ATLANTA – February 26, 2025 – BronzeLens Film Festival producers have proudly announced the lineup of honorees for the BronzeLens Women SuperStars Honors event to be held on March 1, 2025, at 7:00 PM at Atlanta’s historic Rialto Center for the Arts. BronzeLens’ Legendary SuperStars Honors Awards celebrates women who have broken barriers, excelled in their fields, and paved the way for future generations of women of color to become industry leaders.
This year Valarie Pettiford, Egypt Sherrod, and Myeshia Mizuno will receive its prestigious Legendary, Vanguard, and Behind the Lens BronzeLens Women SuperStars Awards, respectively. “We are thrilled to honor these remarkable women who have demonstrated extraordinary strength, determination, and brilliance,” said Kathleen Bertrand, BronzeLens’ Founder and Executive Producer. “Their contributions are a testament to the power of women of color in leadership, and they are role models for innovators and changemakers of the future.”
The 2025 Legendary SuperStar is Valarie Pettiford. With an acclaimed career spanning nearly five decades, Pettiford is what show-biz folks call a ‘triple threat’ – a dancer, actor, and singer whose work has earned her multiple NAACP Image Awards and Tony and Grammy Award nominations. In a business that now interchanges the words ‘influencer’ and ‘celebrity,’ her credits include the television series Half and Half, Being Mary Jane, The Black List, The Equalizer, Black-ish, How to Die Alone, Home Economics, The Mandalorian, and The Discovery of Witches. Additionally, she starred in films such as “Stomp the Yard,” “Glitter,” and “Jumping the Broom.” Pettiford currently plays the deliciously dynamic Chippy Duncan for five – soon to be six – seasons of BET’s hit series The Family Business and recently joined The Young and The Restless as Amy Lewis.
Egypt Sherrod is the Vanguard SuperStar. Sherrod is a true powerhouse whose multifaceted career spans real estate, design, entrepreneurship, and media. Sherrod has carved out a dynamic space in these industries as a renowned real estate broker, designer, author, life coach, and serial entrepreneur. She is best known as the host and executive producer of HGTV’s top-rated show Married to Real Estate, which drew over 19 million viewers in its debut season. Now in its fourth season, the show continues to rank among HGTV’s top five programs and is set to broadcast in more than 82 countries by this February. Sherrod’s television presence also includes hit shows like Flipping Virgins and the long-running Property Virgins, where her expertise continues to captivate audiences. Sherrod is a trusted authority on wealth education and real estate. She is the Founder & CEO of the Indigo Road family of companies, which encompasses Indigo Road Realty, a leading residential brokerage; Indigo Road Design Group, offering premier design services; and Indigo Road Home Furnishings, her signature home decor line.
Myeshia Mizuno is the Behind the Lens SuperStar. Mizuno is an EMMY-winning powerhouse producer, executive, and visionary who has redefined what it means to lead in television. With a successful career of over 25 years, she is the showrunner and executive producer of the legendary syndicated Family Feud and the first black female showrunner of a primetime network gameshow, ABC’s megahit Celebrity Family Feud. Mizuno is also the creative force behind ABC’s Judge Steve Harvey. Her career began in the fast-paced advertising world at the boutique agency Donat & Wald, where she produced commercials for major clients like 1-800-DENTIST, Dermalogica, and George Foreman. Those early moments on set ignited her passion for television, putting her on the path to becoming one of the most sought-after producers in the industry.
An ‘In Conversation’ with all the 2025 honorees will be a special highlight during the awards program. Animator, Director, Writer, Producer, and 2018 BronzeLens SuperStar Ayoka Chenzira will moderate. Portia Bruner of the nationally distributed lifestyle show Portia will be the event host and violinist Carey Durham will perform.
The BronzeLens SuperStars Honors event is the primary fundraising component for the BronzeLens Creators Scholarship. This year, two scholarships worth $10,000 each will be awarded to film students selected from participating HBCUs. The 2025 Scholarship recipients will be announced in late May.
For more information regarding the BronzeLens Film Festival, visit www.bronzelens.com.
BronzeLens 2025 Women SuperStars Honorees Media Assets (Photos, Bios, etc.)
About the BronzeLens Film Festival
BronzeLens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia, is a non-profit organization founded in 2009 dedicated to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a film and film production center for people of color. Its mission is two-fold: to promote Atlanta as a film mecca for people of color to showcase films and provide networking opportunities that will develop the next generation of filmmakers. BronzeLens is an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciencesqualifying film festival for the Short Film Awards category. The short film that receives the BronzeLens Best Short Award may now be eligible to enter the Academy’s Short Subject competition for the concurrent season.
BronzeLens Sponsors
2025 BronzeLens Sponsors are Aids Healthcare Foundation, Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, East Point Convention & Visitors Bureau, Fulton Films, Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film, Entertainment and Night Life, Tara Atlanta, and Warner Brothers Discovery.
For more information regarding the BronzeLens Film Festival, visit www.bronzelens.com.
