1991, Holiday Heart (2000), and Little Richard (2000), he also made an impact on TV with sitcom series The Parent Hood, which lasted 5 seasons from 1995 to 1999, and the Disney Channel super hero flick, Up Up and Away! (2000), which he directed and starred in.
Townsend’s impact lives in the actors he championed, the stories he insisted on telling, the doors he pushed open, and in the community he continues to pour back into. This weekend’s pop-up festival isn’t just a nostalgic return or a victory lap, but a reminder of the power of returning home with intention.
In a city too often defined by sensational headlines, Townsend offers a different narrative of Chicago, one rooted in joy, creativity, collaboration, and care. By spotlighting Black cinema, uplifting West Side organizations, and celebrating the next generation of Chicago talent, he’s showing exactly what it looks like when legacy becomes service.
